Natural Playgrounds
STREAMS Interactive: a Case for Child-Powered Water Play
If you’ve ever had to tear your mud-covered child away from a puddle or sopped up the aftermath of a particularly active bath session, then you know how irresistible water is to children. That splash pads draw crowds wherever they pop up in cityscapes and playgrounds is a given. But…
Water Play That Lets Kids Be Engineers
There is a new thinking in water play design that has as much in common with the ubiquitous splash park as a neighborhood playground has with an adventure destination. We noted this trend several months ago in discussing the first season of the water play area at Knudsen Park in…
Outdoor Water Laboratories Gaining Ground
When you think of a water playground, your mind might conjure images of a splash pad. Fountains spraying jets of water. Children running past open-mouthed animals or cartoon characters, laughing and shrieking as they get soaked. And, indeed, this is one version of water play—and not a bad way for…
The Children’s School of Oak Park: Nature-Play on a Paved Courtyard and a Tiny Budget
The Children’s School of Oak Park, a progressive K-8 school outside Chicago, turned their parking lot into a nature play space on a nonprofit budget—a little over $1,000 all told. How did they do it? A grant from the Deep Roots Project was part of it. The volunteer-led Chicago community…
STEM Learning through Sand and Water Play
If you’ve been following national education trends with even passing interest, you’re familiar with STEM. The curricular model focuses on educating students across four disciplines (science, technology, engineering, and math) through an integrated, applied learning approach. It first gained ground under the Obama administration’s 2009 “Educate to Innovate” campaign, galvanized…
The Evolution of Nature Playgrounds
It was against the backdrop of the volatile interwar years in Europe that celebrated Danish landscape architect, Carl Theodor Sørensen first conceived of the idea of skrammellegepladsers or, “junk playgrounds”. Observing children playing in junkyards and construction sites, he was struck by the notion that, through a child’s eyes, almost…
How to Make Sand Accessible at Playgrounds
Sand table at Ruth and Arthur Smadbeck-Heckscher East Playground Accessibility is crucial for children who use wheelchairs or other mobility devices to enjoy playgrounds, and a big part of that relies on surfacing. Ground surfaces along accessible routes and maneuvering spaces must comply with the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) F 1951- 99 standard. The standard measures…
Limitless Fun, The Impact of Rick Henke’s Approach to Playground Creation
Playgrounds Were Nothing New, Until Goric’s Founder Helped Change the Game It all comes down to perspective. Children explore a world much different than the ones inhabited by adults. Everything is bigger and harder to reach. As a child, it can often seem that adults spend their time telling you what not to…
The Playground Equipment Designs of Peter Heuken
The German Playground Designer Peter Heuken traces the beginnings of his world-renowned work to the age of five. That’s when he received his first real tool kit. It is not usually recommended to give sharp blades and other adult tools to someone barely past the toddler stage of life. Luckily, Mr. Heuken was…
Snowshoeing Through a Gorge – Inspiration for Water Play – By Laura
When I was a young child in kindergarten my class would walk down to the Credit River in Misissauga, Ontario, every Friday morning. We would walk along the river and sometimes collect leaves, pebbles, sticks or pinecones for craft projects. We learned about the natural world by exploring and experiencing the sounds…
The Best Designed Slide: How to Create the Perfect Hill or Mound Slide
Important issues when designing a hill slide: 1. Adequate shading. All playground equipment needs shade. All materials get hot, even plastic! So make sure to design your area accordingly. 2. What material is appropriate for your requirements? Stainless steel, plastic (polyethylene) or corian? They all have pros and cons. 3. Slope of…
My Trip to Sweden (Germany Part 2)
I spent the last few days of my European trip in Sweden visiting my step brother, Simon and his family. Stockholm is beautiful at night (and I’m sure during the day too) and the countryside is picturesque. I really don’t think I’ve ever seen a more amazing sky at night with…
