NATURE PLAY: Groups work together to reconnect children 
with nature play… ahead on Passport to Texas. 

This is Passport to Texas

While all play benefits children, experts agree that nature 
play is best. Yet, we’ve seen kids disconnect from it.

10—And that disconnect has resulted in a myriad of different 
health issues, wellness issues – and then even [affects] 
becoming the next stewards to take care of our natural spaces 
and wild things.
 
Jennifer Bristol coordinates the Children in Nature 
program. The concept of nature play isn’t new, but the 
collaboration to ensure children have access to it via a 
“playground” experience is.

14—Landscape architects, the childhood development people, 
and the playground designers all came together and said: ‘Okay, 
let’s create this space where children can interact with nature, 
but on a much smaller scale.’

Bristol said studies showed parents like playgrounds 
because they exist within defined boundaries, and 
parents can keep an eye on their kids.

23—Looking at that concept, the playground designer said, 
‘Okay, let’s validate what the parents are feeling and that they 
need, but let’s make the elements that they’re playing with out 
of natural materials. Or, replicate things that they would find in 
nature, and use those to help them grow, develop their gross 
motor skills, problem solve, and then all the other elements 
when children actually are being active and playing in the 
outdoors.’

Jennifer Bristol wrote an article about the growth of 
Nature Play in Texas for the July issue of TPW magazine.

The Nature Rocks Texas.org website lists all the parks, 
nature centers and activities where you can play, explore 
and connect with nature near you.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I'm Cecilia Nasti.


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