Play
Nature Play
Explore our nature play equipment
Beautiful nature-inspired playgrounds, hand-crafted from quality timbers.
Natural materials are perfect for natural environments. KOMPAN's nature-based playground range allows you to create a fun and inclusive play space made entirely from quality timber equipment. KOMPAN offers a full range, including castles, ships, nature-inspired themed play, playhouses, obstacle courses, carousels, springers, climbing structures, sand and water play, swings, plus so much more!
Choosing KOMPAN products means an aesthetically pleasing space whilst retaining the play-value that makes our products so loved around the world. All products are filled with play activities and elements that have been developed, researched, and user-tested for more than 50 years.
KOMPAN's Nature Play range features mainly products manufactured from sustainability-sourced Robina wood, a highly durable wood that withstands the test of time. Our Robinia comes from plantations operated under responsible and sustainable management. In addition, Pinewood options are available within our Nature Expedition range.
Furthermore, if you're looking to create a custom natural playground, the KOMPAN Design Studio can help!
The most popular nature play products
Explore our nature play categories
Robinia Village
Robinia Castles
Robinia Ships
Robinia Climbing
Robinia Climbing Trails
Robinia Balancing
Robinia Play Systems
Robinia Sand & Water Play
Wooden Swings
Robinia Springers
Robinia Playhuts and Playhouses
Robinia Dynamics
Robinia Play, act and learn
Robinia Themed Play
Robinia Sunshades & Furniture
Robinia Cableways
Nature Expedition
Robinia Play Panels
Robinia Play Sculptures
Robinia Fantasy
Nature-inspired playgrounds
What are the benefits of a natural playground?
There are many benefits to installing a nature-based playground within your community, with mental and physical stimulation being the main two. In addition, nature-inspired playgrounds are an ideal solution to enhance Australian natural spaces playfully and sustainably.
From a cognitive perspective, nature play and natural playgrounds allow young minds to become accustomed to nature's unusual, rough textures, offering various benefits and advantages. Children can build a positive association with nature whilst playing and engaging with wood, soil and other natural playground surfaces, which in turn develops a love of nature into adulthood.
Additionally, nature play encourages children to step out of their comfort zone and engage with textures and objects they have never seen before. This willingness to discover new things is incredibly beneficial, helping boost attainment within school alongside creating positive habits and behaviours that stay with you into adulthood.
Physical benefits of nature playgrounds
There are also physical advantages. The natural versatility of timber makes it a brilliant playground equipment material, and our vast range can cater to all physical challenges.
From obstacle courses and springers to natural playground climbers and commercial wooden swings, we have created wooden playground equipment that covers all significant ranges. Each option permits different physical development opportunities, allowing children to practice fine and gross motor skills depending on the playground equipment in question.
Through this, it's possible to combine nature's innate cognitive benefits with the physical development strengths offered by other playground equipment designs.
KOMPAN craftsmanship
With a growing demand for strong and durable hardwood, KOMPAN has a factory exclusively dedicated to products made of Robinia wood. This ensures we always work with the best types of materials and have complete control over production to deliver the highest quality to our clients. On all Robinia nature play structures, you can choose your finish:
Untreated - The unpreserved wood will patina over time, blending in with the surroundings
Brown Pigment - Maintain the glow of the original Robinia
Painted - The colourful choice for a unique play solution
Key facts about our Nature Play Robinia range
Organic, environmentally friendly and can be FSC certified
Naturally occurring preservatives make it resistant to rot, humidity and water
Low levels of fabrication give posts natural winding curves and bends
Native European wood that is naturally strong and durable
Built to last with up to 15 years of warranty
Read our informational page about Robinia and general playground and maintenance and repairs.
Materials
As part of our environmental footprint, KOMPAN introduced Robinia as a complementary material choice for many of our long-established favourites, like swings and climbing frames, and it is perfect for sand and water play. We also use its strength and ‘friendliness’ to make obstacle courses challenging, not intimidating.
Your walk with nature play starts here.
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Frequently asked questions
What is nature play?
Robinia is the tree that gives everything. From replenishing the soil with nitrogen, to burning like coal, to providing the source for an exceptional honey, to being one of the most dense and versatile timbers. It is also a sustainable source. A native of eastern USA, where it is called black locust, it was introduced to Europe by the king of France’s gardener in 1602. That tree still stands in Square Viviani in central Paris. The tree can now be found growing around the world. In Europe it is most prolific in Germany, Romania and the Czech Republic. It is the wood of choice for KOMPAN because it brings strength, durability and individuality to each design.
Which lasts longer, man-made or natural materials?
The answer in KOMPAN terms is neither – with proper care they both should last a playing ‘lifetime’. Robinia wood has a 15-year warranty. If there is one difference the man-made Ecocore™ has a lifetime guarantee, it looks as good on day one as day 10,000, wood on the other hand matures and can often seem more welcoming with age.
What kind of after care is needed for Robinia?
A caring eye is foremost. Being part of nature at KOMPAN we let nature take its course. Most often this adds ‘character’ – the grain and knotting of wood are part of the attraction - but where the natural development might threaten structural safety, the warranty comes into effect.