Nature Playscape at Leslie Science & Nature Center
The Nature Playscape at Leslie Science & Nature Center is an outdoor space designed for play made of natural components such as plants, logs, water, sand, mud, boulders, hills, and trees. These components represent the larger wild environment in a way that feels safe and manageable to young visitors. Construction of the Nature Playscape is a multi-year process that began in 2019.
Join us as TOGETHER we make something truly remarkable: relationships with nature that will last a lifetime!
If you have questions, please reach out to: natureplay@lesliesnc.org.
What’s Built, What’s Coming: Winter/Spring 2024
Construction of the Nature Playscape is a multi-year project. During the winter and spring of 2024 you’ll see construction of the Waterplay area and Eagle’s Nest, and the continuation of the Messy & Loose Parts area.
What to look forward to in future build phases:
IMAGINE what it is like to be a bird in the Treescape Climber.*
DISCOVER in the Outdoor Teaching Space*. We envision a space where we can safely deliver our STEM and environmental programs to the public, many of which engage the arts as a means of learning and exploring key concepts. Ensuring that the structure is simultaneously open-air and protected from the elements, our design includes partial walls, a roof, and possible shade sails. The classroom will be built environmentally, with a heated holding area for wildlife, perches for use during flight demos, and both moveable and stationary seating.
*will be built as funding allows
When fully realized, our Nature Playscape will:
Build community with a social outdoor learning space, where imaginative experiences will engage and inspire young minds to respect and understand their natural world
Create an outdoor space designed for play made of natural components such as plants, logs, water, sand, mud, boulders, hills and trees. These components represent the larger wild environment in a way that feels safe and manageable to young visitors.
Encourage scientific inquiry with a water feature, build area and climbing space where physics, engineering and states of matter can be explored in a hands-on way every day!
Honor a legacy: both yours, and the Leslie’s Dr. Eugene and Emily Leslie enjoyed welcoming neighborhood children on their property to play, explore, and enjoy the orchards. They deeded their property to the City of Ann Arbor upon their deaths in 1976 in order to preserve their land for children for all time. It continues to be our privilege to honor this gift through our programs, our care of the wildlife, the land, and the community around us.
How can you help?
Building in phases allows us to install areas as we receive funding. Gifts of financial support alllow us to plan for and implement the future stages more quickly.
Stay informed. Check our website regularly as there will be community build and community fundraising events taking place periodically over the summer.
Have questions? Want to know how you can help? Reach out to: natureplay@lesliesnc.org.
Give a gift TODAY to support the building of our LSNC Nature Playscape!
Special thanks to our corporate and community partners:
Song Family Fund at the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation
In addition, thanks to volunteer Chad Brintnall for his design and expertise in creating our Nature Playscape renderings.
More information on nature playscapes and why play in nature is important:
Fjortoft, Ingunn. (2001) “The natural environment as a playground for children: the impact of outdoor play activities in pre‐primary school children. Early Childhood Education Journal. Vol 29, No 2.
Baker, Linda (2006). “The politics of Play”. Metropolis Observed. November 2006
https://blog.pwap.com/the-importance-of-natural-play-spaces/
https://www.nwf.org/Home/Kids-and-Family/Connecting-Kids-and-Nature/Nature-Play-Spaces
https://www.firstfiveyears.org.au/early-learning/the-benefits-of-nature-play-for-children
https://naturalstart.org/feature-stories/parent%E2%80%99s-guide-nature-play