Growing Our Youth With Nature-Based Playscapes

National Recreation & Park Association 2016 Annual ConferenceOctober 7, 2016

Laurel Harrington, RLA, ASLA, LEED AP BD+C, Christner, Inc.Laurie Harmon, PhD, University of Wisconsin La Crosse

Our goals today…

• What is a playscape?• Premises

• Spectrum

• Typical Elements

• What do we know?• Physical

• Psychological

• Cognitive

• Why playscapes in parks?• Opportunities & Benefits

• Getting down & dirty –“Playscape in a Box”

• What’s next…• Preparing for risk

• Engaging the community

• Identifying resources

What is a nature-based “Playscape”?• Premises

• Connect participants (youth or adults) with nature

• Elements natural or close mimic

• “Loose Parts” important• Promotes creative play

• Broad range of application

Spectrum

Natural -Limited Human

Intervention

Elaborate and human-made

Structures

What is a “Playscape”?• Many names

• Nature Explorer Classroom, Nature Play & Learning Areas, Nature Playscape, Nature Club House, Discovery Park…

What is a “Playscape”?

• Typical elements• Water

• Overlooks

• Gathering spaces

• Shelter and/or Den building materials

• Seating materials (e.g. logs, stones)

• Animal/insect habitat

• Native plantings

• Paths

• Transitional spaces

• Climbing options

What we know about nature

• Diversity in elements = diversity in affordances (Hart, 1979)

• High vantage points desired (Gullone, 2000)

• Youth (urban rural) prefer natural elements (Moore, 1986; Derr, 2002)

• Less experience with outdoors = higher preference for developed features (Kaplan & Kaplan, 1989)

What we know about outcomes

Physical Outcomes

• Higher sleep quality (Soderstrom, et al., 2013)

• Immune system strengthened (Rook, 2013)

• balance & motor skills (Grahn, et al., 1997)

• Blood pressure (Kelz, Evans & Roderer, 2015)

What we know about outcomes

Psychological/Emotional Outcomes

• Nature spaces are “Restorative Environments” = Stress (Hartig, et al., 1991)

• Better able to negotiate threats to self-esteem (Korpela,

1992)

• Facilitates identity development & maintenance (Rowles, 1983; Twigger-Ross & Uzzel, 1996)

What we know about outcomesCognitive Development

• Test taking: Natural view = scores (Tennessen &

Cimprich, 1995)

• Improved attention & memory (Berto, 2005)

• Restoring directed attention (Berman, Jonides & Kaplan,

2008)

• Creativity (Bilton, 2010)

What’s special about Parks & Conservation areas as contexts?

• Existing location for naturalized landscapes

• Existing infrastructure• Shelters• Maintenance access• Parking• …

• Brings attention to conservation components (we can focus nature play themes)• Nature Systems

• Forest• Riverine• Wetland• Prairie• Desert• …

• Serendipitous moments

Note: adventuresome children often get wet—and perhaps a little muddy—so you might want to bring some extra clothes! Sense of Wonder Woodland – Shaw Nature Reserve

Why nature-based playscapes in Parks & Conservation Areas?

AFFORDANCES

Playscape in a Box

• Small groups

• Using materials provided, create a mini-Playscape

• TO CONSIDER:• Overall theme• One skill being developed• A particular age range (you can

choose – please ID)• At the end of 10 minutes, we’ll

see what we have!

You’d like to build a Playscape – what’s next?

• Planning

• Risk Planning & Management

• Unique Maintenance

• Community Engagement

• Your opportunity

Lessons from

St. Louis

Planning for your Playscape• Pre-Design/Programming Phase

• Form advisory board or task force• Include technical experts• Visit precedent sites• Engage community and users• Clear and inspiring vision

• Funding• Grant applications• Initiate fundraising• Donors

• Spectrum of design• Design the site - professional services, design build or volunteer

• Complete permitting• Can be a surprise• professional services or in-kind

• Construct the improvements – paid contractors, craftsmen or in-kind

Risk Planning & Management

Applying standards to nature• CPSC – Public Playground Safety

• ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Play Areas

Nature play specific guidelines• Nature Play & Learning Places: Creating and

Managing Places Where Children Engage with Nature (National Wildlife Federation (NWF) and the Natural Learning Initiative at the College of Design, North Carolina State University)

Defining nature vs play structure• Human made implies need for standards

Risk Management Assessment Protocol

1) determination of applicable design and liability standards

2) engagement of risk managers and insurers

3) implementation of an inspection routine

4) elimination of hazards that may cause serious injury

5) documentation and evaluation of all incidents

6) maintaining records of inspections and incident reports

7) regular staff evaluations and systematic records of responses

8) effective communication with users

P

P

P

D

O

O

O

O

P D OPREDESIGN DESIGN OPERATIONS

Source: Moore, R. & Cooper, A (2014). Nature Play & Learning Places: Creating and Managing Places Where Children Engage with Nature

Unique Maintenance

• Fighting decomposition

• Replacement of unique elements

• Loss of loose parts to animals and visitors

• Decisions about animals and insect proximity

• Replacement of components to maintain interest

• Monitoring and interventions for safety

• Maintenance of native landscapes

Lessons from St. LouisDoris I. Schnuck Children’s Garden & Nature Explore Classroom Missouri Botanical Garden

• Design-build competition/artist installations• Missouri history theme• Certified Nature Explore Classroom component• Retrofit for safety (entrapment, etc.)• Continual maintenance evaluation (wood components, etc.)

Community Engagement - Play with it!

• Open forums

• Events

• Surveys

• Mockups

Community Engagement - Play with it!

Community Engagement - Play with it!

Community Engagement - Play with it!

Your Opportunity

• Unique site location

• Indigenous materials• trees, rocks, nuts, bones, shells,

dried plants

• Transplanted native landscape

• Proximity to supervision

• Programming

• Local artisans

• Collaborations (agencies, schools, municipalities, corporations, etc.)

• Fundraising and grants

Lessons from St. LouisNature Explore Classroom & Sense of Wonder Woodland

Shaw Nature Reserve

• Certified Nature Explore Classroom – prescribed components

• Ready sources of natural components

• Signature features (“Treemendous Bridge”)

• Accessibility challenges due to slope, raised decks and surfaces

• Integration of insects (bee hive, etc.)

Your OpportunityDetermining Your Priorities

inclusivity

indigenous

design / materials

physical fitness

science and math

group play

individual play

fun factor

community

art

music

maintenance

Lessons from St. LouisProject IDEA - Keysor Elementary School

Kirkwood School District

• Professional design services

• Leadership/teacher/parent collaboration

• Nature play and accessibility paramount

• Fundraisers and grant funding

• Volunteer and in-kind design and construction

Laurel Harrington, Christner, Inc.

Laurel.Harrington@christnerinc.com

Laurie Harmon, University of Wisconsin – La Crosse

lharmon@uwlax.edu