Natureworks are passionate about encouraging nature-based play. To support this aim, we provide custom playground design and sculptures that inspire children (and adults) to appreciate the world around them. In addition, we know safe, well designed play facilities play a vital role in enhancing local communities. Playgrounds and water parks provide recreational activities for families, and attract visitors to an area.
Whether you are looking to build a commercial water play park, public playground or community play area, we can help bring your vision to life. See our Child’s Play brochure for inspiration. Natureworks have certified playground designers who can help you with custom playground design ideas – contact us now!
Photo gallery – playgrounds and water splash parks
Giant animals, creepy caves, sea creatures, jungle settings, dinosaurs and storybook characters – just like kids, we like to have fun! For more details on the projects shown above, and examples of what you can achieve, see playground and water play projects.
Playground safety
Children’s safety is the number one aspect to consider when designing playgrounds or selecting products and decor for play areas. Read our blog post about playground safety and safe play equipment.
How to get funds for a community playground or water play project
Is your community looking to revitalise a disused space, or promote tourism to the town or region? Are you thinking an exciting playground, water play park or educational play area might be just what the area needs? If so, you may need help crystallising an idea developed by local community input, in order to get funds. Believe it or not, it’s the proposals accompanied by concept art that get to first base in the chase for grant funding!
Because a picture tells a thousand words, a visual idea is easier to sell than a text description. We can discuss ideas with you and draw up concept art to accompany your proposal or presentation. We can also cost our part of the project and provide relevant specifications to support your funding application.
Design ideas for playgrounds and water play
Below are some concepts we have drawn up – all you need is somewhere to install them! We can customise these ideas to suit your location, budget, theme or other needs. Alternatively, we can develop new ideas to suit your aims, or discuss how to turn your ideas into practical, effective solutions.
It’s here that our team’s experience really comes into play. As well as understanding how to create nature-based play spaces, we’re on top of practical requirements like safety and regulations. A number of our products are already playground certified, and we can build heavy duty products to meet certification standards where required. We can also turn many of our animal sculptures into water play features, by adding spouts and an appropriate weatherproof finish.
"A whale of a time" – custom playground design for water park
If you are looking for inspiration to theme a water playground, this unique artwork (shown in the images below) may be the answer! All components can be built separately and placed throughout the water park to suit the space and your budget.
The “whale of a time” concept name reflects the fun children will have! Why whales? Whales have an inert ability to be loved by all and are such amazing animals in both size and natural beauty. Children experience what it would be like to ride a whale and understand the sheer size of these underwater creatures from the deep blue seas that surround us.
- The scene recreates the experience of being in a little boat out in the ocean – a pod of whales stick their head up to check out the boat.
- The whale’s spouts can be adjusted to squirt water at the boat.
- Natureworks has created the moulds for all of these items and are able to produce these extremely cost effectively as a pod of whales package. Further to this we can include dolphins, dugongs, turtles, giant flathead etc.
- Ask us if you would like to use this concept!
Giant soldier crab – concept design for seaside playground
This concept of a giant soldier crab would make a magnificent piece for seaside playgrounds and foreshore street art. Investing in a town’s art is a fun way to spark people’s imagination and awareness of the area’s natural inhabitants.
The soldier crab is quite distinctive, with its round blue and purple body, long jointed legs, and beady eyes that seem to watch you no matter which direction you walk in. Its giant nippers become the central viewing point where visitors can have their photos taken. Highly Insta-worthy!
Artificial ‘sand balls’ around the crab are seats that can be made from concrete and shaped with a flat bottom to aid stability. Maybe your local businesses could sponsor a ball (engraved with their name), to help with investing in the revitalisation of the town and also promoting their awareness?
We’ve also sketched a smaller version that could appear with the giant crab, or used separately as a playground item, promotional sculpture or art piece.
A sculpture like this is certainly a great way to see our future generations having fun. It also helps to raise awareness of the benefits of connecting with our indigenous natural surroundings.
Big Things – for playgrounds, water play or tourist attractions
There’s something irresistible about Big Things. Not only are they big, but they get noticed! For this reason, big animals and props are great for playgrounds. They can be adapted to become slippery slides, water features, or something to climb on.
Giant size animals provide great photo opportunities too – just ask “Cuddles” the giant koala!
Size does matter! But how big is big enough?
By definition, a Big Thing is always bigger than life size. Exactly how much bigger is up to you! Usually, the ideal size of a sculpture depends on where it will be used, how far away you want it to be noticed, and whether it needs to be designed for a certain age group. Natureworks can produce any object to any scale that you can imagine.
For example, the Big Bilby shown in the image below can be made 1m high to allow small children to climb on it. Or it can be 3 metres high, to make a really big impression! Or we can ‘chisel’ the bilby into artificial rock and add a small slide to it.
Creating custom 'Big Thing' sculptures
Natureworks can create a custom-made Big Thing that will be enjoyed today and remembered for years to come. Keen to know how Big Things can support a business or community? Read about why Big Things are a big thing.
By the way… if the piece you have in mind is something we think has further sales potential, we might even do the piece for you at cost, just to get the item and idea into production mode. Or rather than designing a custom sculpture, it may be feasible to adapt our existing big animal sculptures to suit your specific needs.
Many of our standard sculptures can be made extra heavy duty for use in playgrounds or commercial use. They can be modified to include water spouts for a splash playground or holes for a mini-golf course. Our larger than life animal sculptures can be ideal for entertainment venues, promotional props, tourist facilities, township icons or even for your own backyard.
Ask Natureworks about custom projects
If you’re looking for further inspiration, the Natureworks corporate profile showcases fantastic works of art – from the face of Luna Park to giant dugongs and even an entire Gondwana rainforest. We have provided custom sculpting, design and fabrication enquiries for over 40 years and are constantly producing new and wonderful pieces around Australia. Need something extraordinary and interesting? Just get in touch!
See custom playground design and water play projects
Exciting megafauna themed playground with Diprotodon & fossil dig
Beautiful climb & play Diprotodon sculpture and fossil dig sandpit for a unique megafauna themed playground in Hallet Cove, Adelaide SA.
Educational discovery play cloches for new inclusive playground
Natureworks discovery play cloches with themed animal dioramas are lots of fun for kids! See them at the inclusive, educational Central Park playground, Malvern East Vic.
Marine themed playground delights visitors to popular Straddie park
Nature play sculptures of shells and marine animals for this marine themed playground reflect the local environment at Point Lookout, North Stradbroke Island, QLD.
