Date of Award:

5-2012

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA)

Department:

Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning

Committee Chair(s)

Keith M. Christensen

Committee

Keith M. Christensen

Committee

Michael L. Timmons

Committee

Shelley L. K. Lindauer

Abstract

Play is an important part of childhood as it helps to develop social skills and ensure proper mental and physical development. Electronic media, stranger danger, and urbanization have reduced both the time and access children have to play in natural areas. Many people believe that this is an integral part of childhood and, therefore, concern that children are not interacting with the natural world is becoming a popular topic. Research has shown that natural environments can have various benefits such as reducing anxiety and promoting developmental skills. Play providers are now creating playgrounds that attempt to recreate natural settings, referred to as natural or naturalized playgrounds. These play environments utilize natural elements including water, vegetation, hills, tree groves, rock outcrops, and streambeds rather than manufactured equipment. Because behaviors are affected by the environment in which they occur, a growing number of studies have focused on how these naturalized play environments affect children developmentally. Very few studies have surveyed to the adults at facilities that contain these playgrounds to see how they view them. Therefore, this thesis investigates the perceptions of naturalized playgrounds at educational facilities to see if they are perceived as a viable play environment and if they are providing a connection to nature.

Fourteen participants, from different playgrounds, shared their thoughts about the playground as an environment, and the play activities they see children participating in. It was found that naturalized playgrounds contained about two-thirds natural elements and one-third manufactured elements. Participants thought of their playground as “naturalized,” which may lead to confusion as these playgrounds are referred to by many different terms. The participants also showed an active interest in furthering their education on naturalized playgrounds as well as facilitating play.

Naturalized playgrounds were seen as being viable playgrounds for children and, in most cases, being better than traditional playgrounds due to the open-ended and unstructured play opportunities the natural elements promoted. Participants in this study also thought their playground provided numerous connections to nature and wanted the playground to be even more natural. The heavy use of natural elements allowed for other positive aspects such as educational and open-ended play opportunities as well as a playground that was always changing and therefore interesting. It was also found that the open-ended structure of the playground provided a playground that everyone could enjoy due to it promoting creative and imaginative play.

This thesis found that naturalized playgrounds create a play environment that promotes much more than just the “physical play” mentality of a traditional playground. Naturalized playgrounds allow for play that is not based on gender or physical skill, as well as allowing children to play how they want. In that play, children are engaging in developmental processes, connecting to nature, being social, and learning from the world around them.

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This work made publicly available electronically on June 4, 2012.

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