Creating a Natural Play Area, Outdoor Learning and Sensory Space at Elmgrove Primary School
Bringing Learning, Sensory Discovery, Natural play area and Outdoor Classroom to Life
By adding a Natural Play Area and Outdoor Classroom, school grounds have the potential to be much more than somewhere children spend their break times. With thoughtful design of natural play area and an outdoor classroom, they can become places to learn, explore, play and connect with nature throughout the school day.
Brilliant Trails was delighted to work with Elmgrove Primary School in Belfast to design and install a new sensory garden, natural play area and outdoor classroom, transforming part of the school grounds into an engaging outdoor environment for pupils and teachers.
The project brought together sensory planting, tactile features, bespoke timber sculptures, natural play equipment and dedicated teaching spaces to give the school new ways to take learning beyond the classroom walls.
A Sensory Garden Designed Around the Senses to encourage a Natural play area
At the heart of the project was a new sensory garden, designed to encourage children to interact with their surroundings through touch, sound, smell and sight.
Raised flower beds filled with fragrant lavender introduced colour and scent, while textured pathways gave children different surfaces to experience as they moved through the garden. A small bridge added another element of exploration and helped create a sense of journey through the space.
Our specialist chainsaw carvers also created bespoke wooden sculptures, adding tactile features for children to discover and bringing character to the garden.
By combining planting, natural materials, textures and interactive features, we created an environment where children are encouraged to slow down, notice their surroundings and experience the outdoors in different ways.
Creating a Place to Pause, Talk and Tell Stories
Not every part of an outdoor space needs to be about physical activity.
We introduced giant wooden pencils, a bespoke storytelling chair and timber benches, creating a dedicated area where classes can gather outdoors.
The storytelling chair provides a natural focal point for teachers, while the surrounding seating allows children to come together for stories, discussions and group activities.
The sensory garden also offers a calmer environment within the wider school grounds – somewhere teachers can bring children during the school day to spend time outdoors, explore nature or simply enjoy a change of environment.
Natural Play Area That Encourages Movement
Alongside the sensory garden, Brilliant Trails designed and installed a new outdoor play area focused on active, physical play.
Rather than relying solely on conventional playground equipment, we incorporated natural and robust features including wooden balancing beams, a climbing frame and tyres for stepping and jumping.
These simple challenges encourage children to balance, climb, move and test their abilities while creating opportunities for imaginative and social play.
The result is a play space that feels adventurous while sitting naturally alongside the sensory and outdoor learning areas.
Bring the learning to an Outdoor Classroom
To complete the project, we installed a dedicated wooden outdoor classroom.
The structure gives teachers a practical space where lessons can move beyond the traditional classroom and into the fresh air.
Whether it’s being used for nature studies, reading, creative activities, group discussions or curriculum-based lessons, the outdoor classroom provides greater flexibility in how and where children can learn.
Combined with the sensory garden and play area, it means the outdoor space can support learning, physical activity, creativity and exploration rather than serving a single purpose.
One Outdoor Space with Many Uses
The finished project at Elmgrove Primary School demonstrates the value of looking at school grounds as an extension of the learning environment.
Children can smell the lavender, explore different textures, discover wooden sculptures, balance and climb, listen to a story or take part in an entire lesson outdoors.
For teachers, the new spaces provide additional options throughout the school day – from structured outdoor learning to opportunities for children to explore and engage with nature in a safe school environment.
For Brilliant Trails, projects like Elmgrove demonstrate how landscape features, sensory design, bespoke timber work, natural play and outdoor learning infrastructure can be brought together to create one cohesive space.
From the first designs through to manufacture and installation, our aim is to create school environments that encourage children to get outside and discover just how much learning can happen beyond four classroom walls.
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