Nature Play: Integrating Landscape Architecture to Enhance Development in Children

• Faith Moen, , University of Delaware

• Anna Wik, Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Delaware

This summer, I worked on two impactful projects: the New Castle Battery Park Playground and Head Start in Wilmington. Both projects focused on enhancing children’s developmental benefits through thoughtful design and addressing specific challenges. At Head Start, aggressive tree root systems created hazardous mounds in the playground’s poured-in-place area. Our challenge was to create immediate and long-term safety solutions while integrating nature play elements to foster holistic child development in an urban setting. Concurrently, at New Castle Battery Park Playground, we addressed drainage issues and lack of shade. By adding seating, rain gardens, and trees, we created a comfortable, inviting environment that promotes active play and exploration, crucial for children’s physical, cognitive, and social development.

Working with Ciara Mccarron, we collaborated with the New Castle Playground Committee, including Suzanne Swift, and received mentorship from Professor Anna Wik and feedback from experts at Foresite Associates. Our approach began with extensive research on native tree species and effective drainage solutions for the New Castle area. We also explored the site’s historical context for design inspiration. Utilizing tools like Google Earth Pro, AutoCAD, and Photoshop, we developed precise visuals and refined concept plans through committee feedback.

For the Head Start project, we conducted site observations, measurements, and engaged in meetings and workshops to address safety and educational needs. Visits to urban playgrounds, schools, and community gardens in Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore inspired our designs. At Battery Park, strategic placement of trees and vegetation improved drainage and shade, enhancing the play environment and promoting environmental stewardship. At Head Start, we proposed solutions for aggressive tree roots, such as a 1′ elevated deck, and integrated nature-inspired design for safer, engaging outdoor spaces.

These projects exemplify how thoughtful design, ecological consciousness, and research on children’s play behaviors can enhance community spaces, promoting healthy child development and environmental stewardship.