What is the Nature Play Earth Path?

The Nature Play Earth Path is a vision for how to keep kids healthy, connected to nature, and learning all at the same time. It is a ¼ mile trail that runs along the outer edge of the main playground at Franciscan Montessori Earth School in SE Portland.  Located at various points along the trail are activity stations which emphasize natural play, which can mean either play with natural objects, such as logs, rocks, sand, water, etc. or play that is unscripted, creative, and open-ended.  In the case of this trail, many stations encourage both!

The trail itself represents the entire timeline of the earth’s 4.6 billion-year history, and the stations, which are proportionally located along the path, mark significant points in the evolution of the planet. With each step on the Nature Play Earth Path students, parents, staff, and neighbors are able to exercise, play, and engage their bodies and minds with the vast and fascinating history of the earth.

A partnership between Franciscan Montessori Earth School and Learning Landscape Design has brought about a truly engaging design. We facilitated a staff workshop, a master plan and construction drawings.