Grants for a Natural Preschool Playground
Most school playgrounds are barren compared to what the natural world has to offer. However, natural playgrounds, ones that have dirt, trees, bushes, rocks, gardens, hills and other uneven surfaces have shown to benefit children. In "Last Child in the Woods," author Richard Louv reports on studies comparing children who played in today's traditional playgrounds to children playing in natural playgrounds. He states that "children in the "green" day care...had better motor coordination and more ability to concentrate." Grants can help a preschool upgrade to a natural playground.
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Grant Opportunities
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Unfortunately, the grant opportunities specifically for natural playground design and construction are few. The lack of interest from parents and communities and fear of law suits -- a child may get hurt while climbing a rock or a tree -- has led to parents and communities wanting playgrounds that are perceived as safer for the child. To find grant opportunities to support your project, you will be much more successful if you look beyond grants specifically for natural playgrounds.
Other Grants
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Consider all that your natural landscape project will entail and you can find many more grants suited to your project. Since many natural playgrounds include gardens, and conserve or restore native habitat, you can look for gardening and conservation grants. LandCurrent Landscape Architects reports that grants supporting gardens or conservation may be available to those building a natural preschool playground, if such projects are included in the natural playground design.
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Examples of Grants
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The Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education Grant Program provides grants to schools and other nonprofit youth-based community organizations for projects that "focus on enhancement and development of an appreciation for nature using native plants." This can include developing habitat for wildlife or building an outdoor classroom. The U.S. Department of Education has several grant programs aimed at early childhood education. If you serve low-income or disabled students, your project may qualify for one of these grants. Kids Gardening, formed by the National Gardening Association, offers several grants yearly for the development of youth gardens.
Where to Find Grants
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Several websites list grants that may be appropriate for a natural playground project. The playground construction company LandCurrent Landscape Architects list several grants available specifically for building playgrounds. SchoolGrants.org maintains grants available to schools from preschool to 12th grade for a variety of projects, including playgrounds and outdoor education. Also, check the children's section of GrantWatch.com, which regularly lists new grants for youth.
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References
- LandCurrent Landscape Architects: Grants for Natural Play, Discovery and Learning Landscapes
- "Last Child in the Woods"; Richard Louv; 2008
- Arbor Day Foundation Nature Explore: What is the Nature Explore Program?
- Wild Ones: The Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education Grant Program
- Kids Gardening: Grants and Fundraising
