What is Nature Play?
The way children play has changed over the years and many today spend less time outdoors each
day than any other generation in history. The Nature Play philosophy encourages less “screen time”
and more “green time” by showing children that playing outdoors is fun, and giving their parents and
carers, schools and guardians, great ideas and inspiration for fun things to do outside.
Why is it different to visiting a traditional playground or park?
In Canberra there are plenty of open spaces designed for a range of purposes, including play.
Playgrounds are designed for children of specific ages as safe places to play on fixed play equipment
and mostly to expand and improve their physical capabilities. Playing without fixed equipment can
be challenging if you don’t know what to do, or where to start.
Nature Play is about enabling exploration without obvious boundaries, it can be as unstructured as
walking across a log or climbing a tree. It is also about imagination, like making mud pies and tee
pees with materials around you in nature.
Where can I find out about Nature Play in the ACT?
The ACT Government are committed to encouraging healthy play habits and ensuring the next
generation enjoy all the benefits that playing in nature offers. Nature Play CBR is an ACT
Government initiative established to increase the time children spend in unstructured play outdoors
and in nature.
Canberra has an abundance of beautiful parks, trails, swimming spots and camping grounds for
families to enjoy, and by encouraging kids to use their imaginations to explore the great outdoors
they are making a great start on a full and healthy childhood.
Nature Play CBR will give parents new ideas for things to do outside, as well as connecting them with
existing groups, other families and new opportunities, so they can make a regular date with nature.
The Nature Play website contains information about events, resources and programs that will
encourage kids to spend more time in nature http://www.natureplaycbr.org.au/ .
What is this competition going to achieve?
The Nature Play – Craft My Park competition is a collaboration of the ACT Government with the
Australian Institute of Landscape Architects, to incorporate Nature Play spaces to three existing
parks. www.aila.org.au/craftyourpark
Three firms will be selected from an Expression of Interest (EOI) then each firm will be contracted to
deliver the project, working with the community to design and construct it. The community can vote
for their favourite one, with results announced at the simultaneous three Party-in-the-Park opening
of the new facilities in June 2017.
What is the competition being judged on?
Prequalified Landscape Architectural practises are invited to submit an EOI that addresses 5 key
items in their submission:
1. nature play – statement of understanding of the philosophy and the local design approach
2. Community engagement - approach for this project with indication of how to generate
“ownership” for ongoing involvement by the community in care of the park. Key focus on
how to engage children in the consultation process.
3. Student engagement – approach to involvement of UC landscape student(s) in execution
phases of the project
4. project team - personnel and expertise to work on the project including nomination of
contractors to undertake construction of the upgrade works. EOI responses should include
how will all parties be involved throughout the whole process – eg students, contractor etc,
and what ‘value add’ can these bring to the team. Team may also include artists who work
with children.
5. budget commitment – outline of key milestones and methods to manage the design and
construction budget of a maximum of $100,000 per site. This may include how donated or
in-kind contributions of materials may “value add” to the construction budget.
How can members of the community get involved in the competition?
If you are interested in being part of the community consultation process that will take place with
the ‘winning’ landscape architectural practices for each of the parks, please make contact with the
Australian Institute of Landscape Architects via [email protected]. Best to do so by mid-November
2016.