With trends in sustainability and natural materials on the rise, it’s no surprise that architects are creating nature-inspired playgrounds. Along with the mental and physical benefits playgrounds offer, nature-themed play spaces connect kids to nature, increase environmental stewardship and encourage creativity. Learn more about this type of playground and its benefits to see if it’s a good fit for your playground design project.

What Are Nature-Inspired Playgrounds?

Nature-inspired playgrounds are recreational areas for kids that incorporate natural sights, colors, textures and sounds with traditional playground elements. These playgrounds are nature-themed more than they are natural, meaning they aim to mimic natural elements while still providing an accessible, safe and durable play area.

Designers often include nature-inspired playgrounds within buildings or urban environments where access to nature is limited. However, outdoor playgrounds can also be nature-themed to blend with their surroundings better.

In a nature-inspired playground, you may see elements like:

  • Natural colors like browns, greens and blues.
  • Real or faux wood and rock surface textures.
  • Animal and plant designs and imagery.
  • Climbing rocks.
  • Tree-like structures.
  • Log tunnels and stone steppers.
  • Rope webs.

The main idea behind this type of playground design is to use the wonder of nature to inspire play. Nature play experiences in the wild outdoors are open-ended and full of creative opportunities, but they also come with health and safety concerns. Designers can draw on the open-ended concept from nature to create play spaces that embrace unstructured play and encourage imagination.

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Why Choose Nature-Inspired Playgrounds?

Nature-inspired playgrounds are beneficial for kids, families and businesses in various ways.

1. Provide a Connection to Nature

Playing outside in nature is important to a child’s physical and mental development. Research shows that kids who play outside have less stress, improved learning capabilities, better mobility, healthier bodies and greater impulse control. Unfortunately, not all kids have the ability or access to play in nature on a regular basis.

For kids with disabilities or health limitations, it may not be safe for them to play outside, and they may spend the majority of their time indoors. Kids in daycares within cities or built environments may also spend less time outside than they should, simply because there are no nearby natural areas.

Through nature-inspired playgrounds, designers can bring outdoor play benefits to indoor spaces and areas with limited access to nature. Even in parks and outdoor play areas, the nature theme will help kids feel more in tune with their surroundings as it softens the unnatural look of typical play areas.

2. Promote Environmental Stewardship

Since the late 19th century, the Earth’s average surface temperature has risen by 2 degrees Fahrenheit. While it doesn’t seem like much, this warming creates rapid change that will affect our quality of life. Sustainability initiatives are now more important than ever, and it’s up to parents, caregivers and educators to foster a love for the environment in younger generations so they can continue to push for change.

One way to promote environmental stewardship in kids is to let them play outside and grow their love of nature. The more kids spend outside in nature, the more connected they feel to it. Studies show that a deeper connection to nature results in increased pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors, so kids may become more mindful of the planet.

3. Encourage Creativity and Open-Ended Play

In nature, there is no structure or expectations to dictate how kids play. They find enjoyment in the smallest things by using their imagination — sticks become people and trees become pirate ships. The possibilities are endless, and this type of play positively impacts their development. Open-ended play encourages creativity, confidence and experimentation, which is crucial in school and life.

When designers look to nature to inspire their designs, they create spaces that foster this open-ended type of play. Natural designs like tree trunks, rock walls, stepping stones and ropes don’t have a “right” way for kids to play on them, encouraging them to think outside the box and flex their imagination.

4. Protect Natural Spaces

Younger kids who may not yet know how to be gentle while playing cause damage to natural areas. They damage trees, trample flowers, interrupt wildlife and, over time, may wear down grassy areas. Blocking these areas off is possible, but it removes access to natural, open-ended play that kids crave outside.

Incorporating a nature-inspired playground within landscape architecture can help preserve these areas while still offering natural play experiences to kids. Nature-inspired structures and colors will integrate well with the landscape, making kids feel like they are still playing in nature. Playgrounds are also durable and strong enough to withstand years of child play, unlike natural habitats. Kids can play freely without causing damage to the environment.

Tips for Creating Sustainable Play Environments

In recent years, people have become more aware of how their choices affect the environment. This is apparent in design trends, as sustainability is now one of the biggest design principles. To encourage kids to care for the planet further, architects should set the standard and make sustainable choices for their playground designs.

To increase sustainability in playgrounds, consider the following:

  • Choose recycled, reclaimed or eco-friendly materials.
  • Add recycling bins to instill sustainable habits.
  • Use eco-friendly, non-toxic paint and finishes.
  • Install LED bulbs and solar panels for electricity.
  • Choose local companies for manufacturing.

Build a Nature-Inspired Playground With Soft Play®

Soft Play is the global leader for contained playground equipment and creates safe play areas beneficial for kids and businesses alike. We design and manufacture a variety of premium playground equipment, including play structures, themed sculptures, adventure equipment and more. With three decades of experience and a professional, caring team, we’re confident we can bring your nature playground plans to fruition.

We’ve helped clients across multiple industries create imaginative play spaces. Some examples of past nature-themed playgrounds we’ve created include:

  • The Pavilion at Port Orange: For this shopping center, we created a backyard-themed play area with nature-inspired soft foam elements and padded flooring that continues to attract families in the area.
  • Everland in South Korea: This large theme park needed a design for its giant indoor play, Kidscovery. We created an interactive zone filled with eight nature themes, including volcanoes, the ocean and the jungle. Filled with animal sculptures and a jungle gym, kids have a great time exploring and learning about nature.

If you’re looking to design a play area, browse our range of products and view our case studies for inspiration. We can customize all our equipment and components to meet your theme and requirements, and we offer a comprehensive service from design to installation. No matter your budget or project scope, we can work with you to build a safe, durable and imaginative play space.

If you need more information, reach out to us to speak to a representative. Request a quote to begin your nature-inspired project today.