Natural Playgrounds:

Beneficial to Children and the Pocket Book!



Source: http://playgrounddesigns.blogspot.com



Source: http://saturatedroots.blogspot.com

I was sitting outside of a restaurant one day while waiting on a table.  It was a busy area with a lot of people coming and going.  Next to the sidewalk, there were a few trees and a boulder about the size of an office chair, small enough for a kid to climb on.  As I sat there for a period of a few minutes, every kid that walked by, without fail, climbed up and sat on the rock.  One parent, who was in a hurry, had to pry away her kid.  He sat on the rock and protested.  "No mommy!  I just want to sit on this rock.  I don't want to go!"  While I too thought the rock was a pleasant addition, I was amazed at how every single kid was magnetically drawn to this rock. 

 

There is already a slew of research that has shown a correlation between outdoor play and an improvement in children's physical and mental health.  But a recent study from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, takes it a step further to show that natural playgrounds, that incorporate elements such as logs and flowers, may be more beneficial to children than the traditional playgrounds that use mostly man-made materials.  The study followed the renovation of a playground over a period of time and analyzed before and after activity levels of students on the playground.  Researchers found that the physical activity of children doubled when playing in the natural playground that had a creek built into it that was landscaped with rocks and flowers.  The children also appeared to be using their imagination more in this natural playscape.

Source: http://theelmtree.org/playscape.html



Though it might take a little more manpower to build, these natural playscapes can be built from found materials around the home or neighborhood.  Pay attention to the places where you feel relaxed and at ease.  What's around you?  What is the layout like and what kind of design elements are included?  What do you like about it?  And then think about environments where you don't feel relaxed and try and determine what it is about the space that doesn't feel right.  Your children probably will react similarly to those environments even though they are probably unaware of it.  If you are thinking about designing a playscape for your child, or even adding natural features to one that already exists, try and incorporate elements/design from environments where you feel relaxed.  These same benefits will most likely transfer to your child.

 

And...if it is not in the cards to design a natural playscape, there are plenty of places in North Carolina you can take your child that are devoted to providing natural outdoor areas for the public.  They can be found on the Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs website. 

 

If you live in the Durham area, you should be aware of a new farm and outdoor learning center that is opening this weekend!  Learn more about it on their Facebook page.