How Much Explicit Education Should We Mix Into Play?

I have been part of a few conversations recently that were circling the idea of environmental education and nature play. We all know kids learn through play, but we often try to sneak little lessons in our natural play areas. At what point is enough enough?

The Line Between Play and Education
Where can kids just play, run, destroy and be wild if the playground is turned into a natural play area and  littered with little lessons (on knot tying, on geology, on bird identification)? How long will it be before our play areas are way less fun and way more work. I strongly feel that some environmental education has gone this direction. Look, study, observe but don't touch and certainly don't pull, squish, stomp or experiment too much.

photo from http://world-bird-sanctuary.blogspot.com

The Fine Line
As a designer for public spaces I know it comes down to audience, maintenance, and the goals of the agency. With a passion for learning landscape I find myself mixing learning and outdoor spaces all the time. I do like to step back and remind myself that there needs to be a place for play, just plain and simple free exploration. This is truly where kids learn: trial and error, cooperation, limits. It is also the point where public agencies and care facilities get nervous. How would your agency react to these comments around safety and nature protection?

Stacking those logs is hard because they are not round and we staked our bridge too high and it fell while we were crossing it.

Inside the frog is gooey and you can see all the organs.

How are Nature Stewards Created?
Most environmentalists attributed their commitment to nature to a combination of two sources, “many hours spent outdoors in a keenly remembered wild or semi-wild place in childhood or adolescence, and an adult who taught respect for nature.” I know this is true for me. We grew up playing in a few empty lots in my neighborhood as well as the wild spaces in our back yards. We picked branches of flowers off every plant we found. I never remember my mom scolding me for ripping off branches. Maybe she held her tongue or did not notice. But we were taught the basics of nature respect as we visited many national parks.

David Sobel has always been one of my favorite educators and authors. Orion Magazine recently published an  article by him entitled "Look, don't touch". It is a wonderful exploration of these ideas and more. He asks the question," what’s the most effective way to parent and educate children so that they will grow up to behave in environmentally responsible ways?" It is a good read and helpful in taking the long view on those days when the short term feels like the only thing out there.

All in all I think there needs to be a little room for truly wild, maybe even borderline dangerous or destructive.  This is not something I am often able to provide in a designed public or educational setting. But, I will carry some of these concepts into my designs and see what I can do. What do you think? Have you seen designed spaces that offer these types of opportunities?

Nature Play in Parks: Two New Oregon Examples

Tualatin Hills Parks and Recreation District (THPRD) has opened two fantastic new nature play areas. One is an Off-trail Play Area and the other is a Natural Playscape. These play area types are defined further in my previous post on THPRD's Nature play guidelines.

Hyland Forest Park:
This piece of forest is set aside and free play is allowed. Fort building, exploration, digging and other activities are all allowed. It is part of a free play pilot project in the parks district.

The entire area is delineated by these signs, maybe every 30'.

There are lots of fots already built and ready to add on to!

There are more delicate built items like the 'soup bowl'

Camille Park:
This is also in the THPRD park system, but it is a very different park. They consider this one a natural playscape. It is a mix of natural themed equipment and natural materials.

Walking up onto the play area it is almost hard to tell it is a play area!

the more traditional equipment area

The awesome log stack!

Logs are set on concrete footings and rebar adds support so they wont move around.
But these logs are huge! I can't image they will move for a long time.

Another view that I think is peaceful and beautiful especially compared to what a colorful climbing set would look like.

sand play

Giant Treehouse, Outdoor Trains and Lots More to Discover at Highfield

The Highfield Discovery Garden is located in Hamilton County Park's Glenwood Gardens. While the entire sight is full of trails, nature, and wonder the discovery garden is especially amazing.

The magical tree just calls you to enter.

Designed by Site Masters of Cincinnati, this is truly jam packed with things to find. Highfield Discovery Garden is designed to teach children the importance of nature while they have fun exploring seven themed garden areas. I have the pleasure of working with Teri Hendy of Site Masters in an upcoming natural playground project. I am definately looking forward to it after seeing the details of Highfield.

Inside the tree: lots of light and nets to keep us safe.

Giant mushrooms add wonder to the flower and herb garden

My nephew was enchanted with the outdoor trains. They ran on three levels, through wooden tunnels and across bridges.

A windstorm in the park provided timber for whimsical art.

Even the small details were there. This little fairy village allows kids to get in and play.

The water features are designed to be shallow while looking like ponds and wetlands. The mesh on the top of this photo keeps children from falling into the deeper sections.

He could barely wait to enter the twisty house (above) and found a few educational pieces inside which he read with his mother on a nearby bench (below).

Winter gardens teemed with greens.

Trails of all materials and sizes encourage exploration

I would love to see this type of discovery space in every city. Our kids deserve it!

Part Amusement Park - Part Science Center - Completely Fun

DanFoss Universe in Denmark is amazing. It was a day excursion on our recent vacation to Denmark. This hands-on Science Center, based mostly outside, is captivating around every corner. While it would be a stretch to call it nature play it is an amazing learning space for all ages.You get so rolled up in the fun that you forget you are learning.

Activities ranged from working your own excavator to small group games. Everything was interactive, science based and fun! I have never seen anything like this site. It was engaging and we would have a world full of scientists and engineers if every day learning was so engaging.

The Waterworks area features lots of ways to move water:hand pumped water guns, an Archimedes screw pump, water channels, dams, and cooperative water moving tools.

This living willow structure offers side paths for kids that crisscross the main tunnel.

Earth mounds at their best.

This was an energy exhibit that features amounts of materials that all produce the same joules of energy. You can see the tall stacks of straw vs. the small hanging containers of bio fuels.

These dueling wind turbines offer us a unique chance to see how spinning the turbine blades and aiming them into the wind can effect their energy production greatly. Plus it is a competition! When you both get going together the nearby pipe organ offers a harmonic reward.

These solar panel sun flowers connect to an interactive water feature. Sun on your sunflower = a tall spray of water = good summer fun.

For more information check out the Danfoss Universe website and digital map.

Silver Falls Natural Play Area Breaks Ground

Silver Falls State Park has been taking advantage of the nice weather the last few weeks and they have begun to clear and grade the natural play areas and interpretive path. With the help of the county inmate work crew and a few dedicated volunteers they have transplanted many native plants, cleared 5 play areas and ¼ mile loop trail. Park staff will spend some of their time this winter fabricating play components, signage, and interpretive elements for installation next spring and summer.

In hard economic times creativity can help get a project completed. Oregon Park and Recreation Staff have been work with a Marion County Inmate Crew to implement the first stages to the project. Koin Local 6 was on site last week to check in on the crew’s progress. You can see their story and video footage here.

The park is looking for parks volunteers to help finish the construction. There are opportunities for artists, scout troops, families, and other citizens with a range of skills. Let us know if you are interested in helping construct this nature based play area. We can find a task that meets your skills and commitment level.
You should be able to enjoy the nature play area starting in the summer of 2011.

Interpretation at George Rogers Park

I always enjoy interpretation that is not just a sign; something interactive and telling without making you stand there and read. I think the mini smelter BBQ adds this element in George Rogers Park. The small replica of the historic iron furnace gives residents a chance to cook up their own fire! We also put interpretive panels into existing arbor framework so they fit into the site. Sometimes you can learn something without even trying.

GreenWorks worked for the City of Lake Oswego to design upgrades to this historic park in the middle of the city. Improvements included a picnic lawn, trail upgrades, walls, overlooks, an entrance trellis, parking lot stormwater facilities, and an accessible ramp to the river. We recently completed a second phase of interpretive upgrades. A series of interpretive panels on the arbor and under an interpretive shelter outline the historic furnace/ steel smelter on site.

Interpretive panels fit into the arbor framework

Interpretive kiosk (before panels are installed)

You can find a nice blog post about Families and George Rogers Park here.