Dodge Nature Preschool Construction Project

The playground at Dodge Nature Preschool has always been a large part of children’s nature preschool experience:

• Climbing rocks, logs, and climbers
• Swinging on branches, swings, and hammocks
• Sliding down slides or snowy hills
• Creative play in the playhouses and mud kitchens
• Digging, creating, and squishing in large sandboxes

Since the Preschool opened in 2000, the outdoor playground space has been slowly sinking back towards the Farm Pond.

It needs major hardscape work to sustain it for future students. In 2022, in partnership with Aune Fernandez Landscape Architects, Dodge Nature Preschool staff, preschoolers, alumni preschool families, Dodge Nature Center stakeholders and the community, we created a plan for a new playground and outdoor classroom areas.

During the pandemic (2020–2021) we learned the value of having outdoor classroom spaces for preschool children. This is a big part of the new design.

We are so excited to begin Phase 1 during summer 2024. Phase 1 includes grading and building the three outdoor classrooms. We will soon share opportunities for how to get involved with helping us complete Phase 2 of the project, which includes the shared play areas in the lower part of the site.

During construction, please excuse delays in the parking lots, trail closures, noise, and increased vehicle traffic. We can’t wait for the possibilities this project will bring to our school as we continue to connect preschoolers to the natural world.