KaBOOM!: Playgrounds that Build Communities

This report looks at a community building project in the United States. KaBOOM! can be used as a model for other community building projects. KaBOOM! is an initiative that partners with local communities to help build children’s playgrounds. KaBOOM! assists with the planning stages and helps to coordinate the culmination: a collaborative, volunteer effort to construct a new playground in one day. This Knight Foundation evaluation found that a KaBOOM! playground project develops long-lasting community capacities, including organizational skills, leadership, and a belief that residents can transform their communities. Additionally, KaBOOM! projects promote children’s physical health and creativity, enhance relationships among community members, and improve the physical environment.