Planting for Play

Places planted for play are a virtual studio of natural materials to explore and create with. Where else are children able to explore the wide variety of textures offered by smooth, prickly, and fuzzy leaves? Watch new, hard berries ripen into squishy soft berries? Discover which pine cones are sticky and why? Cover rocks with wet leaves? Experiment with sticks that bend, snap, or float? Examine lichen and moss up close? Find out what it feels like to be buried in leaves?

All sectors of the play community have a major responsibility to create outdoor playspaces which afford a diversity of play opportunities and in particular, play opportunities that inspire connections with nature.

This seminar will be of interest to landscape managers, architects and designers, horticulturists, open space and recreational planners, teachers and anyone committed to the improvement of outdoor play opportunities.

PRESENTERS
Andrew Laidlaw (Royal Botanic Gardens)
The challenges of children’s spaces and nature based play in the public landscape and the potential to mix nature based play with some exciting play equipment

Dr. Peter May
(Former Head of Burnley Campus, now Director of May Horticulture Services)
Designing the soil environment for plants and play

John Rayner (Burnley campus, University of Melbourne)
Places, spaces and plants for play: designing for function and use

Jane Urquhart (Gowrie Victoria)
Gardening experiences in an early childhood setting & how children interact (and learn) within it.

Michelle Rayner (The Patch Primary School)
The Learning Landscape: designing, using and managing a school garden