Melbourne playgrounds go back-to-nature
MELBOURNE playgrounds are going back-to-nature as growing evidence shows splashing in streams and making sandcastles makes kids healthier and smarter.
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MELBOURNE’S playgrounds are undergoing a back-to-nature revolution as growing evidence shows splashing in streams, climbing boulders and making sandcastles makes kids healthier and smarter.
New playgrounds popping up across Melbourne increasingly feature water jets, creeks, sandpits, ropes courses, boulders, stepping stones and logs as research reveals the benefits of nature-based play.
It comes as a Herald Sun survey finds 88 per cent of parents rate Melbourne playgrounds as good or fantastic — but 80 per cent want more to be fenced to keep kids safe, particularly from cars and dogs.
Parents also want more clean toilets at playgrounds, more shade, better maintenance, more water play areas, more seating, better car parking, and more challenging equipment for older kids.
The Herald Sun today reveals Melbourne’s top 25 playgrounds, after visiting and reviewing more than 200 of the best.
Our top five are St Kilda Adventure Playground, Bicentennial Park in Chelsea, Buckingham Reserve in Sunshine West, Ruffey Lake Park in Doncaster and the new Royal Park Nature Play, featuring water play, sandpits and ropes challenges.
MELBOURNE’S TOP 25 PLAYGROUNDS
Find the closest playground to you below:
Studies show nature play stimulates children’s immune systems, relieves stress, boosts self-esteem, and improves creativity and cognitive function.
Play Australia, the peak body for playgrounds, says there has been a move away from fixed equipment to manipulable materials, which stimulate children’s imagination and problem-solving skills.
“Research shows us that children are very much happier if they are in environments where they can have some control over their play,” says Play Australia executive director Barbara Champion.
“Water and sand are the best play tools by a country mile.
“Our organisation for many years has been arguing that kids need to be able to play in environments in which they can manipulate the materials such as sand, water and even rope. Clearly that has happened.”
Port Phillip mayor Bernadene Voss said St Kilda Adventure Playground — our no. 1 playground — was a bit of a hidden gem.
“I like it because it’s not plastic fantastic. It’s rough and rustic and that has a lot of charm for a lot of people and especially kids,” she said.
“It’s natural, it’s organic and it lets kids be kids and they can use their own imagination to play.”
The survey of 51 parents found 57 per cent rate Melbourne’s playgrounds as “good”, 31 per cent consider them “fantastic” and 12 per cent class them only as “OK”.
Parents overwhelmingly want more playgrounds to be securely fenced to prevent toddlers running off, particularly near traffic and water, and to keep dogs out.
“Children are sneaky and quick — you only need to look away for two minutes and they disappear,” one mum wrote.
Another respondent said: “Playgrounds are a minefield of dangers for small children without having to worry that they are going to be killed by a car! Where I live most playgrounds are on main roads”.
One-third of survey respondents have had problems with dogs in playgrounds, including off-leash dogs scaring, chasing or rushing at little kids, yapping at their heels or leaving droppings.
“My children have a great fear of dogs and it completely ruins their playtime if they are constantly on the lookout for the dogs, regardless of whether or not they’re on a leash,” one said.
Another wrote: “Dog owners think everyone loves their dogs — they don’t!”
The survey showed 61 per cent believe Melbourne needs more playgrounds overall.
MELBOURNE’S TOP 25 PLAYGROUNDS
Find the closest playground to you below:
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