ways to support the play lab's mission
Sponsor
Scholarships
Scholarships
The average rate for caseworkers in Chicago Illinois is between $11-18 per hour. This leaves much of our careforce straddling or below the poverty threshold. The Play Lab believes that caregivers are agents of change and deserve a wage that reflects their hard work and dedication. and Your support can help us meet the needs of the caregivers who are committed to meeting the needs of all children.
Scholarships
Scholarships
Scholarships
The going rate for high quality childcare in the Village of Oak Park can range from $12-$17,000 per year for one child. The poverty line for a family of 4 is $27,000 . Families are left with a challenge: refuse work because childcare is a rate that they can't afford, or put their child in substandard care so that they can remain in the workforce. Help make this Day Care dilemma a thing of the past or qualifying families by giving the gift of play.
Volunteer
Scholarships
Donate Winter Gear Essentials
Time is a precious resource and is especially impactful in the lives of young children. If you're wondering how you can get involved with the play lab's mission, consider dropping in for a story time, assist in tending our garden, chaperone a forest day, or offer your services at a Play Lab Event. The ways that you can be of service are limitless, so grab your adventure gear and discover how you can become a Play Lab Facilitator.
Donate Winter Gear Essentials
Donate Winter Gear Essentials
Donate Winter Gear Essentials
We believe that every child should have access to a safe natural experience, no matter the season. Your donation can help us provide the quality gear necessary to keep every child safe and warm for outdoor learning all year long. training, and support to women around the world.
Donate Adventure Kits
Donate Winter Gear Essentials
Donate Adventure Kits
Join us in providing the trappings of a meaningful outdoor experience for every child. Each Adventure kit will provide a child with indoor and outdoor water bottles, snack cups, a digital camera to document from their perspective snack cups and washable name labels, all inside a toddler sized back pack that is easy for carrying on an adventure!
Donate play lab essentials
Donate Winter Gear Essentials
Donate Adventure Kits
When you are in the service of children, there will always be materials that need replenishing. Your help can ease the load and ensure that we always have enough to go around. Please consider purchasing items from our Amazon wish list.
Next stop: Equity and access!
Support The Play Lab's Big Wish Today
Providing QAE for our children includes ensuring that children who require care, but are limited by immobility are able to participate. It also includes, a transportation rate that is equitable for the childcare owner, as well as the families involved. Currently, the average cost of a transportation service is around $250 dollars. When it comes to providing bus service and one field or forest excursion per week, an organization will likely pay 3 times the amount of owning a vehicle. Investing in a vehicle ensures that children who need it most have access to our quality care program and that all families can participate.
With your support, we can provide pick up and drop off service to families with transportation needs, provide field trips to the wonderful natural spaces that are out of proximity to many of our children, and make activities such as field and forest days inclusive when they no longer rely on the availability of their grownups to get them to and from our destination.
Ways to Help
There are many ways to get involved and support our goal of providing Play Lab Transportation. Whether you make a donation, or organize a fundraising event in your community, your contribution will make a difference in the lives of our children. Click the button to find out how to help make an impact.