The Natural Play and Learning Areas National Guidelines Project (11-DG-11132540-334)

Incidences of childhood maladies are on the rise, including obesity, diabetes, rickets, attention disorders, and depression.  Today’s ‘indoor children’ are missing the physical, emotional and developmental benefits of outdoor play in natural settings. Research indicates that children in natural settings play and learn with engagement, imagination, and symptoms of attention deficit are reduced. Experts agree: children need access to nature the same way they need nutrition and sleep. Our project will restore children’s relationship with nature the same way the need nutrition and sleep. Our project will restore children’s relationship with nature by bringing nature to play and outdoor learning spaces at schools, child-care centers, parks, museums, and zoos. We will develop national design guidelines which define core elements of a natural play and learning area and address the management, liability, and accessibility issues that any design must confront.  The Natural Play and Learning Areas National Design Guidelines Project will bring natural play and learning area design into the mainstream by 1) developing comprehensive guidelines for designing and managing natural play and learning environments at all of the major settings where children play and learn, including schools, and childcare centers; 2) endorsing use of these guidelines; and 3) providing technical support for those who create and manage natural play and learning areas.

Final Report Download

Project Overview

Additional File Downloads

Narrative