Toddler & Kinder Play Gardens
Client: Salem Child Care Development Center
Location: Salem, Oregon
Children's outdoor learning and play space
LandCurrent designed two small Natural Play and Learning Gardens for the Salem Child Care Development Center. The toddler garden is used by our very smallest 0 to 3 years. A slightly larger garden is used by 3-5 years old Kinders.
Toddler Garden: A large lawn area for running around is surrounded by a grassy hill, a wooden stage, a willow tunnel, a habitat spiral garden, a shade area, a baby crawl area and a "messy" area. In the messy area kids can bake their mud pies and play with rocks and tree trunks.
The Kinder Garten play area was all concrete and asphalt. LandCurrent proposed a dramatic change with a play and learning landscape consisting of a wetland pond, trees, and vines.
The existing concrete wall now features a mural of Silver Falls, a nearby natural area. The mural was proposed by LandCurrent in conjunction with the design of the new play area. Elements of the actual play area were envisioned as "flowing" into the mural. Young artist from the local high school painted the mural as part of their senior arts project.
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