Enrich your life today by signing up for our adult enrichment classes. Elevate your skills, broaden your horizons, and embrace lifelong learning with us!
Our goal is to provide tools for children to develop skills needed to promote successful transition into kindergarten, be mindful of each child's individualized style of learning and promote a sense of self-worth and community.
Early Childhood Screening is a quick and simple check of how your child is learning and growing. It identifies possible health or learning concerns so children can get help before starting school.
What is ‘Experiential Education’? Experiential Education is a teaching philosophy which engages learners with direct experiences. It focuses on moral values, increasing knowledge and awareness, developing life skills, and understanding their contribute.
Tiger Cub Child Care is available to children ages six weeks through Preschool age, providing we can meet the needs of that child. We follow the District #241 school calendar and operate from 6:45 a.m. - 5:15 p.m.
A variety of opportunities for youth to learn, grow and build friendships.
Drivers aged 55 and above are encouraged to sign up for our defensive driving courses. These sessions will help you enhance your driving skills and develop a fresh understanding of traffic safety.
The courses will address financial obligations, future planning, budgeting, income, career development, spending habits, credit management, saving, and investments.
Our day trips are organized in collaboration with Austin, Owatonna, and Waseca Community Educations, as well as the Albert Lea Senior Center. Experience a day full of adventure with a relaxing bus ride, eliminating the need for driving.
Let's keep those bodies moving! We offer many fitness classes that welcome all levels of fitness.
Discover classes on Health & Wellness. Get started on Revolutionary Self-Care: Embrace, Nurture, and Grow Your Authentic Self.
Unleash your imagination and explore the world of crafting and hobbies with our variety of classes.
Located by the Brookside Boat Landing
Our recreation experiences teaches you skills through hands on learning.
Designed for ages 6-18, this exciting experience blends movement, teamwork, and friendly competition using foam-ball and dart blasters, full-face protective masks, and inflatable bunkers. Kids will laugh, run, and compete in games like Capture the Flag, Team Elimination, and Free-For-All — all in a safe, supervised environment.
Location: Brookside Education Center North Gym
Duration: 1.5 hours of gameplay, plus 45 minutes before and after for setup and cleanup.
Capacity: Up to 10 participants. All participants must have a signed waiver completed by a parent or guardian.
Supervision: An adult must be present for the entire duration of the party.
Included: Party room, game facilitator and assistant, gym field setup and cleanup, bunkers, blasters, foam balls, and protective masks.
Party Room: Cake, snacks, and decorations are welcome! Decorations may be hung with painter’s tape only. Please note that latex balloons and peanuts are not permitted. Families are responsible for cleanup in the party room and should bring cleaning supplies to wipe down tables after the celebration. A single restroom with a sink is available in the room for convenience.
Attire: Participants are required to wear tennis shoes and pants for safety and ease of movement.
Enroll in an available time slot to view full details and secure your Battle Blasters Bash! Your timeslot includes setup and cleanup. For example, if your slot is 1:45–4:45pm, you may arrive at 1:45 to set up and should be fully cleaned up and out by 4:45. Gameplay would run from 2:30–4:00pm
Don't see a date or time that works? Send us an email at playbackyardbunkers@gmail.com and we'll gladly check availability.
Enjoy this special rate through our partnership with Albert Lea Community Education while Backyard Bunkers’ Battle Blasters parties are offered exclusively through them!
Dusty will be your Battle Blasters facilitator, bringing years of hands-on gameplay and a strong focus on safety to the field. He spent four years playing competitive paintball, including semi-professional tournaments through Paintball Sports Promotions (PSP), where he learned the importance of structured games and maintaining high safety standards. He also served as a referee at Xphere in Faribault, MN.
The idea for Battle Blasters started when Dusty and his wife, Kim, bought a Gel Blaster for their son’s birthday. After seeing how much fun he had, they set up a backyard party with inflatable bunkers. It was a huge hit, and that sparked an idea: Why not bring this exciting experience to more families? Together, Dusty and Kim launched Backyard Bunkers, a mobile blaster experience created to bring fun to kids in the community, starting with these Battle Blasters classes.
Kim is the behind-the-scenes engine that keeps Battle Blasters running smoothly. She handles the details so Dusty can focus on facilitating. From checking kids in to keeping things on schedule, she makes sure each session is a success.
She and her husband, Dusty, started Backyard Bunkers with the goal of creating something fun and active for kids in the community. As the Marketing Specialist for Albert Lea Community Education for the past six years, Kim has developed a strong passion for helping families connect through meaningful and memorable experiences. Battle Blasters is another way she is helping bring creative, engaging, and fun opportunities to local families.
