FARMINGTON – Rocks, logs and dirt are the goal of a group of preschool teachers at W.G. Mallett School who are working to bring more nature to their students’ outdoor play space.
Renovations to the school in 2011 brought with it two new playgrounds- a larger one designed for the older students and a smaller, fenced in area with a climbing structure for students in the preschool program. The designated preschool playground is simple in design- some pavement and a few slides surrounded by wood chips. The playground was expanded in the last couple of years to include an additional grassy area with a tree, and a sand box with a canopy overhead for shade.
However, teacher Erika Neal said Mallett teachers have been concerned about the limited play options on the playground since it was built in 2011, and decided to take matters into her own hands last year.
“We really wanted to increase the opportunity for more natural materials on the playground,” Neal said.
She and her colleagues began taking simple steps to make this happen- such as bringing in a log from home for the kids to balance and climb on- but after helping to organize and attend the Nature Based Education Summer Institute at the University of Maine at Farmington, Neal applied for a grant to do more.
The program was awarded the Learning by Nature for ME grant this past summer, chosen out of 37 state wide applicants. The $3,500 grant is specifically designated for increasing natural play opportunities for kids in school and childcare settings, and includes a professionally designed layout of a new space.
The new design includes aspects that the Mallett School teachers deemed important, things such as varied textures, more plants, and more challenging but safe options for playing.
“We don’t want them to think of being outside and just think of pavement and wood chips,” teacher Sara Spear said.
Creating a budget and implementing the design will be left up to the teachers. The team has already received a large donation of plants from Robin’s Flower Pot and is planning an upcoming work day to install many of the new features. To make a donation to the project, contact Erika Neal at 778-3529.
Bravo! to these teachers. More creative and natural materials are essential to increasing our awareness of our surroundings. Children need to use balance, tools, imagination and muscles to rearrange their own play spaces.
So glad to see this for this space
This is a great idea. I recommend you check out the playground at the Alfond campus of KVCC and the playground at Educare of Central Maine in Waterville for ideas, they both have amazing natural playgrounds!