Adoptee Connections
AdopTween
For Pre-Teen Adoptees
About
AdopTween is The Park’s dedicated pre-teen rocketship, focused on providing vital mentorship and community for adopted children, ages 8-12. Introduced in 2013 as a sister program to Adopteen, AdopTween believes in the power of mentorship through friendship and the wisdom of youth.
Â
AdopTween explores themes that often color pre-teen years. Conversations around adoption confidence, making good friends, standing up to bullying, building self-esteem, and celebrating our multicultural family are important to explore, and who better to explore with than fellow adoptees who have navigated just a bit further down the road? Children ages 8-12 from any adoption background are invited to engage in purposeful fun and intentional connection, supported by the mentorship of teen and young adult adoptees (ages 15+).
Whether in person, online, or through our pen pal program, we hope you’ll join us!
AdopTween programming is built with adoptees whose development age matches neurotypical 8-12 year olds. However, please reach out to us if you feel your child would best fit in AdopTween, whether younger or older, and we will happily work with you to find what fits them!
Pen Pals
Our AdopTween Pen Pals are writing from all around the world! Pen Pal Mentors (ages 15+) are matched with young adoptees, ages 8-12, to exchange stories, celebrate triumphs, and provide support through good, old-fashioned snail mail.Â
Interested in becoming an AdopTween Pen Pal?
Mentorship Team
We believe in mentorship through friendship. Our AdopTween Mentors and Pen Pals are all young adult & adult adoptees hoping to help encourage pre-teen adoptees to embrace adoption celebration, inspiration, and pride.
Mentors
Our AdopTween Hangouts (for ages 9-12) rely on the work and support of our passionate and dedicated AdopTween Mentors. Our Mentors are all teen and young adult adoptees who believe in mentorship through friendship and want to help their young adoptee friends feel proud and validated in their adoption identities.
Interested in serving as an AdopTween Mentor?
Pen Pal Program
Our AdopTween Pen Pals are writing from all around the world! Connect your child with an AdopTween Pen Pal today!
Connect Across the World
Our Pen Pal program matches fantastic AdopTween Pen Pals (ages 15+) with young adoptees, ages 8-12, to exchange stories, celebrate triumphs, and provide support through good, old-fashioned snail mail.Â
The Pen Pal program is a wonderful way for children who are starting to ask important questions about their adoption story to get connected and feel heard. Pen Pals are matched based on your expressed preferences and you can request new or additional Pen Pals any time.Â
Your child’s safety is our utmost priority. Our AdopTween Pen Pals are chosen through a thorough application process, which includes interviews, personal references, writing samples, and social media review.Â
Our bi-monthly AdopTween Hangouts allows our young adoptee friends to connect and share with each other from all around the country and stay in touch! Held via Zoom, your children can build new friendships and find support through meaningful conversations, awesome crafts, movie nights, delicious cooking lessons, and more!
AdopTween Hangouts
Connect with us online and build life-changing friendships
Our AdopTween programming is built with adoptees whose development age matches neurotypical 8-12 year olds. However, please reach out to us if you feel AdopTween would be a great fit for your child, whether younger or older.Â
