• View ecochildsplay’s profile on Facebook
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Twitter
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Instagram
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Pinterest
  • View Jennifer Lance’s profile on LinkedIn
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on YouTube
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Google+

Eco Child's Play

Live a greener, healthier life!

  • Environment
  • Pregnancy
  • Food & Recipes
  • Health News
  • Parenting
  • Green Toys
  • Beauty & Beauty Products
  • Green Home & Cleaning
  • Contact

A Lesson in Patience: Natural Playgrounds Made From Trees

living tree playground concept by PlantwareKids growing up in the mountains where I live love to tie young trees’ trunks into knots. As you drive along the roads, you often see older trees with trunks twisted long ago by young hands.  Plantware has taken this concept even further in designing a living playground for children by manipulating roots and trunks.

Plantware has made benches, love seats, street lights, gates, etc. from living trees.  “Kinder Forest: A Living Playground” takes the idea even further:

KinderForest gives children real trees to play with, gives parents a natural alternative for their children and gives earth urban reforestation that is functional, enjoyable and green. Creating structures from living trees means that ~95% of the playground’s mass is taken from the air using local sunlight and rain. No gasoline-burning chainsaws, trucks, ships or waste. Such structures can live for 700 years and are self repairing, earthquake safe, oxygen producing and provide a habitat for wildlife coinciding with their purpose for humans.

I don’t know how long it would take for such a playground to be developed, but as a parent, I would love to take my children to a living playground.  Imagine the dramatic play that would develop as children explore the shaped trees.  Perhaps I will experiment in my own yard in hopes my grandchildren will have a living playground, but isn’t nature already a living playground for young naturalists?

Image:  Plantware

Via: EcoGeek

  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Pinterest
  • Print
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • More
  • WhatsApp
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Subscribe!

« Better Shoes for Little Feet: Simple Shoes
Cute, Hip, Recycled Clothing: RE-DEWIN »

Comments

  1. Muloko says

    September 29, 2008 at 9:32 am

    I love this idea, but what’s with the fake photo? This is valuless. Gutter!

    Reply
  2. Jennifer Lance says

    September 29, 2008 at 9:43 am

    The fake photo is because it has not been completed yet. It takes a long time for trees to grow:)

    Reply
  3. Amy Jussel says

    September 29, 2008 at 12:15 pm

    Cool idea, it’ll depend on the execution for how they pull it off, since it really could be ‘jumpstarted’ as a prototype, (e.g. designing around existing groves, etc.)

    I love the concept tho as it reminds me of ‘playing house’ inside of hollowed out redwoods and such, and kids’ learning experientially, much the way our new Ca. Academy of Sciences has the ‘living roof’ of butterflies and growth. (can’t WAIT to see it person; just opened this weekend, but the crowds aren’t my thang) I absolutely WILL post about it on ECP soon though: http://www.calacademy.org

    Reply
  4. johnnypanda says

    September 29, 2008 at 4:50 pm

    This looks like something that Tolkein’s elves would do 🙂

    Reply
  5. monica says

    September 29, 2008 at 6:23 pm

    I love this idea! Very eco chic!

    Reply
  6. silversnail72 says

    September 29, 2008 at 6:34 pm

    more to learn …

    Reply
  7. Tyson says

    September 29, 2008 at 6:52 pm

    Nice idea but where I live the kids would just wreck it.

    Reply
  8. Digital Publisher says

    September 30, 2008 at 8:23 am

    Wow! Just came across this article, and I must say, I wish they had stuff like that when I was a kid!

    Living playgrounds would be so, so much better than big plastic junky ones that you see everywhere. Those are sooo 1989.

    Thanks for the info!

    Reply
  9. Anita Van Asperdt says

    November 7, 2008 at 4:03 pm

    This concept would fit perfectly into a natural playground. Check out http://www.naturalplaygrounds.info

    Reply
  10. Danny Bears says

    September 2, 2009 at 12:45 pm

    I love this concept. We actually build playscapes from all natural northern white cedar “logs / trees” to compliment natural playspaces. http://www.bearsplaygrounds.com

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. YoYoVip » Plantware: Living trees with a functionGreen Daily says:
    October 23, 2008 at 3:02 pm

    […] [Via Eco-Child’s Play] […]

    Reply
  2. zwembroek says:
    April 19, 2012 at 4:30 pm

    Tumblr article…

    I saw a writer writing about this on Tumblr and it linked to…

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Search Content

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter


About Eco Child’s Play

Our ethos is to provide news, information, and opinions on natural, green parenting to help your family live a greener, healthier life! Additionally, we offer personal consulting services to help you achieve your green living goals.

Jennifer is a vegetarian, yoga teacher, gardener, hiker, teacher, and mother that has been living off-the-grid for over 20 years.

Contact Eco Child’s Play

Eco-Friendly Decorating: How Removable Wallpaper Can Reduce Waste

Plants Over Plastics! Repurpose Compostable Home Products

More from the archives!

Protect Baby Skin with Mild by Nature

7 Natural Weight Loss Supplements: Do they work?

Teaching My Daughter to Spin Wool with a Drop Spindle

US Babies sick with congenital hypothyroidism from Fukushima radiation

25 Last Minute Green Gifts Mom Will Absolutely Love

Convenient Plastic Container Free Dropps Laundry & Dishwashing Pods

cbd salve joy organics

CBD Products that Actually Deliver: Joy Organics

Information

  • About & Contact
  • Archive
  • Blog
  • Consulting Services
  • Disclaimer, Disclosure, & Sponsored Posts
  • Privacy Policy

Inspired Children's Lunches: Vegan Lunch Box

Hank D and the Bee: Political Signs

ADHD Drugs Can Cause Sudden Death in Kids

My Small Town Could Become The Solar Energy Capitol

Super Cool Wooden Cars by Automoblox

Popular Categories

  • Breastfeeding
  • Health News
  • Natural Childbirth
  • Parenting
  • Education
  • Product Review
  • Green Toys

Get our posts via email

Please stay in touch!

You might also like to read…

Finding SAFER Products for Our Children

Natural Insect Repellent Skin Patch: Don't Bite Me!

The yoga body myth: Yoga is for all bodies

The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood Asks the NAEYC to Revise Position on Technology

Children’s Literature: My Name is not Alexander

Copyright © 2023 · Divine theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2023 · Divine Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.