Play Lab started in 2013 as a series of pop-up play installations in Bellingham, WA. Since then, there have been dozens of pop-up play events, hosted by generous community organizations including the Bellingham Public Library, Bellingham Farmer’s Market, Make.Shift Art Space, Bellingham Parks and Recreation, and the Pickford Film Center.

Some other iterations of Play Lab programs have been after school enrichment for 5-8 year olds (2018-2020) and virtual play dates during Covid-19 lockdowns (2020-2021).

There is no one way to “do” Play Lab: the aim is to help adults become more playful caregivers by illustrating what playful learning looks like. Every child will approach play with their own unique lens guided by what interests them about the world, so everything we create to share with children and families is a little bit different, inspired by playful potential. From cardboard to overhead projectors and slinkies, we think that the stuff we play with can help us make connections with each other.

For relatively consistent updates on what is happening, follow Play Lab on Instagram.