Syracuse, NY
Syracuse University’s Early Childcare Center
What began as an artist-in-residence project with Syracuse University’s Early Childhood Center, ended up being an all-year, project-oriented learning extravaganza involving children, beavers, monster habitats, fabric waterfalls, waterplay wildness and this end result: a child-sized beaver lodge, tunnel and den system made from living willow, plus a cedar log water trickle down the side of a hill.
Water Habitat
Based on some of the wild and wooly water play stations we were creating indoors during the winter, we decided to make a large-scale waterflow outside for fun, exploration and experimentation. We bought rot-resistant Cedar logs from a local sawmill. A parent chainsawed a “V” in the logs for the water to spill through. We dug out steps in the hill to set the logs and dug a deep pit in the bottom and filled it with stones for drainage. The water source? Simple: we drilled a hole in the uppermost log and mounted a “Kid Faucet” in it. A garden hose can easily be attached to the end of the faucet anything the teachers want water play to happen. Children can toggle the faucet and let out a trickle of water for fun!
Nature Play Design Masterclass
Dive into the essentials of creating natural play spaces to inspire your children's imaginations and wonder. This course will guide you through the process of designing, drawing, and planning the natural play environment of your dreams!
