Construction has started on the natural playground at Wildwood Elementary School! Workers began “digging in” on the project last week, with a goal of completing the project in early September and having it ready for use in spring. Stop by if you get a chance to watch the progress — the action is at the northwest corner of the school grounds, 8698 Stillwater Road (near the intersection of Stillwater Road and the Gateway Trail). We’ll post photos here as well as they become available.

The Wildwood Elementary School natural playground site before construction began. Photo by Anne Reich

Would you like to be part of this legacy project for our community’s schoolchildren? MAGI is helping bring the new playground to life by raising funds to incorporate trees and shrubs into the design. Learn more and contribute to the “Plant a Tree, Grow a Playground” project here.

Meanwhile, check out this great article on the Wildwood School Natural Playground that was published recently in the St. Paul Pioneer Press — as well as this New York Times op-ed on the value of playing in nature.