Although this playground was on the smaller side, its size certainly didn’t limit the opportunities for play and development. With careful planning and thoughtful design, we were able to make the most of every inch of the space, creating a varied play environment packed with opportunities for children to explore, create, imagine and learn.
The project involved removing the existing play equipment and completely reimagining the space to introduce a wide range of play experiences. These included creative mark-making, water play, mud play and sand play, alongside dedicated opportunities for sensory and imaginative play. We also incorporated practical features such as storage and new surfacing, ensuring that every element had a purpose and contributed to the overall experience.
Take a look at the before and after
To encourage creativity and self expression, we added two freestanding mark making panels (one perspex and one chalkboard) Mark making gives children the freedom to experiment with lines, shapes, patterns and drawings, supporting fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, creativity and early writing development.
The freestanding design also makes these panels incredibly versatile. With an existing shuttered canopy within the space, they can easily be packed away when not in use and moved between different play zones, allowing the school to adapt the layout and use the equipment wherever it best fits the children's play.
Water play was another key element of the new space, with the addition of our freestanding water wall, water table and mixing table. The water wall encourages children to experiment with how water moves, using different channels and funnels to direct, pour and manipulate the flow. This supports problem solving, coordination and cause and effect learning as children discover how their actions change the movement of the water.
The water table and mixing table, provide further opportunities for hands on sensory exploration. Children can touch, scoop, pour and mix different materials and textures, encouraging curiosity, creativity and sensory development. These open ended activities also provide opportunities for children to experiment with different combinations, work together and use their imagination to create their own recipes, potions or mixtures.
To create a dedicated space for mud and messy play, we designed a bespoke mud kitchen specifically to fit beneath the existing canopy, helping ensure this area can be enjoyed throughout the year, whatever the weather. The kitchen was carefully designed to make the most of the available space, while being large enough to allow several children to play alongside one another at the same time.
The mud kitchen features a solid timber foundation, cupboard storage, recessed removable tubs and bowls for easy cleaning, storage shelves for utensils and imaginative play plaques, including hobs, an oven and microwave. Alongside the kitchen, we added a mud table for storing soil and an additional messy mud play feature, creating a dedicated area for children to get creative.
Mud play is a fantastic open ended activity that encourages children to explore textures, experiment, imagine and create. Whether they’re cooking up a muddy recipe, mixing ingredients or working together in their own imaginary cafe, children can develop their sensory awareness, fine motor skills, communication, social skills and creativity through play. With no set outcome, the space allows children to take the play in whichever direction their imagination leads them.
The remaining elements of the space were carefully selected to provide even more opportunities for play, organisation, relaxation and imaginative exploration. We introduced a sand box with a single pulley, adding another interactive element to encourage children to scoop, lift and transport sand through play. The sand box can also be covered with a durable HDPE lid, helping to keep the sand protected and the area tidy when not in use.
With the school already having a great collection of smaller utensils and play resources, we incorporated two Resource Sheds to provide practical and accessible storage. These keep the play area organised while allowing children to easily access and return equipment themselves, encouraging independence, responsibility and organisational skills as part of their everyday play.
Seating was also carefully considered within the compact space. A post mounted bench makes clever use of the narrow ginnel style area alongside the canopy, while a three post den with removable camouflage netting creates an additional space for imaginative play. The den was purposefully designed with three posts rather than the usual four to ensure it didn’t compromise the walkway, keeping the area accessible and easy to navigate. A set of four moveable cube seats provides flexible and comfortable seating that can be repositioned wherever it is needed.
Finally, the existing perimeter fencing was enhanced with forest style mesh screening, providing the school with greater privacy while maintaining a natural, scenic feel. The woodland inspired finish helps the space feel more immersive and complements the outdoor environment, creating a calm and inviting backdrop for children's play.
To complete the transformation, we resurfaced the entire area with a combination of artificial grass and bonded resin mulch, carefully selected to complement the different zones of play.
Artificial grass provides a clean, attractive and low maintenance finish across the main play space, while the bonded resin mulch was used specifically around the mud and messy play area. This creates a defined zone for messy activities and provides a practical surface that is easier to clean and maintain, helping the space stay looking smart while still allowing children to get stuck into hands on, messy play.
The combination of surfacing finishes helps to clearly define the different areas while creating a welcoming, practical and versatile playground designed for year round play.
0
