H2: Benefits of Nature-Oriented Playground Planning
Nature playgrounds are experiential spaces for children and young people that provide low-threshold access to the natural environment. They promote sensory awareness and physical activity, develop motor skills, and at the same time strengthen social competencies — making them a fascinating area of work for landscape contractors. But what should you keep in mind when putting them into practice?
Michaela Senk from Karlsruhe is a highly sought-after expert who works with playground planning and design on a daily basis. The 51-year-old runs the planning office Gartenspielraum and has been self-employed since 2006. She has also worked in playground construction, though since early 2025 she has focused exclusively on playground planning.
Rather than using the term "nature playground" (Naturspielplatz), Michaela Senk much prefers the term "nature play space" (Naturspielraum). In her view, it is more comprehensive and moves away from the traditional image of playground construction with seesaws, swings, and slides. In nature play spaces, children can have experiences that are often no longer possible in our increasingly urbanised world.
Getting the Material Mix Right
To give children and young people a rich sensory experience, nature-oriented playground construction should draw on an interesting mix of materials. These include:
- Wood in various species and forms
- Soil and clay
- Water
- Sand and bark mulch
- Stones in various grain sizes
Rather than planning in prefabricated robinia wood play equipment, for example, Michaela Senk much prefers to use rough robinia logs, which can be used on-site to create varied and dynamic play spaces. One exciting idea for such creative developmental processes is building a climbing Mikado.
Plants — But Which Ones?
Michaela Senk also has valuable tips when it comes to plant selection — particularly for shrubs. Anyone wishing to use them in nature playgrounds should keep the following in mind:
- Use native shrubs, as they also attract and support native wildlife.
- Choose plants that are not highly toxic.
- Opt for robust species that recover quickly after heavy use.
- Ideally, combine shrubs with different growth habits and leaf shapes. Depending on the concept, both evergreen and deciduous species may be suitable.
And finally, an insider tip from Michaela Senk: when selecting shrubs for playground planning, it is particularly advantageous to choose varieties that develop umbrella-shaped canopies. Children feel especially at home beneath these leafy canopies — they can build dens, hide from one another, and above all have a great deal of fun.
Author: Karsten Köber
