A playground fit for the harsh environment and fitting for the local landscape

In Bognor Regis, one of England’s most traditional seaside towns, they wanted a natural playground that fit into the local landscape. Today, KOMPAN’s dolphin springer, shark seesaw and a play ship have moved into the playground, along with ground decorations such as crabs, fish, and an octopus to set the stage for a beach playground just feet away from the sea. 

From day one, the facilities were really popular with the locals and have already had a commercial impact on the town. The turnover in the coffee shop next door has tripled and the beach playground, as an attraction, gives young families an extra reason to visit Bognor. By filling the Esplanade with the sound of happy children, it’s a nice way to attract residents by boosting civic pride and contributing to the local tourism economy.

The playground is right on the seafront where the sea breeze, salt water and sand can be harsh on everything, including play equipment. To extend the durability of the beach playground, it has been built with robinia wood, a fine-grained, strong and very durable material.

Explore the site on Google Street View

bognor regis thumbnail
The playground really gives another reason to visit Bognor Regis.

Oliver Hansen, Environmental Services and Strategy Manager - Arun District Council

bognor regis image 1
bognor regis image 2
bognor regis image 3
bognor regis image 4
bognor regis image 5

Creativity and thrills

At the ‘Oasis Sand House with Desk and Crane’, children can play with sand, a natural feature missing from many South Coast beaches, including Bognor. Working with the movable crane supports children’s creativity, just as communication and cooperation skills are developed when working together to fill the bucket and lift it up with the crane. Children looking for action can take a thrilling glide at the ‘Track Ride Tower’. At the end of the glide, some users will be able to flip their legs up and push themselves back to the platform. This trains leg and core muscles, as well as proprioception and timing, which are all important abilities in sports and life, when navigating the surroundings securely.

Physical
Joy of movement: motor skills, muscle, cardio and bone density
Cognitive
Joy of learning: curiosity, understanding of causal relationships and knowledge of the world
Social-Emotional
Joy of being together: teamwork, tolerance and sense of belonging
Creative
Joy of creating: co-creation and experimenting with materials

Want to know more about cases like this?

Please fill in your contact details and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Want to see more nature play case studies?

Plantation Grange, Tengah

A tree house playground tower in the middle of a park in Melbourne

Lincoln Square Playground, Australia

Rockhampton Botanical Gardens, Australia

Wooden playground castle at Ennepetal Playground

Ennepetal Playground, Germany

Wooden pirate playground ship on the beach at Sansibar Restaurant

Sansibar Restaurant, Germany

Children at North Tampa Christian Academy running towards wooden play tower

North Tampa Christian Academy, United States

wooden playground at Givskud Zoo in Denmark

Givskud Zoo, Denmark

Wooden playground structure with balance bridge in Poppleton park

Poppleton, United Kingdom

Wooden playground structure at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve

Boyd Hill Nature Preserve, United Sates

wooden playground sculpture looking like a big bear in kindergarten in China

King's Kindergarten, China

nature playground at the forest of Westminster School in Atlanta

Westminster School, United States

 Pirate themed playground ship in Borgholm, Sweden

Borgholm Pirate Playground, Sweden

children balancing on a natural playground obstacle at copenhagen zoo

Copenhagen Zoo, Denmark

Wooden playtower at Espira daycare in Norway

Espira Daycare, Norway

Small themed playground with wooden tractor and animals

Randers Regnskov, Denmark

Wooden large playground ship at Shangri-La Hotel hotel in Singapore

Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore

Maisons-Alfort, France

Custom dinosaur playground in Helsingborg in Sweden

Dinosaur Playground, Sweden

Large wooden playground castle in Tallinn, Estonia

Tallin Castle, Estonia

Children playing on custom wooden playground train in Saint-Médard

Saint-Médard En Jalle, France

pupils playing and swinging at Riverside Intermediate School

Riverside Intermediate School, United States