Ashgrove Memorial Kindergarten: December 2013 Approx 5 weeks to complete.
The love of children's secret spaces inspired us to build a Cubby Cave at the top of a slope. We used sandstone, timber and logs to create a nature inspired theme.
Large logs were brought in to make a log climb to clamber over. A huge success!
Log climb
Cubby cave
September 2013, approx 6 weeks to complete.
Twin tree houses was the brief. Connected by a clatter bridge. A fireman's pole and slide climbing walls were also added.
The kindy had a large cotton tree that the children love to climb so we added a plank bridge from the tree house to the tree and built decks around existing trees.
An existing pebble creek bed was extended and large sandstone rocks placed in a semi circle so that in winter the water play creek bed converted into a fire pit, perfect for those camp out evenings.
A special feature in this design was the addition of a meeting circle made with a ring of sand stone rocks. We put turf inside the circle to add a lush green space which is a magnet for lunches, storytime and play.
A weeping mulberry was planted delighting children and teachers alike, as did the colourful maple planted to remind Tracy of Canada.
Meeting Circle
Native Planting
Twin Tree Houses
Meeting Circle construction
Bridges and connections
Decks around existing tree
Climb walls, Rope bridges
Meeting circle becomes an outdoor classroom
Lindisfarne Terranora January 2014, Approx 4 weeks to complete.
Strength, balance, endurance. Each component links with the next to extend the challenge.
We used climb walls, climbing nets, tyre traverse, curtain wall, overhead monkey bars,
Hand and foot traverse.
Climb walls, Pommel walk, Nets and balance beams
The photo's below tell the story.
Opening Day
This is the result we like to see
LIndisfarne Tweed Heads, October 2013 Approx 4 weeks to complete.
We had the pleasure of liaising with Kate to create challenge for Lindisfarne Junior School children. The idea was that the children could navigate the entire playground with out their feet ever having to touch the ground.
A tree house with a large climb wall, fireman's pole and rope climbs was central to the design. We added a vine bridge to a small deck built around a tree, which connected to a spiders web climb, a net bridge, dual foot traverse, wobble bridge, ring traverse, hi-low tightropes and a monkey bar.
These elements were constructed in amongst the existing trees. We added sandstone stepping blocks and planting to enhance the natural setting even more.
In amongst the Trees
Borilla Kindergarten, September 2013, Approx 3 weeks to complete.
We want a fort. It has to have a slide and a fireman's pole! That was the brief from the children at Borilla Community Kindergarten.
We had the pleasure of working with Jenny the Director who had a few ideas of her own. Could our fort have a skillion roof? We would really like a deck around our tree, is that possible? We would also like a tunnel climb under our Fort? Can we possibly have a wobbly bridge connecting the deck to the Fort? The answer was YES to everything.
One of the connecting bridges between the decks had a last minute change of direction. Why don't we make it a Barrel tunnel instead of a plank walk? Jenny loved the idea and so do the children. We love these innovations, it makes each job an original.
Skillion Roofed Fort
Tunnel Climb
Plank Bridge to Deck with existing tree
Tunnels under the Fort
Retro Street Kindergarten, May 2013, Approx 8 weeks to complete.
Having worked with Kay the Director and Julie the Head Teacher at Emerald Community Kindergarten before, we knew we were in for a treat the second time around.
Earlier we had built a tree house and a butterfly house at their kindergarten and really enjoyed the project. So when we were asked if we could build them a trio of pits, tree house style we were hooked. We were very excited to be working with Kay and Julie they had certainly done their research. We had a very clear idea of the direction they wanted to go, but they were also flexible about how those ideas could be implemented.
So the design was put together to include: a double roofed tree house sand pit, a single roofed tree dirt pit and a single roofed tree mud pit. They were all going to have sandstone boulder surrounds.
Simple right?
Lets add to that brief with a custom-made sandstone watercourse, water tanks, you can't have a fab watercourse with out water. A huge deck, secret corner, chicken palace, musical play area, butterfly artworks, hand water pump and of course every mud pit requires a sandstone hippo wallow and hippo called Owen.
Every day on this project had it all. Challenges, lots and lots of laughter, problem solving blood sweat and tears, well maybe not blood or tears but lots of sweat.
Kym and I are very proud to have worked on this project. Thank you girls.
Double Roofed Sand-Pit
Chook Palace
Sandstone Path
A Trio of Pits, Sand, Dirt, Mud
A Trio of decks, if you have room for 3 decks then you have roomful a tee-pee village!!
Who says you can't have a butterfly and frog garden
the SAND pit connects to the DIRT pit, the dirt pit connects to the MUD pit.
What could you teach here?
