One of the ideas that I am toying around with right now is... we have been selling some engraved bricks, and we may still do a traditional walkway or edging with them, however, our district is facing a lot of budget crunching and uncertainty-we're closing two elementaries this year, and there is talk of perhaps another elementary or two being closed in a couple more years. So people are nervous about buying a brick because it seems so permanent. It's ironic that the very selling point of the bricks -- their "lasting legacy"-- is what is keeping people from taking the plunge and buying a brick, because they don't want to buy something that is so permanent only to have it potentially bulldozed away... so I am toying with the idea of having the bricks turned into heavy cement stepping stones, perhaps of various shapes like circle, square, or whatever, and then having them on the grassy play areas (but flush down so they are not a trip hazard), so that kids can hop skip and jump across them. That way, if our school were to face closure in a few years, then I could always contact the families and offer them their brick "back"--they could have the stepping stone in their garden at home if they want to. But even for schools not facing this type of problem, the idea of having stepping stones in a grassy area might be a fun, whimsical way to enhance the playspace!
cmad