By Lolly Tai, Mary Taylor Haque, Gina Kooiman McLellan and Erin Jordan Knight
Over the last few decades, playground design has changed a great deal, transforming from a haphazard collection of individual play events to the concept of offering multiple activities within a single structure (also known as “continuous play”). Today, the emerging trend is to balance the benefits of play with the benefits of nature, as shown in this excerpt from the book, Designing Outdoor Environments for Children: Landscaping School Yards, Gardens and Playgrounds.
Playgrounds today are moving beyond the long-established parameter of a single large piece of equipment in a park or schoolyard to a mix of commercially manufactured equipment and natural elements of sand, water and plantings.
As the naturalistic approach to playgrounds grows, the realization that outdoor play environments are good learning environments also grows. Natural elements in play areas can be indigenous to the site or can be added to the site. This design concept is providing a new level of excitement in the planning and design of play areas. Schoolyards are a primary focus with the addition of environments extending well beyond the playground to include nature trails, outdoor classrooms and gardens of many kinds. Public parks, neighborhoods, child care centers and even hospitals are examining and implementing naturalistic and sustainable approaches to play areas with the realization that these play areas offer a well-balanced approach to play.
Lolly Tai, PhD, RLA, FASLA, is professor and chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture at Temple University. Mary Taylor Haque, RLA, ASLA, is a registered landscape architect and alumni distinguished professor of horticulture at Clemson University. Gina Kooiman McLellan, PhD, has been a professor of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management at Clemson University for 25 years. Erin Jordan Knight is director of Natural Resource Protection at Upstate Forever, a South Carolina organization that promotes sensible growth and protects special places.
©2009 by The McGraw Hill Companies, Inc. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.