Under the Oak Play Yard

Under the oak play area
Photo by Roger Pavelle

This whimsical, rustic natural play lab is sheltered under the oldest tree on Arboretum property, a spreading bur oak, which is over 200 years old and is located behind the Learning Center. It was created in 2006 and has become a favorite stop for many families.

Unlike the rest of the Arboretum, this is a place we invite children (of all ages) to move things around, build forts and dens, hold tea parties and puppet shows, clamber on fallen logs and generally re-create things to suit their fancy.

Our goal is to provide some "play-start" structures, plenty of loose materials like sticks, cones and branch slices, and leave the rest to the enthusiasm and imagination of young visitors. 

2 kids looking inside of a wooden stump