Progressive Design Playgrounds Launches Outdoor Learning Environments;

Natural Playgrounds Serve As Outdoor Classrooms

Oceanside, CA, January 12, 2009 -- Progressive Design Playgrounds

(www.pdplay.com), designer and manufacturer of environmentally sound

commercial play structures announced today that it has added natural

playgrounds to its product line. The new line of play products, Outdoor

Learning Environments, extends the classroom into the outdoors where

children can play with and among natural elements such as sand, water and

living plants. Through natural learning, outdoor classrooms enhance and

reinforce the lessons students learn in every subject from math to the arts.

Outdoor Learning Environments are natural playgrounds that allow children to

explore their surroundings with sight, hearing, touch and smell. Outdoor

Learning Environments come in many different configurations depending upon

the school, the community, the climate and resources available. They range

from vegetable gardens, to slides built into grass hills, to stages where

pretend play capitalizes on natural surroundings to stimulate young minds.

More elaborate natural playgrounds include science labs, greenhouses, ponds,

dirt trails, trike trails and mazes and reading amphitheaters.  They often

include local plants and boulders, contributing to the authenticity of the

natural environment.  These outdoor classrooms function as play areas on

their own or as additions to traditional physically challenging stand alone

play structures such as overhead ladders, ring mazes, and climbing walls.  A

list of our natural playground products can be found online at

www.outdoorlearningenvironments.com.

Numerous studies find that the natural world is essential to a child¹s

physical and emotional well-being. The correlation between outdoor play and

social, cognitive and behavior development is well documented with evidence

supporting benefits such as improved recall of information, creative problem

solving and increased creativity among children.  A growing number of

children's advocates and political leaders express concern that

disconnection with nature adversely affects children, sparking a nationwide

back-to-nature movement to reconnect children to the outdoors. Outdoor

Learning Environments bridge traditional playgrounds and nature, creating a

pioneering and fun way for children to fully reap the benefit of outdoor

play.

Rebecca Candra, Director of La Jolla United Methodist Church Nursery School

in San Diego, CA, commented their children¹s existing play habits led the

community to add an Outdoor Learning Environment last month. ³As childcare

experts, we understand the value of nature-based play,² she said. ³What is

really interesting is that children, when left alone, inherently gravitate

to the natural elements like dirt, grass and water.² Candra added, ³ The

children are thrilled to have a play space that combines natural elements

and monkey bars and they benefit from the combination physically,

emotionally and academically.²

Outdoor Learning Environments meet or exceed U.S. and International safety

requirements.

Progressive Design Playgrounds designs and manufactures state-of-the-art and

environmentally friendly commercial children's play structures, natural

playgrounds, safety surfacing and recreation site furnishings. Based in

Oceanside, California, Progressive Design Playgrounds¹ play structures are

available worldwide through an extensive dealer network. For more

information visit the company¹s website at http://www.pdplay.com.