Article posted: 7/29/2012 6:09 AM

Playground design goes on a nature hike

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An embankment slide is built into a constructed hill at an elementary school as shown here in Glens Falls, N.Y. The embankment slide is safer than tower slides with ladders. Scattered boulders, random dirt steps, rough terrain, and varied plantings add to the rich textures and varied experiences on Natural Playgrounds.

Natural Playgrounds Company

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A labyrinth playground is shown. Natural Playgrounds offers labyrinths because "walking the labyrinth" can be very calming for children and adults. Do-it-yourself templates of various labyrinth sizes catering to different ages are available in the Natural Playgrounds online store.

Natural Playgrounds Company

A Pebble Harp, as one of a series of musical instruments is shown. It makes beautiful, tinkling, harp-like sounds when children drop pebbles down the slots in the top, and pebbles drop out the bottom, ready to be reused to make more music.

Natural Playgrounds Company

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Architect and playground builder Ron King is part of a robust movement to bring back more natural play, with environments that serve up some messiness and risk-taking along with exercise. Kids may play on equipment for a short time, he says, "but then they want to run around. They want to climb a hill, scramble over rocks, listen to the wind and play in the rain. They want to explore and discover rather than have their play experience defined by a piece of equipment."