A Brand New Nature Playground In Kentucky Is THE Kid-Friendly Place To Be This Summer
By Sarah McCosham|Published June 14, 2021
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Sarah McCosham
Author
I write like it's my job - because it is! I have a Master's in English and love words: crossword puzzles, Scrabble games, Wordle, and, of course, good, old-fashioned books.
I'm a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState, and a contributing writer at Cincinnati Magazine. I love the Great Outdoors and am endlessly awestruck by this beautiful country of ours. Coffee keeps me going, yoga keeps me sane, my kids keep me grounded, and my writing keeps me inspired.
Kentucky’s Bernheim Arboretum is one of those places that will completely sweep you off your feet. Not only is it incredibly beautiful, but it’s wondrous, too, with winsome woodland giants found all over its gorgeous, 16,137-acre grounds. Recently, the park added a new children’s playground to the mix, and it’s just as dreamy and whimsical as you’d expect. Bernheim’s Playcosystem, a new 10-acre natural playground, is now open, and it’s truly *the* kid-friendly place to be in Kentucky this summer!
Bernheim Arboretum has long been a place of fun and fantasy, where nature and the imagination meet.
The Playcosystem will eventually be comprised of three different zones; Zone 1, which is open, can best be described as an epic "unplayground" for kids of all ages!
This isn't a traditional playground; rather, it's a "choose your own adventure" where kids can play, manipulate, and engage with natural materials and structures in their own way.
The possibilities are endless; the only limit is your imagination! Older kids will delight in the Pole Scramble, a network of 40 vertical poles, ropes, and balance beams that comprises a “hot lava” pathway that circumnavigates the entire playground!
Not only is Bernheim's Playcosystem a place for kids of all ages to engage in free, nature-based play, but it's also a research center of sorts, that test pilots new play area designs.
The Playcosystem isn't complete, either. California artist Jayson Fann has been commissioned to create a massive new installation for Zone 2 of the playscape.
Located near the Pines Picnic Area, the "Spirit Nest" will serve not only as an interactive play experience, but also as a hub for activities and community events. Pictured is an example of Jason's work at the Basalt Public Library outside of Aspen, Colorado. The Bernheim nest will be made from harvested eucalyptus in California as well as hardwoods from Bernheim and locally sourced driftwood from the Salt River and the Falls of the Ohio!
There's something so incredibly powerful about connecting with the natural world. Bernheim's Playcosystem is a place that's designed to inspire free play and foster life-long connections with nature.
Because for kids, Mother Nature really is the best classroom.
Looking ahead, the next two zones will be the TreeCess, a park-like setting wherein children will be able to engage in more adventurous play; and the Adventure Forest, a five-acre forest where children will have free range to unstructured exploration play in the woods. Stay up-to-date on these fun new developments at the Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest Facebook page.
If you want to learn more about this fairytale fantasyland, you can check out our previous article here.
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