Leisure & Tourism

Bespoke play spaces for popular visitor attractions

We have extensive experience of working with clients including Forestry England, National Trust, national museums and holiday parks to provide themed and natural play that enhances the visitor experience. We appreciate the uniqueness of each site and thrive on drawing inspiration from the genius loci to create play spaces that feel embedded into the setting.

Ensuring play spaces appeal to a wide range of users through the inclusion of integrated accessible elements is vital to creating fully inclusive offerings that allow intergenerational use. We collaborate with each client to both bring a vision to life and to create something yet to be imagined.

A young girl jumping on a netted outdoor play platform at a playground, with other children and an adult in the background.
Circular logo with a stylized bee with spread wings and leafy antennae on an orange background.

Our Approach

We take a holistic approach when designing a new playground; considering the site conditions, the client’s needs and desires, the expected end user requirements and embedding in a robust theme where appropriate. 

The research, concept and design development phase is where our design team’s creativity and skills really come into play. We are experts in exploring a theme (simple or complex) and bringing it to life in the form of an imaginative playscape for children and adults to enjoy and be inspired by. 

We believe a play space is more than just its equipment; it’s the entire environment that shapes and enriches the play experience. We carefully consider materials, sustainability and how play is woven into its surroundings. From large play structures to sensory and interactive features, down to thoughtful details like carvings, every element is intentionally designed to create a cohesive and meaningful play environment. We incorporate shelters and seating into our playgrounds where appropriate to ensure the comfort of all.

We are experienced at working in historical or sensitive landscapes minimising disruption to wildlife and visitors.

An elderly woman and a young girl playing together on a wooden swing set outdoors, with a sandy ground and trees in the background.

Business Benefits

In addition to enhancing your visitor experience with a fun and engaging play space, natural playgrounds can also deliver valuable marketing and financial benefits, including:

  • The opportunity to tell your unique story through themed play 

  • Widening your vision pool by attracting families 

  • Attracting out of season visitors 

  • Attracting pre-schooler term-time footfall

  • Increasing dwell time 

  • Educating & inspiring children 

  • Increasing revenue through repeat visits, season tickets and food & beverage sales

  • Providing a variety of play outcomes  

  • Standing out from your competitors

Get in touch for a no obligation chat to see how adding or updating your play offering could benefit your unique site.

"Green Play Project have done a lot of works on our site and we are always keen to have them included in future projects. Communication is always clear before, during and after works take place and the team are all friendly and approachable. "

Max Gravestock, Site Manager, Alice Holt Forestry England

Explore a selection of our Projects

People building a giant wooden treehouse in a forest with trees and sunlight.

Project 01. Giant Marble Run

Alice Holt, Forestry England, Surrey

Green Play Project served as both the designer and principal contractor for the giant marble run at Alice Holt Forest in partnership with Forestry England. Already a vibrant play destination, Alice Holt offers a café, activity centre and multiple play opportunities. 

Each location within the site has its own character, themes, and natural features, which informed the overall design and functionality of the marble run. This varied approach ensures that children (and adults) can explore, discover, and engage in different ways every time they visit, fostering a love of the outdoors.

see full project
A young girl with curly blonde hair wearing a pink shirt, light gray shorts, and sneakers with floral patterns, touching a carved butterfly design on a large tree trunk in an outdoor setting with wood chips on the ground.

Project 02. Exploratree

Westonbirt, The National Arboretum

Green Play Project won the Forestry England tender to reimagine the central ‘Exploratree’ play space aimed at a younger age group and those with additional needs. Our design creates a playful and imaginative environment where children become explorers, scavengers or plant hunters, venturing into the surrounding woodland and returning to a central base camp to explore their treasures.

The playground serves as a hub for adventure and discovery as is rooted in Forestry England’s play ethos; to encourage children to develop a curiosity, understanding and love of the natural environment through encouraging exploration, discovery and imaginative play. The theme encourages curiosity, exploration and a connection with nature, while also functioning as a standalone play destination within Westonbirt. 

see full project
Wooden playground structure with slides and climbing equipment on a gravel ground, surrounded by green trees and a wooden fence, under a blue sky.

Project 03. The Working Forest

Beechenhurst Forestry England, Forest of Dean

The Working Forest at Beechenhurst Forestry England is a motivational and testing piece of climbing play equipment that offers the 6 to 12 years age group a destination play feature and an aspirational piece for younger children.

The history of the Forest of Dean as a mining community inspired the playground theme. The poles are laid out in the same linear formation as a Forest plantation, there is a Mine Shaft platform (which ties visually to the existing structure) and a Crane which can be used in both industrial and forest industries.

see full project
Two children playing on a wooden playground with a rope bridge, surrounded by trees.

Project 04. The Children’s Garden

American Museum & Gardens, Bath

Green Play Project was successful in winning the tender to create The Children's Garden in an under utilised area of the American Museum grounds. We were the main contractor seeing the project from concept design, through planning permission and construction. The aim of the development was to create a unique play space for under 12s to expand the visitor offering and provide a space for families to dwell and return.

We utilised the grassy clearing, sloping hillside, mature trees and vistas to create a garden full of adventure. Linking different levels and working with slopes and within woodland provided a unique set of challenges and constraints. These pushed the design to create a bespoke offering that fully embraces its location. 

see full project

More projects to inspire

Children playing on a wooden treehouse with climbing ropes and logs in a forest.
Children playing on a wooden playground with logs and a climbing structure, surrounded by trees on a sunny day.
Children watching a puppet show outdoors in a park with trees, some kids raising their hands, and a woman in a blue velvet dress holding a green puppet.
A wooden playground structure with climbing elements, including a rope bridge, set on a bed of wood chips outdoor with green trees in the background.
A young girl hanging upside down on a rope obstacle in a grassy outdoor playground area.
Outdoor wooden play structure with rope climbing net on a grassy field under a clear blue sky, surrounded by trees.
People building a wooden bridge with logs and planks in a green forested area.
Children's outdoor playground with a wooden slide and a house structure, surrounded by trees, grass, and mulch, in a park setting.
Wooden treehouse with stairs, set in a wooded area with trees and green foliage.
Outdoor wooden playground structure resembling cactus plants, with tall, green, and purple cactus-shaped elements, set on a bed of wood chips with trees and greenery in the background.
Two children climbing on a fallen tree in a wooded play area, with a girl wearing a rainbow-striped skirt and a purple top, and a boy wearing a green shirt and blue pants. An adult is in the background near a wooden fence.
Wooden playhouse with slide, ropes, and ladder on dirt ground against a backdrop of leafless trees and blue sky.
see all projects

Get in touch

Our friendly team are here to answer any questions you have and discuss your needs. We’d love to hear from you.

Call on 07362429481

Email hello@greenplayproject.co.uk

Fill in the form below:

We’ll get back to you within 48hours Monday-Friday 9am-4pm.

Smiling boy in a striped blue and green shirt swinging on a tire swing outdoors with trees and a wooden fence in the background.
A white bee with wings that have leaf patterns in a circular orange background, outlined with a white border.