Natural Play Yard At Integrated Arts Academy

                                   My favorite element in the Integrated Arts Academy play yard!

Integrated Arts Academy playscape

From faded and blank to endless possibilities!  A play yard transformed into a play scape with a communities efforts!  "It takes a village."  Still to come is a wooden spool delivered by Sun Commons to be transformed into a repurposed slide structure.  Also a beautiful slab of hickory wood will replace the existing pallet shelf in the mud kitchen.  Inspired by the book Beautiful Stuff, "loose parts" will inspire play, spark curiosity and imagination!  

Risky Play

Inspired by the Playwork Course I just completed and newly a book recently published by Rusty Keeler  "Adventures In Risky Play; What Is Your Yes?" advocates for the human biological need for the body to take risk!  As an educator focused on play and confident in providing children the environment and time to partake in "Risky Play," I transform spaces using "loose parts" and inspiring risk opportunities.  Adventure play yards have become a model.     

Wild, free, risky are just a few values modeled and advocated when designs are disrupted.  Sharing my story, being a voice and paving the way to shift the mindset so many educators find themselves up against; abide by licensing OR provide and support children's play, learning and health? 

These photos are extreme for some!   "Risky" does not have to entail heights or speed.  However the adventures I find myself on with my two adventurous children, lead to the type of play I grew up doing.  As a mentor and parent, a need and desire to voice this necessity and human biology has become my story!