Pop-Up Adventure Play

What Pop-Up Adventure Play does

Pop-Up Adventure Play is a non-profit charity (registered in the UK as charity #1148987 and in the US as a 501(c)(3)) founded in 2010 by Suzanna Law and Morgan Leichter-Saxby. The organization promotes adventure play — a playwork philosophy centered on child-directed risk-taking with loose-parts materials — by delivering pop-up adventure playgrounds, training, consultations, public speaking, and global pop-up services. Its reach spans 25+ countries, 500+ communities, and 30+ countries where playwork training has been delivered, with named partners including the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Superpool, and play:ground NYC.

The organization operates a hybrid revenue model combining paid online training courses — Playworker Development Course ($950), Playful Schools Online ($216), and Adult Play Course ($149) — with donations (suggested $25 per event), event support, bespoke consultations, and public speaking engagements. Course delivery is human-led and digital distribution is via online hosting rather than any proprietary technology platform. The flagship community initiative is the biennial Campference, a conference-camp hybrid most recently held in Istanbul in 2024 with 90 participants from 10 countries.

Pop-Up Adventure Play is a small, grant-and-donation-funded operation. Documented external funding is limited to a $4,000 Vermont Arts Council grant in 2024; there is no evidence of venture capital, significant corporate sponsorship, or large multi-year government contracts. The customer base is geographically and sectorally diverse — municipalities, schools, non-profits, design firms, universities, and individual learners — and no AI/ML capability, proprietary technology stack, or scaled revenue base is indicated by the available data.

Name

Pop-Up Adventure Play

Legal name

Pop-Up Adventure Play

Website

https://popupadventureplay.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Pop-Up Adventure Play is a UK/US-registered non-profit charity that promotes adventure play through pop-up playgrounds, paid online training courses, and consultations across 25+ countries, serving municipalities, schools, and community organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Play Services and Playwork Training

NAICS

Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131), Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (7139)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Educational Adventure Programs (Outdoor Education, Skill Development) (THAAAAAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Adventure Camps & Summer Programs (THAAAOAB), General Preschools (Play-Based) (EDACABAA)

Keywords

• Playwork training
• Adventure playground design
• Loose parts play
• Play-based learning
• Children's play advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Bellows Falls

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Training Course Fees: Primary revenue stream from fee-based professional development courses including the Playworker Development Course ($950), Adult Play Course ($149/student), and Playful Schools Online ($216/person). Revenue supports UK charity operations and program delivery.
2. Donations and Grants: Pop-up events operate on a suggested donation model ($25 suggested) with no one turned away for lack of funds, supplemented by charitable grants supporting non-profit mission delivery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Pop-Up Adventure Play runs free, temporary adventure playground events staffed by trained playworkers using loose parts, and sells structured online playwork training courses that certify educators, playworkers, and community organizers. Its curriculum combines playwork methodology, loose parts theory, and risk-benefit assessment to enable autonomous, child-directed play across schools, museums, neighborhoods, and public spaces worldwide.

Product overview

Pop-Up Adventure Play is a non-profit organization operating since 2010 that functions as a multi-module platform centered on promoting children's right to play through pop-up adventure playgrounds and professional playwork training. Its core offerings include Pop-Up Adventure Playgrounds (temporary, free, playworker-staffed play events using loose parts) and three structured training courses: the Playworker Development Course (12-module online program, $950 USD), Playful Schools: Online (7-module self-paced course for educators, $216 per person), and the Adult Play Course (live 3-session online cohort course, $149 USD). These are supported by Event Support and Consultancy packages, Public Speaking engagements, the Global Pop-Ups network spanning 25+ countries, and the Tutors program connecting students with over a dozen trained playwork mentors. The Playwork Campference serves as a flagship biennial event combining camping and conference. A library of free downloadable resources (Pop-Up Play Shop Toolkit, Mini Pop-Up Kit, Risk Study, Amazing Benefits, Loose Parts Manual) rounds out the offering, along with a published book, 'The New American Adventure Playground Movement.' The organization operates primarily in the US and UK while supporting playwork communities worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pop-Up Adventure Playgrounds Free, temporary adventure playground events staffed by trained playworkers and stocked with loose parts, designed to encourage child-directed, unstructured play in communities, schools, museums, and public spaces.
• Playworker Development Course Online, self-paced professional training course providing foundational education in playwork theory and practice across 12 modules, priced at $950 USD per person with financial aid available, designed for individuals seeking to become playworkers or deepen their understanding of child-led play support.
• Playful Schools: Online Self-paced 7-module online course for educators, administrators, and parents seeking to integrate adventure and play into the school day, with foundations of play support, loose parts sourcing, staffing methods, and advocacy; priced at $216 per person with lifetime access.
• Adult Play Course Live online cohort course of 3 x 1-hour sessions over 4 weeks, exploring the importance of play for adults, types of adult play, and barriers to play; capped at 8 participants per cohort and priced at $149 USD per person.
• Event Support Bespoke training and event support packages for schools, children's museums, teacher colleges, art museums, and community organizations seeking to implement pop-up adventure playgrounds or loose-parts-based play programs.
• Consultations Soft play consultancy services addressing staff turnover and burnout, re-centering projects on children's play, creating frameworks for challenging behaviour, and building local relationships, with ongoing support and in-person or remote mentorship.
• Public Speaking Public lectures, workshops, and keynote addresses on playwork, pop-up adventure playgrounds, risk, challenging behaviour, and community-based practice, delivered at universities, conferences, and community events both in-person and online.
• Global Pop-Ups Support for the creation of pop-up adventure playgrounds across countries including the US, UK, Australia, Costa Rica, Colombia, Uganda, and others, by connecting independent organizers and providing resources.
• Tutors Team of trained and experienced playworker tutors who deliver online course mentorship and support, drawing on practice across UK playwork settings and international contexts, including Suzanna Law, Morgan Leichter-Saxby, and over a dozen other tutors.
• Playwork Campference Biennial gathering combining camping and conference, bringing playwork students and practitioners together at adventure playground sites in California, Texas, online, and Istanbul (2024), with international keynote speakers.
• Free Resources (Pop-Up Play Shop Toolkit, Mini Pop-Up Kit, Risk Study, Amazing Benefits, Loose Parts Manual) Library of downloadable free resources including the Pop-Up Play Shop Toolkit (workbook for transforming empty storefronts into play spaces), Mini Pop-Up Kit (introductory resource), Risk Study (comparing adventure vs. conventional playground safety), Amazing Benefits handout (available in English, Spanish, and French), and Loose Parts Manual for schools.
• The New American Adventure Playground Movement (book) Published book by Suzanna Law and Morgan Leichter-Saxby documenting their 2015 USA tour, with images, stories, and interviews with key playwork projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• Trained individuals in 30+ countries across 500+ communities
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Superpool (Turkish architect group)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTurkish architecture collective specializing in children's play spaces. Collaborated with Pop-Up Adventure Play on Istanbul pop-up adventure playground projects, providing architectural expertise and local market knowledge for urban play space initiatives.
• Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (Parks, Gardens and Green Areas Directorate)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal government department responsible for parks and green spaces in Istanbul. Partnered with Pop-Up Adventure Play to deliver pop-up adventure playground events and train municipal staff in playwork methodology for urban play space development.
• play:ground NYCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading adventure playground organization in New York City. Hosts pop-up adventure playground events and serves as a model implementation partner for the playwork methodology in urban US contexts.
• The Parish School Adventure PlaygroundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool-based adventure playground implementing playwork methodology and training programs for educational staff and community play leaders.
• KOOPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization operating adventure playground programs, utilizing Pop-Up Adventure Play training for playworker development and program implementation.
• Bloomsburg UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigher education institution incorporating playwork methodology into teacher education and child development curriculum, training future educators in adventure playground approaches.
• Edge Hill UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK university integrating playwork methodology into education programs, using Pop-Up Adventure Play training to enhance student understanding of play-based learning.
• Bernheim Arboretum and Research ForestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNature-based education and research center in Kentucky, hosting adventure play programs that combine environmental education with playwork methodology.
• Canal and River Trust UKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK waterway charity focused on canals and rivers, partnering with Pop-Up Adventure Play to deliver water-side play events and community engagement activities.
• Urban WildernessminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUrban wilderness and outdoor play organization collaborating on nature-based play events and programming using adventure playground principles.
• Sunflower Creative Arts, FLminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlorida-based creative arts organization incorporating adventure play and playwork principles into arts programming for children and families.
• Chapter Zero, SingaporeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSingapore-based play organization bringing adventure playground concepts and Pop-Up Adventure Play training to Southeast Asia.
• Playright, Hong KongminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHong Kong-based children's play organization working to promote children's right to play, utilizing Pop-Up Adventure Play methodology for training and programming.
• The Municipality of Cascais, PortugalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortuguese municipal government partnering to implement adventure playground programs and train municipal staff in playwork methodology for community play initiatives.
• Santa Clarita Valley Adventure PlayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCalifornia-based adventure playground initiative implementing pop-up play events and utilizing playwork training for community play leadership.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• TimberNook: Provider of nature-based play programs and certified provider training for educators and organizations, with a similar model of combining immersive outdoor play experiences with a structured certification curriculum for practitioners.
• London Play: UK charity advocating for children's right to play, supporting adventure playgrounds and running community play programs across London. Comparable as a UK-based play advocacy and training organization with overlapping methodology.
• play:groundNYC: New York City adventure playground nonprofit operating direct adventure play programs and serving as a US implementation partner for the playwork methodology that Pop-Up Adventure Play champions. Most direct comparable in the US.
• OPAL Outdoor Play and Learning: UK charity that supports schools and communities to improve outdoor play provision through consultancy, training, and program design. Closely aligned with Pop-Up Adventure Play's training-and-advocacy model in the UK playwork space.

Broad incumbents

• KaBOOM!: Large US nonprofit focused on building playgrounds and advocating for play equity across the country. Operates at much greater scale across a broader portfolio of playground-related programs but shares the mission-driven playground advocacy positioning.
• Play England: UK national play advocacy body promoting children's right to play and supporting playwork policy and practice. Comparable as a domain authority in playwork but operates at a policy and advocacy level rather than direct playground events.

Others

• Natural Learning Initiative: Research and design initiative based at NC State University focused on outdoor learning environments for children, including loose parts and nature-based play. Adjacent enabling organization that informs and disseminates similar playwork philosophy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/popupplay
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/popupplay
• Facebookfacebook.com/popupplay

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pop-Up Adventure Play