CLERMONT, Kentucky — According to a release, Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest opened the first phase of a new 10-acre natural playground. Dubbed the 'Playcosystem,' Bernheim hopes to provide children with an open-ended play opportunity.
“At Bernheim, we believe that every child should have the opportunity to engage in free, wild and adventurous play in nature,” Bernheim Executive Director Dr. Mark Wourms said. “With Playcosystem, we are taking another step toward making that a possibility through our play areas, our education and our collaborations.”
The new area is located across from the Visitor Center and will be constructed into three zones. The first, which opened Thursday, contains a nature playground with constructed areas which meet developmental needs for young children and exciting challenges for older children. Highlights include a network of 40-plus vertical poles, ropes and balance called the Pole Scramble.
Playcosystem is located across from the Visitor Center and is designed to have three zones. Zone 1 has just been completed and consists of the Nature Playground with constructed areas that will meet the developmental needs of young children and offer , such as the Pole Scramble, a network of 40-plus vertical poles, ropes and balance beams as part of a larger “hot lava” pathway that circumnavigates the entire Nature Playground.
The next two zones will be TreeCess, a park-like setting, where children will be able to engage in more adventurous play and Adventure Forest, a five-acre forest where children will have free range to unstructured exploration play in the woods. TreeCess and Adventure Forest will be completed at a later date.
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