Create an Outdoor Learning Environment
Earthartist provides creative, natural playgrounds and outdoor classrooms for K-12 schools, communities, and childcare centres.
Our natural playgrounds establish an inspiring setting for young children to explore, create, and learn; where children of different abilities can invent and direct the focus of their own play through open-ended activities and learn together in age appropriate play.
With a thorough understanding of the latest trends and advances in playground design we work closely with parent, teachers, administrators, as well as the children themselves in a collaborative approach that gives all stakeholders a chance to participate in the design process.
As 'outdoor learning environments' the playground can be incorporated into all areas of the curriculum teaching them about science, math, biology, geology, and the wonders and intricacies of the natural world while they play within it !
Typically, natural play environments may include earth shapes (sculptures), environmental art, indigenous vegetation (trees, shrubs, grasses, flowers…) boulders or other rock structures, dirt and sand, natural fences (stone, willow, wood…), textured pathways, and natural water features.
A natural playground is often less costly, safer, and has a higher play value than manufactured playgrounds.
We can help:
- Guided Workshops for Staff, Students and Parents
- Environmental And Site Analysis
- Creative Problem Solving
- Playground Master Planning and Design
- Capital Cost Budget Estimating
- Phasing and Implementation Strategies
- Complete Landscape Design Services
- Fundraising and Promotional Graphic Design
- Post Construction Evaluation
- Playground Inspections and Audits
Download a sample playground master plan report (8mb PDF document)
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Guelph Municipal Election 2006 Ward 4 Candidate
Significant
Landscape Architects and
landscape architecture firms that have dedicated themselves to
natural playground design and
Schoolyard planning including earthartist.
Natural playground designers have created distinctive
natural playground and
schoolyard designs across
North America. Mike Salisbury of earthartist is a Landscape Architect from Guelph Ontario, Canada specializing in Natural playgrounds and outdoor classrooms for K-12 schools, communities, and childcare centres. Natural playgrounds are outdoor learning environments and outdoor classrooms, K-12, schools, community, childcare centres, early childhood education, all encourage gross motor, fine motor, cognitive, creative, social, and fantasy play. Our unique playground designs use natural features and materials to create fun, challenging, and safe natural playgrounds and outdoor classrooms. Natural play environments offer maximum and sustaining play value for far less money than manufactured playgrounds and beautify their surroundings at the same time. Natural playgrounds teach children how to re-connect with the natural environment, and to take pleasure in all that nature has to offer. Natural playgrounds can be considered part of the beautification and/or the green schools program. Living willow structures present a range of options. Our designs meet the guidelines and standards for playground safety established by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and American Standards for Testing and Materials (ASTM). Playground Safety Inspectors ensure that natural playgrounds meet or exceed accessibility standards, provide access by ramp, transfer, and groundcover systems that conform to ASTM and proposed ADA playground accessibility standards.
Research into playground design and natural playgrounds concludes that playgrounds are essential for healthy development. Leading playground designers and have suggested that a natural playground, or any playground design provides free, spontaneous play, the kind that is the most beneficial type of play. Natural Playgrounds, natural schoolyard design, playspaces, playgrounds and playground designs that feature natural materials, features, and indigenous or native vegetation with creative landforms and structures to create natural, environmental objects that challenge and fascinate children. Playground design and natural playground design and teach children about the wonders and intricacies of the natural world while they play within it. Playground designers and landscape architects that engage in playground design creating natural playgrounds create the best natural playground designs.
