The new Mitchell Elementary School, located in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, was in need of new play spaces and learning opportunities, so Traverse Landscape Architects of Providence, Rhode Island, were tasked with creating a new play design. With a large student population, the design team needed to add several outdoor spaces for recess, gym, and outdoor learning. The compact school schedule allowed the staff to have an entire first-grade class outside playing by separating them into different groups across the site. This had the added benefit of rotating play areas and allowing students to spend time with other students outside of the classroom.
The preschool wing has its own private play space and parent drop-off area, so this secure area is surrounded by fencing and gates but can be accessed directly from the preschool wing. The play area is partially located on the north side of the building and provides a shaded play space complete with a trike track, stop signs, and a turn-around-loop. The play equipment and safety surfacing provide ample play and learning opportunities.

 
The other part of the play area is on the east side of the preschool wing that features morning light shining over the swings, storage shed, and planting beds, which creates inviting views from the main entrance lobby.
Younger play spaces were designed to pay homage to the nearby woodlands, streams, and wetlands. In using the natural topography, it was easy to capture the essence of nature and play.
As it matures, the landscape will continue to add shade, scale, and biodiversity to the area. The playground colors and shapes are hues of green and blue and add brightness to this play space. The play spaces are terraced along the hillside with slides and climbers that take advantage
of the grade changes. The hardscape play includes themed custom brightly colored games, shapes, numbers, and letters that extend the flexibility of play. The material was thermally applied for a long-lasting finish and included increased slip resistance for safe use in all weather.
The bus loop separates the main play area from the field and is gated during the day along the eastern side of the building for more hardscape play. The adjacent field is expansive and has two more playground spaces at either end. Lastly, there is a separate small field on the north end for gym use.
The outdoor programming wouldn't be complete without a learning area. At the upper terrace, separated from the main playground with fencing, boulders, and planting, is a learning deck and an above-ground cistern capturing rainwater from a small roof area above.
The learning deck provides space for a class to collect comfortably with built-in seating and garden beds for instruction. The deck is circled by the custom-designed precast concrete runnel which is fed by the adjacent cistern. Collected water can be released into a basin which is connected to a runnel that has different configurations along its length. The idea is to showcase to students how water moves given different patterns of bumps, curves, and straight-a-ways. The water leaves the sluiceway into nearby rain gardens filled with native species of Aster, Dogwood, Inkberry, Chokeberry, and Coneflower among others.
Past the pathway sits a dedicated garden area with raised cedar beds, picnic tables, and a water hand pump. This space allows classes to move from planting and working the soil to a comfortable working space. The picnic area is strategically shaded via overhead structures to give the students relief from the afternoon sun.