Natural Materials Outdoor Play

My friend Hayley Brentmar is one of the most creative people on the planet. She's a fellow homeschooler to her adorable 6-year-old girl and heart-bendingly cute 3-year-old twin boys. And though I could tell you hosts of things I love about my friend, including all the many ways in which she inspires my own creativity, today I'd like to tell you about her backyard. Actually, she's going to tell you about her yard. I asked her to write a guest post, specifically about creating an outdoor play space with natural materials. You won't believe what she's done with her home. I know you'll be inspired, as am I!

From Hayley:

The weather is warming up and it's time to get outside and play!

 

 

One of my hopes for my children has always been that they experience the joy of having a dreamy place to play outside. More specifically, I’ve always wanted them to have a place that embraces (and is inspired) by nature. Unfortunately, once I set about creating this space, I found that there aren't a lot of commercially available options for natural outdoor play equipment, or at least not economical ones. So, this led my husband and me to create an outdoor play space largely ourselves.

We were lucky that the sand area you see in these photos was already here when we bought this house. But, besides a crumbling old fence, there was nothing else. It was a blank slate!

 

Swings For Soaring
 

In my effort to avoid big, overly colorful and plastic play structures, we were led to build our own. I wanted, something simple, something classic.  Ready made brackets helped us with the process. Luckily they come in a soothing green tone, a color found in the natural word. Also, they are handy because you can make the swing set as tall and wide as you chose, and can customize it for your space. 

All of the commercially available swings I found were made of brightly colored plastic or rubber. Since I was trying to avoid that aesthetic, I decided to go a different route and use old fashion wooden swings.

 

I ordered these traditional wooden swings from here. It was the best price I could find for them. There are also some for sale on Etsy, or you could make them.

 

 

We also added extra length in the top cross beam of the swing set. This enabled us to add a rope on one side and a basic rope ladder on the other for climbing.

 

Create Hiding Places

Kids love to have places to hide, be alone and to experience their own sacred space. We created two small areas for them to escape, and be alone. The first was this ready made canvas teepee. It is made for indoors or outdoors, and so far it has held up well. I was fortunate, and found the teepee on a day that Amazon was offering it half price. It might be worth watching for sales, and building up your backyard playground slowly over time.

 

 

The second hideaway my husband build himself using scrap wood and old house parts. The base of it was actually one of our old kitchen cabinets left over from a remodel!

 

 

This little house could be a play area all on it's own! There are lots of extras to keep little ones entertained. On top there are 3 metal butterflies I found at the Dollar Store and spray painted with Rustoleum's Oil Rubbed Bronze paint (I love this stuff and use it all over the place!). On the front I hung a small wind chime, that has become "the doorbell." The side of the house holds a small shelf  with a real mailbox (an easy find at most hardware stores, check for sharp edges).

 

 

Inside the house I mounted a wooden box, to act as a shelf for trinkets and treasures. It's a leftover from a Melissa and Doug toy set. There is even a "peep hole" in the door! This was simple to do with a drill and wood bit. Unused cabinet pulls are mounted on the door for an added element of interest.

 

Logs To Climb On

When we took out an old hedge in the front yard, we noticed that many of the shrubs had usable logs. We saved them, and eventually I used them to create this small climbing structure.

 

 

First, I used three of the longer logs to make a pyramid shape. I attached them together with deck screws (and an electric drill). Then I used the longest three logs to make the horizontal bottom rung of each side. I worked my way up to the top of the pyramid using shorter and shorter logs, essentially creating a 3 sided ladder. Finally I added vertical crosspieces for extra strength.

 

Lastly we trimmed off any extra length, checked for sharp screw points sticking out, and used an electric sander to round off sharp edges.

 

In my continuing quest to use natural materials, I also decided to utilize the pieces of an old tree that someone had left at the bottom of our yard. 

 

I was fortunate to have these logs just lying around. But you could also contact a tree service company and ask them for spare parts, or keep an eye (and ear) out for anyone doing tree work in your neighborhood. I dug down into the sand about a foot and buried each log, being careful to keep the tops level. This created a raised stepping area. It is great for building balance and coordination!

 

 

With another log, I created a wooden ramp for balancing. I simply laid the log on its side and used two old boards to create the balancing/walking surface. 

 

Using an electric drill and deck screws, it was simple to attach the boards to the log to create an incline on both sides.

 

 

 

Add a Place for Art

After growing tired of having sidewalk chalk drawings on every single surface in our yard, I decided we needed a dedicated drawing space!

 

This chalkboard was simple to make. First, we had a piece of sheet metal cut at the hardware store. Then I used some of the leftover chalkboard paint from our kitchen re-do and painted several layers directly onto the metal. Because the edges were very sharp, my husband used some old boards we had laying around to create a frame for the chalkboard.

 
 

Lastly, we mounted it onto the fence (at child height) and added a hook and bucket for holding the chalk. Once it starts raining I'll probably take the bucket down, but you could also drill some small holes in the bottom for drainage. 

Loose Parts Play

To encourage creative play, I gathered interesting objects from nature and from around our house.

 

 

Whenever we find an interesting piece of something from nature, I add it to our collection. We have pieces of shells, rocks, iridescent abalone shells, glittering geodes, pinecones, wood, bits of moss, and other interesting natural materials. Left to their own devices, kids will use these spare parts in all kinds of creative play. I like that loose parts don’t have a preset storyline that goes along with them. They can become anything the child imagines them to be.

 

 

A true nature play purist purest probably wouldn't have these trucks or small rubber figures in their collections. But, I find that they are also great catalysts for creative and imaginative play. I purchased these old metal Tonka trucks on eBay (the new ones are expensive, and have a lot of plastic parts). The toy dinosaurs were found for free on the side of the road. Hurray for free toys!

 

 

 

 

Digging in the dirt is fun and therapeutic (for adults too!). If you can, get sand or dirt, and provide tools for digging. Instead of ready made plastic sand toys, look for interesting kitchen items, and gardening tools. These sand toys are kept nearby in wooden baskets. They drain easily, and are readily available for a couple of dollars at most secondhand stores. Over time I’ve eventually replaced most of our plastic sand toys with actual kitchen tools and gadgets, all found at thrift stores. The Goodwill always seems to have a good supply of wooden spoons and wooden baskets!

I found the child sized rake and broom at a nursery. Or you can purchase a similar set like this. Real gardening tools, like the hand trowel pictured below, are also preferable to the flimsy plastic children’s versions. 

 

 

Add Growing Green Things

Part of the magic of outdoor play is being amongst growing things and nature. Wherever possible, add (non toxic) plantings. 

 

One side of our sand area is dedicated to plantings. A redwood bark path wanders through a small garden, and over a wooden bridge. This area is meant to be child friendly and inviting. Over time the plants have been filling in and it is even more intriguing now.

 

 

I was also happy to discover that there was good soil buried about a foot under the sand in our yard. Because of this, I was able to plant a winter flowering Witch Hazel tree directly into the corner of the sandbox. Because it blooms in late winter it serves as a nice reminder for when spring is on it’s way.

Also pictured above, is the one piece of plastic play equipment that we have. It is a Craigslist plastic slide. I simply couldn’t figure out an alternative slide material other than plastic. So, I spray painted it in a natural tan tone. Originally it was a loud obnoxious color. I'm still searching for a good natural material slide option!

 

We are also so fortunate to have this large majestic Live Oak tree towering over our play area. Its twisting branches provide shade, and are home to animals such as birds and squirrels. We love watching them go about their days. It even provides us with an endless supply of acorns for creative play!

 
Add Mystery and Wonder

In addition to play equipment, carefully placed garden trinkets can add wonder to our play space.

 

I bought the quirky red birdhouse from this Etsy seller. We left one of the fence posts long, and mounted the birdhouse high above the play area.

 

 

A hook meant for hanging plants holds a bird feeder and wind chimes. We love to fill the feeder with peanuts, and watch the squirrels and blue jays quickly devour them. The wind chimes provide a magical auditory element.

A big part of incorporating nature is embracing it's creatures. We love to feed all the critters who live in our yard, and we recently added this squirrel feeder (similar). It's so much fun to watch them gnaw at it and then scamper along the fences!

 

 

My local hardware store carries these dried corncobs, but you could also check for them at feed stores or online. They go pretty fast so it's worth shopping around for the best price!

Another way to inspire awe and wonder is with plantings. Look for unique and interesting plants, like this curly grass.

 

Kids love to hide under bushes, climb trees and duck behind plumes of large grass. So visit your local nursery to see what is interesting and best suited to your climate. I always try to choose drought tolerant perennials. My preference is for plants that can withstand winter frosts and summer water rationing. 

Also, see my blog post about exciting day glow plants for more inspiration in this area.

 

Ready Made Elements

Sometimes it's just more practical to buy things pre-made for your outdoor play space. But, they need not be made of unsightly plastic. In the lower section of our yard we've added two readily available things that are very attractive to children and harmonious with nature.

 

The first is a simple hammock. It's surprising what a child-magnet this thing is! You can hang one between two trees, or with a hammock stand like I did. Just be sure that your hammock is the right length for your stand, they are not all standard sizes. 

 

Next, we added a classic dome shaped climbing structure. This particular model was not expensive and it's very sturdy. Assembly was a little tricky however. It took two adults several hours. But the payoff has been well worth it!

 

The dome is the perfect size for my 6 year old, and my 3 year olds are starting to get the hang of it. This structure also lends itself well to open ended creative play. It can be anything they can imagine it to be. One day it's a castle, the next it's a spaceship! Throw a sheet over the top and it makes a great tent!

We also have a fairy garden. For many more details, see my other blog post on the topic.  Lastly, if you're short on yard space, then you might be interested in my other post about creating a play area in a tiny yard here: Small Yard Outdoor Play.

That's all! Thanks for stopping by, and have fun playing!

From Shelley:

Thank you Hayley for all of your wonderful ideas and for sharing them with us! You can learn more from Hayley on her blog: Leaving the Ivory Tower.