Published August 1, 2013 at 4:00 a.m.
School's out, but kids are still coming to Waterbury's Thatcher Brook Primary School — for the playground. This sprawling hillside funscape is home to tetherball and teeter-totters, swing sets and slides. But what really sets it apart are the natural play structures, including a rock-garden labyrinth, a massive sandbox and a rock-climbing wall.
"The goal was to connect kids to nature through imaginative play," says co-principal Stephanie Hudak of the unusual design. Conceptualized in 2005 and finally realized in 2008 after much community fundraising and support, the playground minimizes plastic and metal structures by making use of logs, rocks and the natural lay of the land.
Best of all, the playground is open to the community during all non-recess hours. Hudak says she has seen children climbing, sliding and swinging on the grounds all summer long.
This article was originally published in Seven Days' monthly parenting magazine, Kids VT.
Showing 1-1 of 1
Comments are closed.
Since 2014, Seven Days has allowed readers to comment on all stories posted on our website. While we’ve appreciated the suggestions and insights, the time has come to shut them down — at least temporarily.
While we champion free speech, facts are a matter of life and death during the coronavirus pandemic, and right now Seven Days is prioritizing the production of responsible journalism over moderating online debates between readers.
To criticize, correct or praise our reporting, please send us a letter to the editor. Or send us a tip. We’ll check it out and report the results.
Online comments may return when we have better tech tools for managing them. Thanks for reading.