Natural play environments have advantages over purpose-built playgrounds because they stimulate more diverse physical activity and creative play.

The children living in Bethlehem Place have very little exposure to nature and will greatly benefit from access to a healthy, natural outdoor living and learning space in their own backyard.

With new research on environment, childhood obesity, horticultural therapy, participation rates, bullying, and injury rates, these naturalized play spaces offer an inclusive experience.

They help children deal with adversity, while improving their awareness, reasoning, and observational skills.

Our EarlyON Centre parenting programs are designed to promote healthy interactions between parents and children.

By having direct access to an outdoor space we anticipate that parents will be engaging in unstructured play with their children, which will deepen the parent/child relationship.

Benefits of a Naturalized Playground

Environment

All flowers, trees, shrubs, and fallen logs are designed to bring nature in and provide children a natural space to play and learn.

Childhood Obesity

These play spaces have no minimum fitness level, allowing children to participate rather than watch from the sidelines.

Motor Skills

Gardening, music, sensory bins, and varying textures are all incorporated to develop fine motor skills that are valuable to child development.

Social Skills

Children are encouraged to explore and create without limitations. This leads to varied collaboration whether it is with music, art, or gardening.

Focus and Attention Span

Many studies have shown a direct correlation between the introduction of nature, environmental classrooms, and outdoor classrooms with increased ability to focus on assigned tasks.

Absenteeism

Natural Playgrounds are easy to supervise with open sight lines. There are places to gather and teach and places for individual learning.

Bullying

Natural Playgrounds spreads gross motor activities throughout the space and adds creative play, quiet music, art, and nature.

Accessibility

Accessibility refers to all abilities, fitness levels, intelligence, creativity, cultures, and genders.