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GET ME OFF THIS CRAZY RIDE!
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Kids on playa?! Yep, absolutely. In fact, Burning Man has been a family affair from the very beginning. When Jerry James and Larry Harvey burned the first Man in 1986, their 5-year old sons Robin and Trey built a Burning Dog alongside their dads.
Burning Man enthusiastically welcomes children of all ages to Black Rock City, and kids 12 and younger are free (but require a Kid's Ticket, which helps us to better understand the composition and diversity of BRC's citizens). BRC’s infrastructure supports the presence of families and has an excellent record regarding the welfare of children.
Are you planning on bringing your kids along to this year’s Burn? There are some great resources and programs for Burner families we want you to know about, including The Survival Guide for Families, Kidsville, Black Rock Scouts and the FUN Child ID Program run by the Black Rock Rangers.
And if you’d like to wade into the experiential waters of kids on playa, check out these great posts on Voices of Burning Man. In particular, here's a great interview with a 15-year old, 12-time Burner to give you an idea of the kind of experiences kids can have on playa.
Lastly, we'd be remiss if we didn't point out Dusty Playground, a fabulous book-in-progress about kids on playa and the depth of the culture evidenced by their presence.
The Man burns in 53 days!
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Playa Survival Guide for Families
Surviving in Black Rock City is difficult enough, and now you want to bring your kids? That’s great! It can certainly be daunting the first time, but children actually thrive in the playa environment. It just takes some extra preparation, planning and diligence.
We have compiled an excellent Survival Guide for Families. Definitely check it out.
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New for 2015: Kids' Tickets for Kids 12 and Under!
For the first time this year, kids 12 years old and younger will need their own special no-cost Kid's Ticket. If you’re bringing your children you need to request their free ticket by completing a Kid's Ticket Form. Once you’ve completed the form we’ll send you your print-at-home Kids' Tickets within a week. Your ticket(s) and theirs will be scanned at the Gate.
Forgot your Kid's Ticket? No problem! As a back up Gate staff will have Kids' Tickets available for scanning when you arrive. But your best bet for a speedy entry is to print out and bring the ones we send you in advance.
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F.U.N. Child Identification Program
The Family Unification Network (FUN) program allows families to register themselves and their children at the Black Rock Ranger HQ in Center Camp (daily from 9 a.m. - noon or anytime after 2 p.m.). The registered child will receive a wristband with a serial number that is unique to them, which will identify the child, parents and camp location. That’s it! Should your child become separated from you, all he or she has to do is find a Ranger (and you should too!). The wristband serial number will facilitate a speedy reunion.
And bringing your kids to register is a great way for them to become familiar with Rangers and the Ranger Station — speaking of which, introducing your kids to a random roaming Ranger is a good way to let them know how to find help in a pinch.
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Join the Black Rock Scouts!
Jay of the Black Rock Scouts writes:
This program is for Burner kids, based on the Ten Principles of Burning Man. Kids are the next generation, so we aim to teach them how to sustain life in BRC. Camps and departments will host playa-cational field trips, events and volunteer opportunities. Scouts will earn a patch and additional merit badges for things learned, survival skills achieved, good deeds and volunteering.
Black Rock Scouts is not a babysitting service. A parent or an adult guardian must attend all events with their kid. Most of our activities are interactive playa-vocational trips that are enjoyed as a whole family.
Scouts should visit the BRS Headquarters in Kidsville to see the Schedule of Events. A Black Rock Scout schedule will also be posted at Info which is usually near Center Camp. You might even find yourself gifted with most excellent BRS swag while supplies last.
For a peek of our schedule ahead of time, keep an eye out for schedule updates on our website. The schedule is updated constantly so check the site frequently.
You can also join our Facebook Page and you can watch this short video about us.
If you are in the San Francisco Bay Area and would like to meet me personally to learn about the Black Rock Scouts, I can be found July 18 at the Berkeley Spark.
Adventure awaits, events unfold, and there’s no telling what will actually happen. You need to participate to find out. See you at home!
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Welcome to Kidsville!
Kidsville is a cooperative village for Burners with kids, which has grown to more than 150 families in recent years. Kidsvillians believe that Burning Man is a unique experience to share as a family. Kidsville is safe, quiet, centrally located and close to Potties, Center Camp, Medical and the 6:00 Rangers Station. The Village takes up the blocks between 5:00 and 5:30, D and E streets. The entire village is enclosed with playa fencing and flagpoles, to identify boundaries for kids. Vehicles are not allowed within the borders so it’s a safe place for kids to ride bikes, run and play. For added safety, all kids are tagged with K’ville wristbands to make them easily identifiable.
A tight-knit community develops overnight. Children have plenty of friends to play with and parents bond and share with neighbors. In the K’ville Center Camp is the Mayor’s camp, a fire pit, an Information Kiosk with an event schedule, the Black Rock Scouts HQ, resident Ranger Mickey’s Camp and play equipment like trampolines. During the week, families host dozens of events like Mini Burning Man. We love it when art cars visit and take little peeps and their families for a spin! To schedule a visit, contact Kidsville Mayor Dawn Lapierre, a.k.a. Queen of F’ing Everything via her Facebook page.
While K’ville welcomes all Playa-families to visit, it is NOT A BABYSITTING SERVICE. Children may NOT be dropped off in Kidsville without a parent. Parents are responsible for their children’s safety and behavior at all times, inside and outside of Kidsville.
To camp in Kidsville, each camp must have at least one child under the age 18. All camps must work at least one Kidsville Greeter shift. There are still a few spaces left in Kidsville, but you must pre-register and choose a campsite. Once spaces become full, there is a waiting list. NOTE: If you are NOT pre-registered with a camp location, don’t expect to arrive at Kidsville and find a space.
To learn more about Kidsville, ask questions or follow discussions, join the Yahoo Group.
For tips on bringing kids to the playa, read the Kidsville Survival Guide.
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We were listening to ...
Washed Out because swimmy chill factor 12.
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