“Scientific observation then has established that education is not what the teacher gives; education is a natural process spontaneously carried out by the human individual, and is acquired not by listening to words but by experiences upon the environment.”
― Maria Montessori, Education For A New World ”
Help engage kids with nature!
One key component of our project site is the natural playground where we seek to provide space for children to learn about nature through creative play. This unstructured time is where the wonder of childhood can really be found. At GROW we are creating an engaging natural play space unlike any other in the city. What makes it unique among natural playgrounds across the city is the design. GROW's nature playground has been designed to incorporate an edible landscape and multiple active learning features to help children explore the natural world. Our goal is to blend creative play, nature education, and sustainable landscaping all into one amazing space for the children of our city!
Although the first phase of the playground has been completed, GROW is seeking partners who can donate materials, labor, and/or expertise towards the additional features we'd like it to include. These would be features such as a weather station, small reading shelters, balance features, wildlife interpretive centers, trail improvement/extension, and an "outdoor kitchen" play table. We are also looking for artists who can do outdoor installations and add other fun features to the space. If you would like to join this volunteer team or have a company that can contribute support towards the construction of the playground, please fill out the form below and a member of our team will contact you promptly.
Playground Team Volunteers primary tasks would be:
- assisting in the construction of new features
- regular cleaning/tidying up of the playground area
- maintaining the edible landscaping features around the playground (currently consisting of edible flowers and 5 blueberry bushes)
- communicating the importance of nature play to visitors of the park and to others in the community
- keeping the "loose parts box" stocked
- maintaining bird feeders around the playground area (GROW will provide the seed)