Reply To: Designing Natural Play Spaces for Children

[Trace One]

Interesting question. It seems to me that the best types of places to connect kids to nature would be non-programmatic (“Passive recreation”) natural areas. Prospect Park in Brooklyn is one of my favorite designs, I used to do childrens classes on urban nature there, and all you need are trees and grass, a water body is nice also, to get the lessons going.

But just let the kids have open time in natural spaces. I spent many hours with my nieces investigating meadow -grasses from two inches away, finding the bugs, worms, etc. That is enough.

I am also reminded of Isabella Rosellinis really weird videos on bugs and animals, where she is fully costumed and playing the part of a wasp, or something.

So I geuss another concept, pretty cliche really, would be to creat huge play-things of natural organisms – giant dinosaur eggs the kids can play in, etc. ..And there is  nothing wrong with a good playground merry-go-round to keep the interest up and the blood flowing..

what do YOU think?