WHAT WE DO
Designing Play & Learning Spaces Beyond the Playground Catalog
We design outdoor environments that move beyond conventional equipment to support open-ended play, inclusion, and connection to place—at both intimate and community scales.
Our core areas of work include:
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Nature Playscapes & Natural Playgrounds
Nature-rich play environments using landform, water, planting, loose parts, and natural materials to invite curiosity, creativity, and meaningful risk. -
Early Childhood Outdoor Learning Environments
Purpose-designed outdoor spaces for preschools, childcare, and schools that extend learning beyond the classroom and support daily use. -
Inclusive & Sensory Play Spaces
Thoughtfully designed environments that welcome children and caregivers of all abilities, ages, and sensory needs. -
Parks & Public Space Playgrounds
Nature-based playgrounds and play-forward landscapes for parks, housing developments, campuses, and civic spaces that serve whole communities.
Natural Playground Design: Projects & Client Stories
Harmony Inclusive Playground
Anchorage, Alaska | Early Childhood & Community Play
Alaska’s climate, limited space, and a heavy focus on inclusion called for a thoughtful approach on this project. We designed a custom, accessible playground at Gan Yeladim Early Learning Center, combining forest-inspired play with water, sand, music, loose parts, and movement. Open to local children and families and the preschool, the space supports Alaska Friendship Circle’s mission of connecting children of all abilities.
“They consistently met deadlines, kept the project moving forward, and communicated clearly throughout the process.”
— Esty Greenberg, Alaska Friendship Circle
Sun Valley Community School Natural Playground
Sun Valley, Idaho | School Play & Outdoor Learning
The school’s playground needed to reflect its commitment to outdoor learning. We guided students through design sessions where they surveyed peers, explored their site, and developed ideas that shaped the finished playscape. Natural wood and boulder challenges, fort-building spaces, and quiet reading nooks support adventurous and imaginative play for children ages 2–11.
“The process itself became a meaningful educational experience.”
— Janet M. Salvoni, Lower School Head, Sun Valley Community School
Oxbow Adventure at Oxbow Regional Park
Gresham, Oregon | Public Parks & Nature Exploration
Oxbow’s rich natural history inspired a play experience that connects children with the wider park. Working closely with Metro staff, we developed nature-themed base camps where children choose their own adventures. Sand and water play, animal hide-and-seek, and investigations along the Sandy River invite families to explore the park’s wildlife, landscape, and changing seasons.
WHY NATURE-BASED PLAY
Play Is Essential Infrastructure
Nature-based play environments support:
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Physical development and coordination
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Social connection and collaboration
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Emotional regulation and resilience
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Creative thinking and problem solving
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Lifelong relationships with the natural world
In parks and public spaces, these environments become community anchors—places where families gather, neighbors connect, and inclusive play is visible and valued.
Our natural playground design work are grounded in research, observation, and years of built experience across diverse climates, communities, and regulatory frameworks.
OUR APPROACH
Thoughtful, Collaborative, and Buildable
Great play spaces are not one-size-fits-all. They emerge from listening, iteration, and care.
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We Listen First
Every project begins with understanding the users, community, site, and goals. -
We Design with Intention
Each element supports developmental, social, and experiential outcomes—not just aesthetics. -
We Design for Reality
Accessibility, safety, maintenance, budgets, climate, and permitting are integrated from the start. -
We Deliver Buildable Solutions
Clear documentation and constructible details allow local contractors and agencies to implement the work with confidence.
WORKING NATIONWIDE
Local Sensitivity, National Reach
Learning Landscapes Design works with:
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Public agencies and park districts
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Early childhood providers
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Private Schools, PTA’s, and school systems
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Nonprofits and community organizations
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Developers and housing partners
Our projects span urban parks, rural communities, schoolyards, childcare campuses, and public gathering spaces across the United States—each responding to its unique environmental, cultural, and regulatory context.
While our studios are based in Oregon and Wisconsin, our work is national in scope.
TRUSTED EXPERTISE
You’ll work with a team that brings:
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Licensed landscape architects
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Certified Playground Safety Inspectors
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Deep experience in early childhood and public-realm play
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A collaborative, research-informed design process
We regularly support projects navigating ASTM safety guidelines, ADA requirements, licensing standards, permitting, public bidding processes, and long-term maintenance considerations—helping clients move from vision to reality.
Let’s Create Places for Play, Learning, and Community
Whether you’re planning:
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A natural playground design for a park
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A new early childhood campus
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A community play space or public plaza
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Or a reimagined outdoor learning environment
We’d love to hear about your project and explore how we can help.
