Annual Free Events

Portrait of Me; Painting and Play is a FREE event hosted at the Grand Rapids Art Museum. We are proud to feature a local artist each year to teach inspire and work alongside children and their families. During our painting and play experience, all join in painting, sensory play and community. 

We are thankful to Lake MIchigan Credit Union and The Cakabakery for their ongoing sponsorship and support of this FREE annual event. 

THE PLAYGROUNDgr brings play experts to GRAND RAPIDS PLAYS, inviting our community to participate in: drum circles, mindfulness, yoga, nature play, art and other play led activities that may not be accessible in other scenarios. Due to barriers related to insurance, out of pocket costs and access to transportation, THE PLAYGROUNDgr is committed to bringing play experts, tools and strategies to our whole community.  Last years partners included: Grand Rapids Public Library, Early On Learning Collaborative, Congress Elementary, Full Bloom Children’s Yoga and Mindfulness, Nature Crate and Josh Dunigan drums. Attendees received new books, play tools and  drum, in support of continuing play at home. In 2023 THE PLAYGROUNDgr expanded our midbrain and expert play opportunities, inviting Great Lakes Circus Center to bring circus arts, as well as Tekqnique Academy to bring break dancing. We continued to showcase over 10 hands on play experts and brainstem, midbrain, limbic and cortical cortex play, with partners that included: Full Bloom Yoga and Mindfulness, Tree School, The Grand Rapids Public Library, THE PLAYGROUNDgr, The YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids, DJ Collin Chaos, Bounce house from Grand Rapids Bounce House, drum circles and giveaways led by Josh Dunigan and Congress Elementary. We welcomed over 300 neighbors to join us for an afternoon of intentional play.