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The features in this issue showcase great looking playgrounds and a wide variety of innovative play equipment and structures. Grown-ups today can only imagine what fun they would have had on such imaginative elements. However, many Baby Boomers can fondly recall youthful days and playing outdoors in nature, something the current generation of kids apparently does less of, given that Richard Louv has authored the best seller Last Child in the Woods, which asserts “the disconnection between children and nature.”
The College of Design at North Carolina State University in Raleigh has developed the Natural Learning Initiative, www.naturalearning.org, a research and design assistance program. Its mission is to help communities create stimulating places for play, learning and environmental education. This initiative provides research-based best practices, detailed design specifications, CAD support and a variety of resources for creating play spaces that combine the benefits of traditional play equipment with natural elements.
NatureGrounds, Putting Nature into Play is a joint program of the N.C. State University’s Natural Learning Initiative and PlayCore, a leader in play and recreation products.
NatureGrounds seeks to “promote the importance of the natural environment in the daily experience of all children, through environmental design, action research (and) education.”
This comprehensive program provides best practice guidelines for creating and retrofitting play environments for parks and school grounds that integrate manufactured play equipment and the living landscape. The purpose is to create a dramatic shift in standard playground development by designing nature back into children’s lives, not only to benefit children’s play, but also to engage communities in working together to create richer play experience for all users.
NatureGrounds offers graphic support materials, a 48-page guidebook and website www.naturegrounds.org where clients can research “child-friendly plants” specific to their climate zone.
PlayCore is also focused on accessible play and has come up with the “Seven Principles of Inclusive Play” to encourage the development of truly accessible play spaces. The 7 ‘P’s were developed in partnership with Utah State’s Center for Persons with Disabilities. The principles are outlined in a guidebook, with best practice examples to help ensure a play space design that is useable by children of all abilities. PlayCore is also working with Boundless Playgrounds as an exclusive partner to provide such play spaces.
The manufacturer’s PlayOn! program is also impacting schools and park and recreation centers focused on physical activity and fitness. Created in partnership with the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, and the American Association for Physical Activity and Recreation, the program provides 100 playground activities that align with national physical education standards, are age appropriate and effective tools for maximizing youth learning and fitness. The PlayOn! program also includes parental guides. The activities center around six elements of play and are designed to encourage moderate to vigorous activity. Each activity card features color photos, teaching tips and accommodations for people of varying abilities.
Information about these programs are available through PlayCore’s commercial brands GameTime, and Play and Park Structures.
Visit www.playcore.com to learn more.
Francisco Uviña, University of New Mexico
Hardscape Oasis in Litchfield Park
Ash Nochian, Ph.D. Landscape Architect
November 12th, 2025
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