There's Nothing Boring about Boring, Oregon

Especially now that Barton Park's new nature-themed playground is sure to bring a lot of excitement and fun to Clackamas County.

The county's goal was to build a nature-themed playground that brought as much play value as possible. Clackamas County's playground expert, Martha Rainey from MRC, incorporated tree toppers, recycled plastic panels called "timbers," and a natural color palette. The playground blends in, nestled among the conifers, atop a bed of engineered wood fiber surfacing. The playground features multiple slides, so kids can experience the exhilaration of motion, and tons of climbing options, so kids can grow stronger as they explore.

Is your county interested in adding some nature themed playgrounds to your parks? Learn more about the important link between nature and play by requesting a copy of NatureGrounds, a guide created by our parent company, PlayCore, and the Natural Learning Initiative. Research reveals a strong relationship between daily exposure to nature and healthy human development -- and because natural spaces are often too remotely located for visiting on a regular basis, it's important to design nature back into the everyday spaces of childhood, like schools and neighborhood parks. 

NatureGrounds will provide your community with best practice guidelines for creating and retrofitting play environments that:

• increase play value, social engagement, and physical activity
• address health promotion, stress reduction, emotional well-being
• expand inclusion
• engage users with nature
• reinforce environmental literacy
• promote creative, exploratory, and cooperative play
• offer community destinations
• support environmental stewardship