NAHANT — Johnson Elementary School students will learn how to make the world their playground this spring.
Volunteers are using the natural elements behind the school to create a forest playground using dirt, wood, rocks, and the landscape to foster imaginative learning and playing.
Using the natural landscape, a slide and a cave will be built into a hill, and logs will be half-buried to create barriers, seating, and even tables.
“We don’t take away sharp pencils because they can poke somebody, we say don’t poke somebody,” said Principal Kevin Andrews. “This allows kids to use sticks, play with rocks, move logs around. We’re burying some logs halfway in a circle and they can be used for teatime or stage acting. It opens a lot of opportunities.”
Encouraging the children to create their own play space out of nature promotes social and emotional growth, said Andrews. He envisions young children discovering and taking interest in unique rocks, and making gnome hats out of acorn tops, and putting them on display on a wooden stump to show their peers.
“The students can really make their own playground out of it,” he said.
The work is being done by volunteers and students at Essex Agricultural and Technical High School in Danvers.
Most of the work will be done at little to no cost. Andrews anticipates the complete playground will be finished for less than $3,000. A typical playground with equipment costs between $40,000 and $50,000, he said.
Residents who want to help create the playground can contact Andrews at the Johnson Elementary School.
