Natural Play Space

(Sources: NE GIDG 4.20)

Key Benefits

Social & Health: Encourages creative, imaginative, and physically active play; Develops motor skills, balance, coordination; Reduces stress and improves mental well-being through nature connection; Provides sensory experiences.
Environmental & Educational: Offers opportunities to learn about nature and natural processes; Can incorporate sustainable features (e.g., log seating from local trees, rainwater play); Can enhance local biodiversity compared to sterile play areas.
Amenity: Often aesthetically pleasing and integrates well into green spaces.

Technical Guidance

Guidance

Natural play spaces use landscape features and natural materials to stimulate play. Design should balance play value with safety and durability.

Site Selection & Assessment: Choose suitable location considering accessibility, visibility/supervision, drainage, sunlight/shade. Assess existing features (trees, slopes) that can be incorporated.

Design Principles: Focus on providing diverse play opportunities (climbing, balancing, building, exploring, sensory) using natural elements. Create varied topography (mounds, hollows). Incorporate loose parts (e.g., small logs, woodchips - ensure appropriate size/type) where supervision allows.

Key Features & Materials: Logs & Stumps (for climbing, balancing, seating - ensure stability, source durable timber, check for splinters). Boulders & Rocks (climbing, seating - ensure stability, appropriate size/shape). Sand & Water Play (requires careful design for safety, hygiene, drainage - consider pumps, channels, sand pits with covers). Trees & Planting (climbing trees - check suitability/safety; sensory planting - texture, scent; willow structures - tunnels, domes). Mounds & Tunnels (earth shaping, pipe tunnels - ensure drainage/safety). Paths (natural materials like woodchip, gravel, grass - consider accessibility needs).

Safety: Design must comply with relevant play safety standards (BS EN 1176). Conduct risk-benefit assessments. Ensure features are appropriately sized/sited for target age group. Use appropriate impact-attenuating surfaces (e.g., bark/woodchip, sand) where fall heights require it, maintained to correct depth.

Planting: Use robust, non-toxic plants. Include trees for shade/climbing (subject to assessment), shrubs for hiding/den-building, sensory plants.

Accessibility: Consider access for users of different abilities (path surfaces, feature heights, inclusive design).

Maintenance: Requires ongoing inspection and maintenance regime focused on safety (stability of features, surface depths, checking for hazards like sharp edges/splinters) and landscape management (plant care, topping up loose materials). Natural materials may require more frequent replacement than manufactured equipment.