Project-Build-A-Fort was the name of the Child Development Centre's building expansion that was completed in 2011. The legacy of Project-Build-A-Fort continues as we are always looking at new opportunities for growth.
Our next project is the construction of our Nature Inspired Playground. Children have access to traditional play equipment all over the city at schools and parks. We would like to provide options for children that allow children to absorb the benefits of nature based play. Some of these include:
- Children with symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are better able to concentrate after contact with nature (Faber Taylor et al. 2001).
- Children who play regularly in natural environments show more advanced motor fitness, including coordination, balance and agility. (Fjortoft 2001, Grahn et al. 1997).
- Play in natural environments is more diverse with imaginative and creative play fostering language, social interaction, and collaborative skills (Faber Taylor et al. 1998, Fjortoft 2000, Moore & Wong 1997).
- Natural play improves children’s cognitive development by improving their awareness, reasoning and observational skills (Pyle 2002).
- Nature buffers the impact of life stress on children and helps them deal with adversity. (Wells 2003).
- Nature helps children develop powers of observation and creativity and instills a sense of peace and being at one with the world (Crain 2001).
- Early experiences with the natural world have been positively linked with the development of imagination and the sense of wonder, an important motivator for life-long learning (Cobb 1977, Louv 1991) (Wilson 1997).
- Outdoor environments are important to children’s development of independence and autonomy (Bartlett 1996).
This project fits with our overall mission of “building the best foundation for our
children’s future.”
Objectives
- The playground will be designed by a qualified landscape architect with appropriate safety standards.
- The playground will be accessible for children and youth with mobility challenges such as walkers and wheelchairs.
- The playground will feature nature inspired elements such as composting, trees, gardens, open running space. All equipment will be nature inspired.
- The playground will be able to accommodate children of all ages including young children and youth.
- There are approximately 1200 individual children who access the centre annually who will have access to the playground.
Just remember... “Build-A-Fort” represents a child’s imagination, their love of constructing, and their joy of discovery, planning, working together with friends, personal achievement and success. It signifies the experience children currently have and will continue to have here at the CDC.
