The Totally Official Silverwood Blog

A Silverwood Adventure: Foster Family Addition

September 8, 2025.Shawna Razon.0 Likes.0 Comments

“Fostering is a way to make a difference in a child’s life, one heart at a time.”

– Unknown

Let’s talk a little bit about what fostering is, then I will share three simple ways our family has used playful days at Silverwood to begin building a foundation of trust and connection with foster littles in our home.

What is Fostering?

Fostering is simply coming alongside children, specifically those who are in need of a safe and supportive home, while their parents or guardians walk through challenging transitions. This can be a very sad and stressful season for the children and families involved. Our family has been licensed to foster for two years. We have one long term placement currently in our home. She has absolutely loved our days at Silverwood together.

Here are 3 ways Foster Families can plan a day at Silverwood to creatively create connections with children that come through our homes through foster care.

1. Empower + Build relationships through fun, play, and exploration at Silverwood

From the waterslides, to the coasters, to the arcade, and carnival games foster families can create unique opportunities to encourage friendship and team work. This engagement intentionally and beautifully supports the building blocks of healthy connection.

“Team work makes the dream work.”

-J (our foster little)

I have mentioned previously in my last blog that PLAY has the ability to give a child his or her own super power! Play supports a child’s imagination and creativity. Both can become suppressed when kids are in care. They deal with an incredible amount of stress. In addition, play supports the development of new friendships. Developing healthy friendships can help these children maintain and build secure relationships. Over time this can cultivate stability.

2. Silverwood Collaborates with local organizations to support children in care.

Silverwood has created intentional outreaches to reach children in Idaho. Their collaborative efforts with organizations like Children’s Village clearly show the heart of the park for Idaho families. Silverwood has taken great efforts to give ALL kids an opportunity to experience a day at the park. But, specifically speaking they have an incredible outreach for Idaho Foster Care children. This outreach gives Idaho children in foster care an opportunity to go to Silverwood and more details can be found with the link below!

Silverwood Fostering Family Fun

3. Support + Advocation for the needs of children in foster care.

One of the most important things we can do for these children in care who come through our homes is support and advocate for their needs.

Planning a day at Silverwood for the children placed in our home has been a fun and simple way to begin to meet some of their emotional needs. Connection and development see progress in a safe environment. It does not come overnight! A day at Silverwood allows these kids to be KIDS. Children in care sometimes don’t get the opportunity to just be a kid. Additionally, it gives space for them to begin building trust with their foster families through play and fun. It is an approachable invitation for building friendship, which will begin the development and support families (like ours) in building secure, safe, and nurturing relationships with our foster children.

“In fostering, you may not always see the impact you make, but know that your love is planting seeds of hope.”

– Unknown

Above I have listed some of the pillars that foster families put into practice everyday to help children in care experience and enjoy healthy connection to their community and their foster families. I love and appreciate how we can use a local attraction like Silverwood to add a fun and unique opportunity to pour into these very special kids.

A day at Silverwood will help break the ice, spark excitement, and give families a fun way to engage with their foster children. Silverwood is incredibly generous with their outreaches to the community and they help remove some of the financial barriers. This is because they advocate and collaborate to give Foster Children in Idaho ONE FREE ticket (per year) to experience all the fun! To finish, this has been one way that I have personally enjoyed and witnessed incredible growth and empowerment in our foster daughter. Seeing the walls slowly peel back, trust grow, and her heart opening up with each experience has been the greatest joy.

Meet the Conductor

Hello I’m Shawna! I am a stay-at-home mom, who homeschools, has a slight obsession with iced coffees, and I love living north Idaho! I have been married for 11 years and have two biological kids and one foster daughter who will soon be adopted. We have lived in North Idaho for seven years and have visited Silverwood the past five years. Our kids are finally at an age where fond memories are continuing to be created every year. We make many group trips throughout the summer with friends, and it has become quite a tradition! I love to write and really enjoy sharing experiences with my Sandpoint community. I truly feel incredibly blessed to live here and serve others in the region. I have a small sourdough bread baking business and find joy in sharing that. The most important aspects of my life are my love for the Lord, loving my family, and serving those in my community.