Jewel's Learning Center won the honor of being the first center to win an Extreme Makeover, courtesy of "Exchange" magazine and its partners! The author was over the top! Not only were they getting a new playground, but all new furnishings and toys for the entire center! Wow! It really happened! Changes just keep coming and coming. They have made…

Shady Oak Christian School serves children ages two and a half through second grade and in the summer provides programs for preschoolers through fifth grade. The school has an amazing home-like environment with a super go-getting director, Joyce Trigger. In this article, the author presents an interview with Joyce Trigger about her playscape and…

The Tree Circle is a green gathering area for children made by planting trees in a circle. For children, the Tree Circle becomes a magical place for dramatic play, quiet retreat, or lively nature exploration. For teachers and parents it becomes a shady grove for snacks and stories. The trees create a sweet spot that changes during the seasons and…

Across the mouth of the Tauranga Harbour lies a piece of paradise, Te Moutere o Matakana--Matakana Island. It is blessed with an ocean beach with white sand and a mean surf break, tidal flats, wetlands, fertile pasture, and a native and exotic forest. It is home to a maori language nest for the local children--Te Kohanga Reo o te Moutere o…

In 2004, the author had the pleasure of joining the staff of New Day Children's Center in Watertown, New York, and a huge group of community volunteers in building the center's playscape. This past summer, she was able to visit Watertown again so she went to check on the progress of the center's playscape. In this article, she shares several…

In today's spirit of community participation there is a way of planning and building a playscape project that not only creates amazing spaces for children, but saves money, strengthens ties to the community, builds lasting friendships, fosters a sense of pride and ownership in the project, and helps ensure the playscape's long-term care and…

This article presents a step-by-step "how-to" guide on the basics of living willow hut construction. While there certainly are time-tested techniques for building willow structures, the best advice the author has is to experiment. He also suggests that varieties of "salix vimnalis" can be an ideal type of willow to be used for constructing a…

Living Willow Huts are inexpensive to make, fun to plant, easy to grow, and make beautiful spaces for children. They involve planting dormant willow shoots in the ground and weaving them into shapes that will sprout and grow over time. People have been creating similar living architecture throughout the world for centuries in the forms of living…

While playgrounds in many parts of the world are limited to "fixed" equipment and surfacing, certain progressive countries have made a point to rise above this dull standard and create playscapes filled with sculpture, gardens, and wild elements of the natural world. This article talks about the playscapes of Germany as leader in the…

Early childhood educators and researchers often write of the need for a "magical playscape"--a sensory-rich environment that will draw out children's active inquiry and engagement in an outside learning environment. Despite this soundly child-based information, the reality of many playgrounds is a sandbox, a climbing frame, and a bicycle path;…

Winter, like all seasons, adds a new sense of mystery and discovery to the world of young children. It is the time when they can study snowflakes, find icicles, or observe the birds that share their yards. This article presents ideas and suggestions on how to plan a playscape. A playscape is a man-made seasonal playground for young children. It…

Playgrounds for early childhood programs are places where children can play freely--exploring the natural environment, learning about their bodies, creating friendships, and practicing physical skills. In April, 2000, The National Program for Playground Safety released the results of the most comprehensive national survey of child care, school,…