We're Back....And We Have A Plan!

The Kindergarten playground.

The Past Year

While it might have seemed like not very much was happening last year in the way of moving forward with the new playground, the Woodside Playground Project committee was hard at work trying to come up with the right plan for our school. We did a lot of research--taking into account our school grounds, the wishes of our students and teachers, the unique requirements of our special needs students, and the cost.

After looking at out-of-the-box playgrounds, we found the equipment to be expensive and uninspiring. Our goal was to come up with a plan that would allow for a more flexible playscape that would encourage creativity, help children connect with nature, be more cost-effective, and would take advantage of our beautiful natural setting.

The wooded area next to the swings.

Designing a natural playground requires help of an expert, so we hired Sashie Misner, a landscape architect, to help us come up with a plan. Sashie has been studying natural play for over 10 years and has designed playgrounds in the Portland area--including the soon-to-be-built children's garden at Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth.

Hiring a designer was actually a cost-effective move--with a detailed plan in place, we can avoid the costly mistakes that would come from trying to do it piecemeal on our own. Also, a professional plan will make our project more attractive to potential donors as we apply for grants. Sashie had great ideas for working with the landscape of the school yard and solving problems such as the flooding we get in the spring. The members of the playground committee have been very impressed by Sashie's work and overwhelmingly agree that she has come up with ideas that far exceed anything we could have dreamed up on our own.

The main playground.

The Plan

Here is the Master Plan! We are so excited to share this beautiful design with you. Keep in mind that all elements are subject to change--like any creative endeavor, adjustments will need to be made as we go. As problems arise (as they inevitably do with all big projects) changes will arise--so we'll need to be flexible. Items such as the standard equipment that we choose will depend greatly on cost and what items will fit into our space. Think of this as our jumping off point.

The Master Plan

Another thing to keep in mind is that natural playgrounds need to be treated a little differently than out-of-the-box playgrounds. Standard playgrounds cost a lot of money up front and once they are installed are largely maintenance free for the next 10-20 years. They are also immovable during their lifespan. Natural playgrounds, on the other hand, are usually built in phases. The materials are plants, stones, and wood--which generally cost less, but also don't last as long. The upside to this model is that the playground is more flexible--pieces can be moved or removed, if they don't work or as they wear out. Broken pieces will not be as costly as maintaining standard equipment. On the other hand, the playground will require maintenance twice a year from the Woodside community. It will become a project that is ongoing, rather than something we think about only once every ten years, but we think the community building and pride of ownership that will result from this model with be worth it.

Let's take a closer look at the separate areas of the playground. The numbers are arbitrary and do not indicate the order in which the playground will be built.

Area 1

Area 1 is located behind the school. Right now it is an open space with no trees or plants and has a big piece of ledge. It's a very sunny spot and several classrooms look out over it, including the Art Room. Our plan is to turn this into an outdoor classroom. In the center there are rectangular stones arranged as an amphitheater. A walkway leads to the amphitheater from the Art Room and there is a small bridge which crosses over a low spot that tends to collect water. At the top of the picture, there is a small pergola for shade and raised garden beds that will be planted and maintained by each grade. Trees and perennials planted near the building will provide shade and reduce noise to indoor classrooms.

Area 2

Area 2 is a slender piece of grassy area that runs along the playground side of the building. The beautiful stone circle that we have will remain right where it is, but will be covered by a pergola to provide much-needed shade. At the top of the picture you'll notice two game tables, which will allow quiet play for children who are in the mood for a game a checkers.

Area 3

Area 3 is where most of our playground is located right now. The X-Wave will remain where it is, but the large piece of equipment will eventually be removed and replaced with a net climber possibly like this one, which features a slide. New pathways will be created, lined with shrubs and rising slightly to create a bit of a hill. A wooden stage is featured under the trees for dramatic play, along with log seats for the audience.

Area 4

Area 4 runs between the fence and our current play structure. At the top of the drawing there troughs for water play. The walkway is elevated and a bridge spans the area that gets wet when there is run-off from the hill. There is a 4ft climbing wall and a soft sand play area below. In the corner there is a boat that can be used for imaginative play.

Area 5

Area 5 has decorative landscaping and a saucer swing large enough for 4-5 children. This is element is designed to also be enjoyed by special needs students.

Area 6

Area 6 Everyone wanted more swings! The current swings will be moved forward, away from the hill. A new set of swings will be added.

Area 7

Area 7 is one of the committee's favorite areas and is a likely candidate for Phase 1. This is the hill behind the swings that leads to the forest. Steps will lead to the top of the hill, where there will
be a low stone wall that curves in the suggestion of a castle. A hillside slide will be one exit, while the other will be a tree fort type of structure which will have another slide or two and some climbing elements. The sledding hill will remain untouched, but a few trees will mark the boundary. This will be a terrific spot for imaginative play. 

Area 8

Area 8 is the forested area and has been very popular since we cleared low branches and brush. This will continue to be an open play area with a simple fence and archway to section off the Fairy House area. We might also include a stump jump or a trail of "tree cookies" which are thick slices of logs painted in bright colors. 

Area 9

Area 9 is the asphalt section of the playground. The only changes here will be done with paint. We will add more foursquare boxes, paint in lines for the basketball hoops, and add games and designs. We've been thinking about adding a map of Topsham, too.

Area 10

Area 10, also known as the Kindergarten Playground right now, but we envision this as a space that will be particularly nice for our special needs students. This will be one of the more dramatic transformations. The bare, open area right now will receive the benefit of shade trees and low shrubs. There will be a small climbing element in the center and the Space Shuttle bouncers will remain. There is a sand area and raised garden beds that form a small maze. There is a willow tunnel for crawling and picnic tables, as well as sensory art. We'd also like to add a weather station that all students will enjoy, such as a weathervane, a rain gauge, etc.

That's what we have so far...but stay tuned! Soon we'll be breaking the project down into phases and discussing the costs. In the meantime, you can help by supporting Woodside's various fundraisers. If you know of any grant opportunities, or would like to make a donation to the Woodside Playground Project, please contact our principal, Mr. Rick Dedek, at dedekr@link75.org or you can call the school at 725-1243. Thank you for your interest!