Playful Plants
This is an ongoing project to develop a database of plants that can enhance play and learning experiences but also stand up to the rigors of play activity
2022-2026
Project Overview
This project developed due to a lack of research-informed guides on the selection of natural and plant material for playspaces, parks and public gardens that are safe and engaging for children, can provide sensory stimulation and also stand up to hands-on interaction from children. Over the last 3 years we have been developing a comprehensive database of plants which support playful and sensory engagement among children. The database is designed to help park and playspace designers, as well as play and learning space providers, select plants from their region that are suitable for a project's needs.
We continue to build and refine the database, and hope to add playful plants suitable for other North American climatic regions.
Where and with whom?
Working with Master Gardeners from New York State we built a comprehensive playful plant database. We also worked with the Cutler Botanic Garden in Broome County, NY to identify playful plants in their garden and then carried out a small intervention study to raise awareness and facilitate engagement with the plants through a series of playful interventions.
Expected Outcomes
We hope to be moving the database online soon.
Preliminary findings from the intervention study demonstrate that the interventions increased both the length of engagement and level of interest in playful plants among children visiting the botanic garden.