February 2002 (Ithaca, NY) — Move over monkey bars, playgrounds are going back to nature! There is an exciting new movement in the world of playgrounds. Schools and childcare centers across the country are changing the way they design their outdoor play spaces. Now, rather than using traditional playground equipment, schools are opting to turn their outdoor play areas into rich, engaging environments by planting fruit trees, creating tiny creeks, and adding whimsical sound sculpture—filling their yards with sensory delights. Research shows that nature positively affects child development; so instead of the same old up and down on the seesaw, children are spending their time exploring and learning in dynamic, child-directed environments.
Robin Moore, a play expert and the director of The Natural Learning Initiative and professor at North Carolina State University, says, “Plants are an invaluable resource for play and child development. [They] provide open-ended settings that stimulate exploration and discovery, dramatic play, and imagination.” Today’s natural play environments strive to do just that. They bring in elements of the natural world to create unique opportunities for play.
Childcare directors and parent/teacher organizations are turning to companies like Planet Earth Playscapes, one of the leading playscape design companies, to help them create one-of-a kind, natural play environments. Rusty Keeler, designer and founder of Planet Earth Playscapes, says that play environments should stimulate all the senses and reflect the natural environment of their local community. Keeler’s designs, which are built by volunteers in the community, use local resources and native plantings and often include grassy hills, sand and water, sculpture, a variety of sound elements, and fragrant herbs and flowers. “There is something about connecting with the natural world that is so important for all human beings—particularly children. These are the kinds of experiences we need to nourish our soul,” says Keeler.
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