Discover a unique play area designed for both recreation and education, where children can explore the wonders of the natural world, and seamlessly blends into its environment. This custom-designed playground perfectly combines adventure with nature, making it an ideal destination for enjoying outdoor learning through play. Everyone can have fun in a beautiful natural setting!
Site: Oxford Island Play Park, Lough Neagh Discovery Centre, Oxford, Northern Ireland
Client: Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council
Age Range: 1 to 12 years old
Year: 2020
A natural wonderland for all ages and diverse abilities
Oxford Island Play Park, situated within the Oxford Island National Nature Reserve in Northern Ireland, is a family-friendly destination along the shores of Lough Neagh, the largest freshwater lake in the UK and Ireland. This protected natural reserve serves as an educational site, where local students visit with their teachers to learn about the local flora and fauna.
The design proposal by Proludic and its Irish partners Garden Escapes draws inspiration from the local environment – Lough Neagh, forests, animals, and birds – capturing these elements into the playground’s design while emphasizing fun and learning experiences. The incorporation of educational features and sustainable materials played a crucial role in convincing the decision-making committee to approve the project. Built with sustainability in mind, this unique play space provides inclusive features, artistic elements and offers stunning views, creating a perfect harmony between nature and play.
The playground features Proludic’s Origin’ natural play equipment, designed to inspire imaginative play whilst maintaining the serene vibe of nature. From rustic wooden structures to nature play areas, this playground is a prime example of sustainable fun! Whether it’s climbing to the treetops, exploring a mini forest of adventure, or engaging with optical illusions, each play element sparks joy and creativity.
Climbing, balancing and dynamic play
Climb, jump, and bounce in the world of climbing animals like squirrels and mice. This dynamic play area offers invigorating activities, centered around a soaring tower that overlooks the playground at 6.2 metres high. A thrilling eel-like tube slide at a height of 4.5 metres awaits children for a fun ride down!
The high Observatory Tower (J49417-P®) hides nature-inspired play features, including bespoke graphic tree leaves, heron birds, and tree-themed educational elements. To reach the top, little adventurers must navigate the balancing rope forest, scale the nets, or crawl through a suspended mesh tunnel that is connected to a lower Nest Tower (J49402®). This fun aerial adventure will test children’s balance, agility, strength, and courage as they overcome each obstacle along the way.
A Lily Pad springer platform (J49105®), Inclusive Trampolines (R34-ETP-010) integrated into the mounds, and swings with a variety of seats like the Pod Swing J491 ensure all children can play and enjoy nature together. They can also run, climb, roll in the grass, and hide behind the trees – nature is a wonderful play space!
Play at ground level
Welcome to the world of crawling animals and insects! Here, the play equipment is easily accessible, either from ground level or by the wide accessible ramp. This ensures that children with physical disability can reach the wide and elevated platform (0.97m), where they can freely interact and play alongside others.
The area features a maze of tunnels and narrow passages below and around the platform, inviting kids to wriggle through and uncover hidden play elements. On the platform, they’ll enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the entire play area, with play activities including slides, climbing nets, walls, and a nesting net. From here, adventurous climbers can access the Nest Tower by ascending the chimney net to the mesh tunnel and then, climb even further.
At ground level, you can discover interactive play panels featuring optical illusions (Anamorphosis) that stimulate curiosity, an audio panel where you can listen to local bird sounds, or simply relax in the Teepee for a peaceful break.
Play for observing and contemplating nature
You can slide, perch, and play with the wind in the world of flying animals like herons, swallows, and ducks. These play areas, whether at ground level or elevated, are perfect for observing and contemplating nature.
Perched on a mound overlooking the pond and lough, an observation post offers a 270° panoramic view, perfect for studying nature. To reach it, children can cross a suspended wooden bridge from the elevated platform, climb the mound using stumps, or climb through a series of high platforms.
Natural mounds equipped with climbing and sliding activities are designed to play with the existing contours of the land. Run up and down, climb, slide, and pull yourself up – it’s a real agility course!
Play spaces designed for quieter, reflective moments include a pathway through the rushes and balancing stumps, a Hammock (J4914) for peaceful rest, optical play elements to admire and hanging mobiles blowing in the wind.
The playground provides a wealth of activities to learn about the natural environment of the Reserve through play, keeping everyone entertained and connected to nature. Which bird songs do you recognise? Are you brave enough to take a ride down the giant ‘eel’ slide? What hidden play features can you find under the platform? How many hidden animals can you spot? Try and match the leaves on the Tower to the trees surrounding the park… There’s so much fun to be had at Oxford Island Play Park!
