Schenectady Jewish Community Center Natural Outdoor Play Space

Schenectady, New York

The Natural Outdoor Play Space & Classroom at the Schenectady Jewish Community Center was designed to provide a unique place to play and learn outdoors. Utilizing natural and recycled materials, the new play space offers opportunities for learning about physics, ecology, sustainability, and healthy living. Activities are also designed for learning about and celebrating the Jewish faith. Designed during a 1-Day charrette, the play space is divided into multiple rooms to accommodate several groups of children at once. Activity centers include a lunch and learning pavilion, raised bed gardens, an area for water play, a labyrinth, gathering areas, seasonal gardens, balancing activities, a tyke track, willow arches, open lawn areas, an area for sand play, a bird garden, a storage shed, and nature walks. The first phase of the project was coordinated by Planning4Places and completed in the Fall of 2014 as a volunteer service project. Ms. Wallinger assisted in facilitation and implementation.