Join the Oregon Nature Play Movement

The Oregon Natural Play Initiative (ON Play) is a statewide movement working to provide nature play opportunities in Oregon. Our members include parks and recreation providers, designers, risk specialists, equipment manufacturers and installers, maintenance providers and maybe you. We are open to anyone that is interested in helping reach mutual goals. The group goals include:

1. Support and promote nature play in Oregon.
2. Develop products that are accepted state-wide and locally by building a tool kit for natural play in Oregon.
3. Establish a core group each year that will commit to 12 monthly meetings and development of a mutually beneficial product.
   
   
   Our next meeting on June 28th will be the start of a new year. We will review last years project and look to the project and goals for the coming year. We have finished state wide case studies and documented lessons learned. They will soon be on the ON Play website. http://oregonplay.wordpress.com/about/  
   
   
   If you are interested in being part of the movement this year or you would just like to hear more please join us. If you like to be  kept up to date on our activities please subscribe to the website or send your contact to Michelle (email below).
   
   
   Join In
   June 28th 4:00 - 6:00
   GreenWorks 24 NW 2nd ave. Portland Or 97214
   Please RSVP to Michelle Mathis
   michellem@greenworkspc.com
   
   

Pottery in the Playscape

I recently saw an add for Architectural Pottery's garden sculpture (shown below). It reminded me of some pottery sculpture I saw in a school near Portland. So many schools still have kilns and clay and kids can make infinite sculptural pieces. Little pieces often get lost in a large playground. Here are some interesting ways to make ceramics for the playground or learning garden.

Architectural Pottery's garden sculptures

Tile pieces waiting to be included in a large piece

Tile pillar with kids pieces included

Individual pieces of pottery stacked on a piece of re-bar. It makes a nice totem.

Maybe we could let them carve their own art...(this is stone not clay though)

They could make their own educational signage

I like the stacked look of these pieces (Architectural Pottery's garden sculptures)