Across the globe, the push for more environmentally conscious materials in schools and parks has been steadily rising. Communities are realizing more and more the impact that wasteful practices can have on issues like water conservation, air pollution, and overflowing landfills. This doesn’t even touch on the fact that many schools simply don’t have the budget for brand new equipment. Fortunately, eco-friendly playgrounds are leading the way with sustainable materials. Here’s how:
Wood and Stone Form Sound Structures
For decades, plastic and new rubber have been the trusted materials used in play areas across American schools. After all, plastic was cheap, easy to make, and easy to replace. The sad reality, however, is that most plastic also heats up, cracks easily, and breaks down fairly quickly. Without regular maintenance and repair, your playground can become a hazard that kids can’t even play on during recess.
In recent years, manufacturers have responded to the call for sustainable materials in the form of commercial playground equipment made of wood, stone, and recycled plastic. This shift calls on renewable resources and diverts waste from landfills. They’re easier to work with, cheaper to manufacture, and kids love playing on them. Clearly, ditching brand-new plastic for recycled and renewable materials is the most sustainable way to go.
Sand and Water Create Sensory Features
One of the greatest parts of the school day for kids is the time they get to spend outside. But with traditional playgrounds, those kids often don’t have much to work with. They run up and down slides and platforms in big, bold colors. The playground may be down due to equipment in disrepair. And play boxes filled with wood chips tend to leave scrapes and bruises with every fall. There’s very little in the way of a genuine sensory experience.
But modern playground design can include sensory features like sand and water to enhance recess time. Schools could designate one box filled with sand and a couple of containers of sand toys. On warmer days, a water feature can be turned on that gets the sand wet, so kids can mold and shape, getting the full physical sensation. While it might pose a bit of a mess, the water can be recycled and the sand is renewable, and both, of course, are great for kids’ development.
Plants and Open Spaces Give Kids Access to Nature
Kids need access to nature. Myriad studies have shown the power of nature when it comes to kids’ development, their imagination, and even their ability to regulate their emotions. But too many kids don’t get the exposure they need. Parents are working long hours, schools are located on concrete lots, and many cities simply don’t have natural spaces. This means many kids miss out on natural benefits their peers closer to nature get just through the luck of geography.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Eco-friendly playgrounds include green fields, local plants, and even native flowers for kids to immerse themselves in during recess. Schools can plant trees as part of a conservation lesson for kids. And they can hold outdoor classrooms on days when the weather permits. Even the starkest, most concrete-filled school can incorporate nature into the schoolyard, so kids can gain the advantages their peers have.
Recycled Rubber Makes for Safe and Sustainable Surfaces
Surfaces are one of the toughest issues when it comes to schoolyards. Concrete and blacktop can get super hot and scorch kids’ skin when they fall. It can also cause serious scrapes and bruises on precious skin. Worse, it breaks down over time and is difficult to replace and repair, so kids trip and stumble over cracked surfaces that never get fixed. Wood chips can be even worse, collecting grime and small, harmful objects over time that can hurt kids who fall.
Today’s playground designers are working with poured-in-place rubber. This material is made from recycled rubber, like tires. This keeps those old, used tires out of landfills, cleans them up, and even coats them with a protective coating. So schools and parents don’t have to worry about chemicals leeching into the atmosphere and potentially harming kids’ skin or airways. For schools that need a more temporary solution, recycled rubber puzzle pieces can be put in place and moved when needed.
Gardens and Signage Help Educate Kids on Conservation
Finally, many schools are taking the move toward eco-consciousness even further with intentional, natural designs. Many kids who have grown up in cities have little to no access to genuinely fresh fruit and vegetables. They may rarely see a patch of forest, woods, or beach. And they might not understand the issues surrounding natural resources and their conservation. These are developmental and educational milestones that are hard to impress upon young kids without firsthand lessons.
Eco-friendly schools can teach all of these lessons through the creation of educational outdoor spaces. This could include small, community gardens. Kids can learn to grow food or even just plant flowers. Educators can install signs about the local flora and fauna around the campus. And the school could have a water feature installed with a sign about how the water is recycled and why water conservation matters. Then, each teacher could teach outdoor classes on these topics. This way, you’ll create responsible members of your community who enjoy spending time outside.
In the end, the more schools can participate in becoming more environmentally friendly, the more students can learn about why conservation matters. You can make this shift one step at a time, with new recycled rubber pieces on the surface, a small box of sand, or a small garden of flowers. Little by little, you can use your developing eco-friendly campus to help create more eco-conscious citizens.
