An eight-year-old dream finally came to fruition last April. Under the cooperation between GA and multiple groups that specialize in construction and design, the new Lower School (LS) playground has been completed and is now open for lower schoolers to enjoy.
Ideas for the playground started eight years ago, when the LS was considering new renovations due to the needs to improve drainage and address issues regarding water that had eroded the nearby environment. The old playground was outdated, and kids started requesting more adventurous features.
“We wanted to just make more intentional play spaces,” Ms. Sue Szczepkowski, Head of the Lower School, said. “Kids wanted more risky play. They wanted more [of] what we call ‘woo’ play, kind of adventure play. So we went from a more traditional playground to an adventure playground.”
The design process seriously began three years ago in collaboration with plans for a new Sapling Center for early childhood care. Construction of the 1st-5th grade playground concluded on April 13, and the Pre-K (Pre-Kindergarten) and Kindergarten playgrounds were opened on April 22.
The playground designs were created with student input through a Design Day in the fall of 2024. After teaching the LS students about the different kinds of play, the students made prototypes of features they would want, pictures of which were sent to the architect for brainstorming.
“I really enjoy the design process in general, because it’s a lot like doing a big puzzle and trying to fit how all of the pieces need to go together and all the complexities there,” Mr. Dan Houston, Director of Facilities, said. “I love seeing it all come together when it all starts to be put in and installed.”
The new playground, like the old one, consists of both a Pre-K and Kindergarten play area and a 1st-5th grade section. By collaborating with Studio LUDO and architect Megan Terosky, design plans were made for both age groups to address how children can play in a dynamic environment.
LUDO also helped find a manufacturing and construction company for the building process. A business called KOMPAN also added to the design, provided the equipment and installed the playground for the LS.
Some new features of the 1st-5th playground include ziplines, climbing structures, parkour courses, a cliff rider and more, while the Pre-K and Kindergarten play area includes a new, larger sandbox, plus swings and slides.
Construction plans also had to fit well with the addition of the new Sapling Center in the LS, as the Pre-K and Kindergarten playground is an extension of the Sapling Center. GA aimed to solve two different issues at once: building the new playground and an early childhood center.
“It is a transformative project for our lower school students,” Mr. Houston said, “because it gives them a well-researched and fun playground to use so that they can get outside and have the type of fun that they need so they can come back in and learn effectively.”
Through student and teacher input, the lower school was able to develop a unique playground with a wide variety of equipment so each child can enjoy their recess.
“What if we could [make a] play space so we could have a park feel, adventure playground, and instructional garden?” Ms. Szczepkowski said. “We really involved teachers and our students in that process, and we came up with this incredible combination.”
With the construction finished, GA lower schoolers are now able to experience a more diverse set of choices for play. Through this multifaceted collaboration between many different groups, students now have more intentional play areas where they can learn, grow, and enjoy themselves.