Nature Playgrounds: A Sustainable Alternative for Play and Learning

Playgrounds are a vital part of childhood, but it’s time to reconsider the materials we use. A nature playground, built with natural materials such as wood, stone, and sand, offers a sustainable solution. This alternative reduces environmental impact while providing children with a more diverse and nature-inspired play experience.

Why Choose a Nature Playground?

The use of plastic and rubber in playgrounds has long been an environmental concern. According to Budstikka, several kindergartens have begun removing these materials from their outdoor areas. Rubber can break down into microplastics, which are harmful to both nature and human health.

The municipality of Bærum has initiated the phasing out of rubber surfaces on outdoor play areas due to their impact on children’s health, the environment, and the local ecosystem.

The Norwegian Society for the Conservation of Nature has also raised concerns about the environmental impact of rubber, consequently calling for a ban on such materials in playgrounds, as reported by NRK. A nature playground addresses this challenge by using biodegradable materials like bark, which is approved as a safe fall surface instead of rubber.

Benefits for Children

A nature playground gives children a unique opportunity to develop both creativity and motor skills. Natural elements like logs, rocks, and sand offer a variety of play and learning opportunities. These materials create a more stimulating and varied play environment that encourages imaginative play.

Safety is also a key consideration. Although nature playgrounds may appear more rustic, they can be designed to ensure children’s safety. For example, wood can be treated to avoid splinters, and surfaces made of sand or bark can cushion falls more effectively than rubber.

Not Just Natural Materials, but Play in Nature

While the choice of materials is important, a nature playground should also promote children’s connection with the natural world. Many people are becoming increasingly disconnected from nature, even though we agree that being outside is beneficial for our health. Facilitating play in natural environments is crucial in order to help children feel connected to nature and to motivate them to care for it.

Establishing nature playgrounds within natural surroundings lowers the threshold for outdoor experiences and further exploration, such as climbing trees, making bark boats, stick horses, lighting campfires, and building shelters. These are powerful learning experiences that children today rarely encounter on their own. By bringing children closer to nature, we foster healthy, resilient, and independent individuals.

How to Build a Nature Playground

When planning a nature playground, it’s important to balance creativity, safety, and environmental responsibility. Here are some tips:

• Choose sustainable materials: Use wood, bark, stone, and sand instead of plastic and rubber.
• Create variety: Include climbing features, balance elements, and natural hideouts to inspire creative play.
• Integrate the environment: Incorporate existing trees and landscape features into the design.
• Focus on durability: Use high-quality, long-lasting materials that require minimal maintenance and have low environmental impact.

Innovation and the Future of Nature Playgrounds

According to Innovative Anskaffelser, several projects are underway to replace rubber with environmentally friendly alternatives. This demonstrates that it’s entirely possible to build a nature playground that is both safe and sustainable.

A nature playground is more than just a play area — it’s also a sustainable choice for the future. By using natural materials, we can reduce environmental harm while giving children a place to play, learn, and explore in harmony with nature.

Nature Playgrounds in the Høyt & Lavt Style

Høyt & Lavt Adventure Concepts develops nature playgrounds that reflect the essence of Høyt & Lavt Climbing Parks. These playgrounds are designed to offer challenging and engaging activities inspired by elements from the parks, but at a lower level that doesn’t require safety equipment.

By using natural materials such as untreated Norwegian wood, they create playground structures that harmonize with their surroundings and promote sustainability. These installations are tailored to fit into various landscapes, whether in forested areas with solid trees or open spaces where structures are built on posts. The result is unique playgrounds that stimulate social interaction, movement, and motor skill development — all in the distinctive Høyt & Lavt style.

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Want help planning and building a nature playground?
Contact us at HLA Concepts to start your project or learn more about our playgrounds.