Touring the Renovated NMS Playground
Have you had a chance to explore our new and improved playground this year? Your children sure have, and they are loving it! Although there were no major changes to our structures, the playground has been re-energized by the addition of a few new areas this year. Much thought and planning went into the new design and layout, in order to maximize enjoyment for the span of ages that frequent the playground daily. We feel it has been a huge success thus far!
The most popular spot on the playground is our new mud kitchen. This area is enjoyed by Beginners through Lower Elementary. The kitchen is stocked with all the tools necessary for children to create five star meals for their friends! The children are using items found all around the playground such as leaves, sticks, and even the occasional piece of chalk, yum yum!
The addition of a new Cedar Works playhouse in close proximity to the mud kitchen has naturally led to many games of ‘house’ being played. Watching the children act out different family scenarios is always a welcome sight for the teachers! It is also a great way to incorporate and practice social skills and conflict resolution skills into playtime when a conflict arises.
One of the most welcomed new areas came about with the removal of a fence that divided the former playground with a grassy area and basketball court.
We have gained an area where the children are able to play soccer, baseball, basketball, and another new favorite: gaga ball! This game has quickly become a huge hit with the older Primary children and arguably the number one favorite game of Elementary! Gaga ball takes place in an octagonal pit and is a fast paced game of dodging, striking, running, and jumping, where the more players, the better!
Our sandbox area has always been a hit, but it has DOUBLED in size this year! The children are loving the larger space for creating elaborate sand sculptures and digging deep holes.
For our budding artists, we installed a large upright chalkboard. The children have been busy creating masterpieces daily. Teachers are happy to offer this space to children as a way to encourage their gross motor skills and refinement of their fine motor skills that are necessary in the classroom for handwriting.
We have had the pleasure of playing on the new playground for the past several weeks, and all the teachers and children are extremely grateful for the upgrades! Thank you to those who helped make it possible.
