Over 100 volunteer architects help to set up and facilitate KidsBuild! each year.

Image Credit: Thuy Buonocore Photography

Taking place each April, KidsBuild! offers young designers the opportunity to share their ideas as they explore the possibilities of architecture, planning, design, and construction. In its 34th year of operation, and 13th year hosted at the BSA, KidsBuild! provides a space for designers of all ages to be a part of making and creating.

Guided by volunteer design professionals, participants choose a construction site from a fictional city grid, design and build a building out of recycled materials, and are awarded a certificate of occupancy from the city building inspectors. Perfect for children aged 5-13, and welcoming designers of all ages, KidsBuild! allows children to formulate ideas about architecture and design as they build a city from the ground up.

KidsBuild!'s model city is built throughout the two-day event and remains on display to the public throughout the following week. With over 800 participants joining each year, KidsBuild! is the largest free, public event offered by the BSA and engages a large cohort of volunteer design professionals to engage with participants.

2026

Dates
April 11-12, 2026: KidsBuild! Day 1-2
April 13-17, 2026: KidsBuild! On Display

Location
BSA Space
290 Congress Street, Boston, MA

Cost
Free to attend

Registration
Advanced registration is required. 2026 registration has now completed. Email [email protected] to get on next year's mailing list.

Program

Type
Event
Public exhibition

Grade Levels
K-5, Children and Families

Timeframe
1992-present

Timeline
January-March: Planning committee volunteer signups
Mid-March: Event volunteer sign up launches
Mid-March: Participant registration launches
April: KidsBuild! event(s) and exhibition

Collaborators

Partners
KidsBuild! Planning Committee
Atlantic Wharf/BXP

Volunteers
Local architects and designers

Volunteers

Volunteer shifts have completed for this year's KidsBuild!. Interested in getting involved in next year's KidsBuild!? Email [email protected].

Support

We appreciate your support, which allows us to put on this free and fun public event each year.

Monetary Donations

KidsBuild! costs $25 per child to produce. Consider donating to the BSA Foundation.

Material Donations

KidsBuild! buildings are constructed with recycled materials that are collected closer to each year's event. Consider collecting at home or at your firm/organization.

Sponsorship

KidsBuild! sponsorships allow us to fund this event and support K-12 design education locally. See 2026 sponsorship options here.

Learn more about K-12 Design Education

2026 Sponsors

Presenting Sponsor

Community Collaborator

Celebrating Architecture Week 2025 with KidsBuild! and More

Each April, Architecture Week celebrates the power of design to shape communities, spark creativity, and empower the next generation of thinkers and doers. This year, from April 13–19, the BSA joined AIA K-12 and the City of Boston to amplify that mission and bring the city alive with programs that brought architecture and design to learners of all ages.

KidsBuild!