Children’s at Sunder Nursery Park

At Sunder Nursery, we aim to show that well-used and well-loved places to play will often be integrated within the cohesive design of a wider community space. Places where children play can be important social places, not just for children and young people, but also for parents, care takers and the wider community. They should be places where children and young people can enjoy spending time, be physically active, interact with their natural surroundings, experience change and continuity, take risks in an environment where they feel safe and, of course, play alone or with others –in a wide variety of ways.

For Children visiting Sunder Nursery, at the edge of the Wilderness zone is an exclusive children’s play zone. Entered through a masonry tunnel, children can walk through mazes, swing across trees on a zipline, slide down mounds and enjoy a variety of activities. Rope bridges, sensory pathways are aimed at helping children’s development while the sandpits are clearly most favoured. With the objective of creating a sensory experience, no plastic swings have been used in the making of this Children’s park and wood, steel, stone, rope have been the favoured materials.

Children’s well-being, safety, learning and social development, as well as their essential enjoyment of childhood, are affected by the extent and the quality of their opportunities to play.

Also, we aim to use equipment creatively, and with a keen understanding of the different ways that children need play. In this approach, equipment, where it is used is part of the overall design, rather than the sole feature. Landscaping, planting and community art installations, for example, can offer children as much play value as apparatus. A combination of these, complementing one another within the overall design for an area, can cultivate a greater sense of place, allow children the fullest play experiences, and reap huge benefits for them, their families and the wider community.