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Natural Playground Equipment

Explore our outdoor natural play equipment

Natural Playground Sets & Equipment - Nature Play Structures By KOMPAN

Natural playground equipment is one of the most effective child development tools that playground designers can utilise. Innately durable and long-lasting, nature based playground equipment strikes a brilliant balance between sturdiness and learning potential, providing children with multiple different learning and engagement opportunities at once. At KOMPAN, our range of natural playground equipment is built upon 50 years of research and experience, enabling us to continually improve and perfect our nature play structures.

Why choose a natural playground?

There are many benefits of a natural playground. Not only does outdoor natural play equipment look great, it also fits in with many surroundings. This makes it ideal for green spaces and parks that don't want to impact the surrounding landscape. Natural playground equipment can also be used in conjunction with what is already on the site, including nature play structures such as:

  • Rocks and boulders

  • Trees and tree stumps

  • Loose materials

  • Digging spaces

  • Water features

  • Natural shelters

  • Small hills, mounds or berms

  • Sensory gardens

Nature playground equipment can be found across the UK, from community parks to camping grounds. Whatever the goal or theme of your playground, natural play structures are sure to look great, as well as offer additional benefits for children of all ages. Explore our range of themed and traditional natural playground equipment below or get in touch with our team for more information.

Explore our nature play categories

Robinia Village

Robinia Castles

Robinia Ships

Robinia Climbing

Robinia Obstacle Courses

Robinia Balancing

Robinia Play Systems

Robinia Sand & Water Play

Robinia Swings

Robinia Springers

Robinia Playhuts and Playhouses

Robinia Dynamics

Robinia Play, act and learn

Robinia Themed Play

Robinia Sunshades & Furniture

Robinia Cableways

Nature Expedition

Robinia Play Panels

Robinia Play Sculptures

Robinia Fantasy

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Creating Play Areas with Natural Playground Equipment

What are the benefits of a natural playground?

There are many benefits to installing a nature based playground, with mental and physical stimulation being the main two. Nature play structures are also ideal for sites that need to be in keeping with their surroundings, such as nature woodlands, parks, and other green spaces.

From a cognitive perspective, nature based playgrounds allow young minds to become accustomed to the unusual, rough textures of nature, offering a host of benefits and advantages. Children can build a positive association with nature, built from the experiences they have of playing and engaging with wood, soil and other natural playground surfaces. This is the best way to transition a love of nature into adulthood.

Additionally, nature playgrounds encourage children to step out of their comfort zone and engage with textures and objects that they have never come across before. This willingness to discover new things is incredibly beneficial, helping boost attainment within school alongside creating positive habits and behaviours that stay with you into adulthood.

Physical benefits of nature based playgrounds

There are also physical advantages. The natural versatility of wood makes a brilliant playground equipment material, and KOMPAN’s extensive product selection caters to all manner of physical challenges.

From obstacle courses and springers to natural playground climbers and commercial wooden swing sets, we have created outdoor natural playground equipment that covers all major ranges. Each of these options permits different development opportunities, allowing children to practice both fine and gross motor skills depending on the specific playground equipment in question.

Through this, it’s possible to combine nature’s innate cognitive benefits with the developmental strengths offered by other playground equipment designs.

Natural Play Equipment that can withstand the UK Weather

We all know what the UK is like. Sunny one day, blistering winds the next! In order to survive in such an unpredictable environment, UK playgrounds need to be able to withstand a beating. KOMPAN have a factory exclusively dedicated to products made of strong and durable Robinia wood. This ensures we always work with the best types of materials and have full control over production to deliver the highest quality to our customers.

On all Robinia nature play structures, you can choose your finish:

  • Untreated - The unpreserved wood will patina over time blending in with the surroundings

  • Brown Pigment - Maintain the glow of the original robinia

  • Painted - The colourful choice for a unique play solution

Key Facts about our Nature Play Structures

  • Organic, environmentally friendly and can be FSC certified

  • Naturally occurring preservatives make it resistant to rot, humidity and water

  • Low levels of fabrication give posts natural winding curves and bends

  • Native European wood that is naturally strong and durable

  • Built to last, with up to 15 years' warranty

Materials

As part of our environmental footprint, we introduce Robinia to a range of long-established favourites, like swings and climbing frames and it is perfect for sand and water play. We also use its strength to make wooden gym equipment.

Your walk with nature play starts here.

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Frequently asked questions

What is Robinia?

Robinia is the tree that gives everything. From replenishing the soil with nitrogen, to burning like coal, providing the source for exceptional honey, to being one of the most dense and versatile timbers. It is also a sustainable source. A native of eastern USA, where it is called black locust, it was introduced to Europe by the king of France’s gardener in 1602. That tree still stands in Square Viviani in central Paris. The tree can now be found growing around the world. In Europe, it is most prolific in Germany, Romania and the Czech Republic. It is the wood of choice for KOMPAN because it brings strength, durability and individuality to each design.

Which lasts longer, man-made or natural materials?

The answer in KOMPAN terms is neither – with proper care they both should last a playing ‘lifetime’. Robinia wood has a 15-year warranty. If there is one difference the man-made Ecocore™ has a lifetime guarantee, it looks as good on day one as day 10,000, wood on the other hand matures and can often seem more welcoming with age.

What kind of after care is needed for Robinia?

A caring eye is foremost. Being part of nature at KOMPAN we let nature take its course. Most often this adds ‘character’ – the grain and knotting of wood are part of the attraction - but where the natural development might threaten structural safety, the warranty comes into effect.