Have you ever given a child a toy only to watch as he or she finds greater satisfaction from the box it came in? That’s some of the thinking behind Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission’s approach to playgrounds.

In an effort to create a more stimulating play environment, the Commission has developed a unique play space that incorporates conventional play equipment, discovery play, gardening features and other activities in a natural setting. This new playground has just opened at County Farm Park on Platt Road in Ann Arbor, just to the south of the Meri Lou Murray Recreation Center.

Today’s new playgrounds can be pretty sterile play settings that quickly lose a child’s interest. Contrastingly, natural outdoor spaces abound with possibilities for play – offering safe, self directed, learning opportunities for children to explore, pretend and interact with natural elements - and other children.

This new playscape includes a farm themed red barn structure, with a wide variety of triggers for physical, social and sensory-rich play. A curving blue “stream” made with blue rubber safety surfacing, and lily pad “stepping stones” run throughout the playground. The farm-style theme offers kids the opportunity to play with sand and water to construct sand sculpture creations. There’s a climbing net structure, and a family of pigs (statues) that help spur young imaginations.

"We’ve also developed a handicapped-accessible garden that features a wide array of gardening beds, tables, and structures,” says Ray Essell, Park Planner with Washtenaw County’s Parks & Recreation. “Besides helping to promote gardening at an early age, we think it will also be useful in showing the many ways that working with plants can be therapeutic and fun for all ages and abilities,” he adds.

This new playscape is now open to the public and will be expanded in the future to include even more creative fun for kids!