A Church and a Children’s Nature Playscape

The Children’s Nature Playscape is a nonprofit organization of the Kalamazoo First Congregational Church (FCC) that stewards a natural play area focused on outdoor learning for young children. It was created to accompany the many ways that the FCC works to support the community through its commitment to social and environmental justice. After acquiring an additional property adjacent to the existing church building, the Children’s Nature Playscape was developed to address the lack of child appropriate green space in the heart of the urban city center.

More than just a park, the Children’s Nature Playscape (CNP) is a natural play area that encourages explorative learning experiences with a focus on improving the holistic development and joy for the children and families that enter its gates. In addition, the CNP provides thematic programming to increase the effectiveness of the learning experiences and memory making capabilities of a trip to the urban oasis. To ensure a quality and safe experience, the CNP maintains trained staff to supervise and provide guidance during open hours and programming.

While at the Playscape, children can play and explore the natural landscape and carefully curated spaces. These spaces include a sand pit with digging toys, a climbing area made from large logs and varying sizes of tree stumps, and a zero depth stream that runs through the center of the space. This popular attraction cycles and pumps water to simulate a real stream and is complete with mini waterfalls and movable rocks for optimal creativity and exploration.

Not only does the CNP encourage the growth of its patrons, the plant-life is given the same level of consideration. The CNP proudly boasts an all native habitat with plants that are carefully chosen to originate from the county in which it is located. These native Kalamazoo plants are sourced from specialized nurseries and tended under the care of an experienced botanist.

With each addition, the Playscape seeks to restore the land in a way that intentionally honors the Nash-E-Be-Nash-E-Wish band of the Potawatomi People, the Native People that first inhabited the area.

The CNP is committed to restoration as one of its core values. The goal of the CNP is to create a peaceful and fun environment that allows children and families to turn off the screens and get outside. The fully enclosed natural habitat centrally located in downtown Kalamazoo provides a safe, accessible way for patrons to feel more grounded to nature in our growing technological world.

Through careful planning and implementation, the Children’s Nature Playscape has become a beloved family destination in the Kalamazoo Community. Each year the Playscape hosts thousands of happy and returning visitors and has been called a gift by families in attendance. The smiling faces and repeated visits proves that through a commitment to natural learning and environmental justice, The First Congregational Church has created beneficial and cherished experiences for the residents of Kalamazoo and beyond.

Nicole Waller is the Executive Director of the Children’s Nature Playscape in Kalamazoo, Michigan.