Green Playspaces

KABOOM! acknowledges that we play a role in protecting our environment and ensuring kids have access to nature through green playspaces.

We seek opportunities to support sustainability in our playground projects in many ways, including working with manufacturers and partners who use environmentally sustainable materials, prioritizing minimal waste and addressing extreme heat, and committing to creating playspaces that are built to last for generations to come.

The Benefits of Access to Nature

Green playspaces are transforming how children engage with the outdoors, offering a blend of nature and play that promotes better physical and mental health and being good stewards of our environment. In a world where kids spend up to 44 hours a week in front of screens and less than 10 minutes a day playing freely outside, the need for green playspaces has never been greater. We are committed to making sure that children have equitable access to nature everywhere they live, learn, and play.

Research shows that playing in nature:

• Enhances social connections
• Boosts physical activity
• Improves mental health
• Fosters a love for the environment

Addressing Inequity

Playspace equity and environmental justice are interrelated issues. The racial, social, and economic conditions which created playspace inequities also contributed to the environmental injustices many communities still face, especially in communities of color. By creating green playspaces close to where children live and learn, we can extend the benefits of nature where there is the greatest need. And as extreme heat threatens outdoor recreation, natural playspaces help communities adapt by using plants and climate-friendly materials that naturally cool the environment.

Where We’ve Built Green Playspaces

Sycamore & Oak

Washington, DC

In the summer of 2024, alongside Emerson Collective and the Sycamore and Oak community, we built this nature playground, an innovative playground with a sustainable, nature-inspired twist that mimics the appearance of natural elements like trees and rocks. The Sycamore and Oak playspace in Congress Heights features environmentally sustainable elements. The primary material used in the playspace is sustainably sourced Robinia (black locust) wood, and the other materials (steel, GFRC, plastic, HDPE, stainless steel, aluminum, rope) include a range of post-industrial and post-consumer recycled materials.

Bella Vista Elementary School

Oakland, CA

In April 2024, together with Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation, Oakland Unified School District, and Bella Vista Elementary School created a green schoolyard with multi-functional grounds including places for students, teachers, parents, and community members to play, learn, explore, and grow. The elementary school’s reimagined schoolyard includes a new, kid-designed playground, multi-sport courts, a nature exploration area, and a mural that spans the entire space. Photos courtesy of Eat. Learn. Play Foundation.

Heron’s Head Nature Exploration Area

San Francisco, CA

In November 2021, we united with the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, the Port of San Francisco, San Francisco Children & Nature, Kaiser Permanente, and Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds to build a Nature Exploration Areas, a play and learning environment that increases access to nature and is made of local, natural materials designed for rich, sensory play experiences. This playspace won the UNICEF Cities Inspire Award in the “Safe, Clean, Sustainable and Child-Friendly Environments” category. Photos courtesy of SF Children & Nature.