nature-rich spaces that invite play

Inspired by childhood memories of building huts, climbing trees, playing in forests and beaches and having the time and space to discover the world around us, we are passionate about helping to create spaces where children can build their own memories of outdoor adventures. Nature-rich spaces offer a diverse environment to play, observe and refresh. They provide the opportunity for children to connect with their local environment and notice seasonal changes. Children love turning over logs and rocks and studying what’s living there. This kind of observation is great for developing young scientists and also helps build empathy not only for smaller creatures but for other people as well. Nature-rich spaces provide an abundance of loose parts materials for children to use in their play - leaves, flowers, sticks, seed pods, soil, sand and water - they are all materials that invite exploration and provide rich sensory experiences. Logs, rocks, small hills, pebbled paths and mulch all provide different levels, textures and materials to move over and interact with - diversity in these materials helps build children’s balance, coordination, gross and fine motor control, muscle development and more. A diverse environment allows children to follow their own interests and play in a way that suits their development stage. A growing body of research is showing that exposure to nature-rich spaces is good for our mental and physical health as well as our children’s development. We are passionate about creating spaces that will not only be great for play but will also provide the best start possible for our next generation. Developing a connection with and love of their local environment, when they’re younger, will hopefully empower our children to love and care for nature on a more global scale as they grow older.

We are based in Ōtautahi - Christchurch. We work mainly with preschools, home-educators, schools and others who are based in Canterbury but have occasionally traveled or consulted further afield.