Webinar Registration: http://ipv.nrpa.org/store/events/registration.aspx?event=WSCAPES313
Designing Natural Playscapes, a free webinar for parks professionals and others who are interested in connecting children to nature and the outdoors, will provide critical insights and knowledge from park and recreation agency staff who are pioneering the design and construction of natural play areas in their parks. Presenters will provide examples of scalable, replicable models and ideas at the local and state level that can be implemented by any agency at any level, ideas that are extremely adaptable to varying levels of space and budget.
Natural playscapes are special places for children to discover the world around them. They provide opportunities for children to exercise their imagination and engage their senses. Natural play area significantly enhance the visitor experience and provide new ways for the public, particularly young visitors, to connect to nature and the outdoors.
This informative webinar will present resources and examples of outdoor play environments as a way to connect children to nature in our parks. Several examples of Natural Playscape case studies with lessons learned will give you ideas that you can adapt:
- Hills & Dales Natural Playscape in Five Rivers Metro Parks, Dayton, Ohio
- North Canyon Nature Play Area at Silver Falls State Park in Oregon
- Nature Explorer Zone at Mecklenburg County’s Reedy Creek Nature Center in Charlotte, North Carolina
The webinar will also include a presentation by Robin Moore, Professor of Landscape Architecture, Director of Natural Learning Initiative with NC State University. Moore is internationally recognized as an authority on the ecological design of children’s educational environments, intergenerational outdoor spaces, participatory design programming, and user needs in public open space design. His presentation will include an overview of the progress to date on developing National Guidelines For Natural Play Areas.
If you are interested in incorporating natural play elements into play areas in your parks or you already have begun to develop natural play areas, you won’t want to miss this presentation. Registration is limited and will be first come, first-served till capacity is reached. To register visit http://ipv.nrpa.org/store/events/registration.aspx?event=WSCAPES313.
This free webinar is co-hosted and sponsored by the Children in Nature Partnership, a partnership of the National Association of State Park Directors, the National Recreation and Park Association, and the National Park Service. The partnership works to see this nation’s children and their families fully participating in outdoor recreation and rediscovering their natural and cultural heritage while enhancing their health.