Wild Play Woods
An adventure playground in Knoxville, TN.
Where nature, freedom, creativity, and imagination come together to make untamed magic.
A Magical Laboratory In The Forest
Wild Play Woods is our name for open play days here at Wild Sun Sanctuary, where children are invited to come explore our natural landscape of fields and forested areas full of loose parts, building materials, and art supplies. We call it an “adventure playground”, but the concept was originally termed “junk playground.” It looks like a mess to grownups, but kids find it a wonderland of possibility! Read more here about loose parts and what a junk playground is.
Children can interact freely with the materials at Wild Play Woods, engaging in science, engineering, and artistic feats limited only by their imaginations! Playing here is an excellent addition to any homeschool program, giving kids time in nature and hands on experimentation with math and physics principles.
Open-Ended Exploration – Wild Play Woods isn’t about classes or workshops – it’s unstructured time with a variety of materials to freely choose from. We’re constantly adding to our collection of “loose parts” – materials, supplies, and tools that enhance open-ended play and encourage problem solving, creative thinking, and collaboration.
Nature Immersion – We play outdoors in an untamed, natural space. We meet in all temperatures, rain or shine. We play in amongst the plants and animals that call this space home. Children may encounter bugs and snakes, and they will learn to identify poison ivy!
Risky & Messy Play – Children engage in creative risk-taking which builds problem-solving skills. Tree climbing is popular! They use tools like rope and hand saws for construction projects. Our mud kitchen gets lots of use, as does paint and other art supplies.
Community – We value cooperation, collaboration, and community-building. We all work together to make sure everyone has a good time.