Question 1

What is Side Quest?

Accepted Answer

A social community for kids who are quirky, quiet, creative, curious, sensitive, deep-feeling, outside-the-box, neurospicy, or simply more comfortable in smaller, lower-key settings — and for their families. Kids connect through shared activities: board games, LEGO, Minecraft, book clubs, campfires, easy hikes, crafts, and casual hangouts.

Question 2

What ages is Side Quest for?

Accepted Answer

Quests get grouped by age range and depend on where the ages of interested families fall. So interest shapes what we plan. The more families that fill out the signup form, the easier it is to plan events.

Question 3

Who is Side Quest for?

Accepted Answer

Kids — with tweens and teens especially in mind — and their families near Freeport, Brunswick, Yarmouth, and Cumberland, Maine. Some kids are shy, some are outgoing, some are somewhere in between. If the usual high-energy group activities aren't where your kid connects best, this is built for you.

Question 4

When will quests start?

Accepted Answer

We're growing our list and figuring out which quests should come first. Get on the list and you'll hear about the first adventures before anyone else.

Question 5

Where will quests happen?

Accepted Answer

At local libraries, community centers, parks, and backyards near Freeport, Brunswick, Yarmouth, and Cumberland, Maine.

Question 6

What happens at a quest?

Accepted Answer

Low-key get-togethers built around a shared activity — a board game afternoon, a LEGO build, a campfire, an easy hike. Every quest is low-key, no pressure, and welcoming. Before each quest, we'll tell you what we're doing, where we're meeting, who to expect, and what the plan looks like. At every quest, you'll sign in on our legendary leather-bound Book of Explorers. Our first quest in the works is the Mapmakers' Guild — kids building a world from scratch with map stamps, pens, and imagination.

Question 7

Does my kid have to participate?

Accepted Answer

No. Kids can jump in, hang back, watch for a while, stay close to their grown-up, or leave when they've had enough. Nobody has to introduce themselves to the group, make conversation, or participate before they're ready.

Question 8

Do parents stay?

Accepted Answer

Yes — Side Quest is parent-led, and grown-ups stay with their kids at in-person quests. While the kids are building and questing, parents get their own version of the same thing — coffee by the fire, conversation that doesn't start with a disclaimer, and other parents who simply get it. The kids aren't the only ones who could use more community.

Question 9

What does it cost?

Accepted Answer

Getting on the list is completely free. We're still working out the details for the quests themselves — before each quest, we'll tell you exactly what the plan looks like, including any costs.

Question 10

Can I suggest a quest?

Accepted Answer

Please do! Side Quest should grow around the families in it. Use our suggest-a-quest form and tell us what your kid would love.

Question 11

How do we get updates?

Accepted Answer

Fill out our short interest survey — a few minutes about where you are, your kid or kids, and what they'd enjoy. We'll let you know when the first adventure begins.

Question 12

Who's behind Side Quest?

Accepted Answer

Side Quest is small, locally run, and parent-led — built by a local parent who knows firsthand how hard it can be to find the right social fit for a differently-wired kid. It's not a program, a therapy, or a big organization — just families building the kind of community we wanted for our own kids.

Question 13

What are Anytime Quests?

Accepted Answer

A hand-picked shelf of things kids can do at home — shows, movies, books, audiobooks, podcasts, games, and places to wander — chosen with our kind of kids in mind. Kids can keep a logbook and stamp each one EXPLORED as they go.

Question 14

How is Side Quest funded? Can a business help?

Accepted Answer

Yes — we're looking for a small circle of Founding Partners among local businesses. Sponsorship is a marketing partnership, not a donation: it helps get Side Quest established — forming the business, liability insurance, banking, and the basic systems we need to operate responsibly and keep growing — and gets quests, supplies, and gathering spots going for local families. Becoming a Founding Partner is $2,500 (we're seeking five Maine businesses), and Founding Local Partner is $500–$1,000. In-kind help counts too — books, games, art supplies, printing, or a room to meet in.

Question 15

We don't live in one of the four towns — can we still join?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely. Families have raised their hands from all over Maine, and every town on the list helps us know where to grow next. Tell us where you are — and if you'd be interested in helping start a local group where you live, we want to hear that too.

Good questions