Mill Creek Activity Center Natureplay
Johnson County Park & Recreation District
One big change that happened in the past year to our outdoor classroom was the restructuring of our sandbox. The sand area was originally built with tall walls around it and a hill the lead up to the top. So, the sand area was kind of inset into a hill. Over the past 11 years of operation, the hill surrounding the sand pit was starting to erode, creating uneven surfaces, and trip/fall hazards. The area was roped off for many months as a safety precaution. This spring, grading work was done on the hill, and the top half of the wall was removed, lowering the incline of the hill and the height of the surrounding wall. The now flatter hill had to be sodded and watered, so the area continued to be roped off for another month or more. The children were so ecstatic when the area finally opened back up! They had missed running through that area and having access to the sand (the sand was only blocked during the sod process, not for the entire duration of the erosion, but it was still an eternity for them). Staff are also thrilled with the change, as it has opened our line of sight for better supervision and taken away a potential fall from the top of the wall into the sand. It’s also created a seating edge around the sandbox for children and teachers who want to play, but not sit, in the sand. Parents loved the improvement as well! It was a win all the way around for Natureplay!
