1. Plan

    Early 2025

  2. Community Engagement

    Mid/Late 2025

  3. Design

    Mid/Late 2025

  4. Build

    Mid 2026

Current Phase
Community Engagement

Project Overview

Boulder Parks & Recreation is renovating Barker Park, located at Spruce & 15th St. and connected to Boulder Day Nursery. The city, following its goal of converting outdated playgrounds into nature play areas over the coming decade, will create a vibrant new park with natural features for kids to play, learn, and grow. The renovated park will focus on early childhood play, while welcoming the rest of the community to enjoy the park space located near Pearl Street.

Para recibir más información en español, por favor llame al 303-413-7200 x9.

What is Nature Play and Why Build it?

Nature play areas are designed to support how kids learn best—through play. Built with natural log, stone, and water features, these areas are meant for:

  • Climbing, building, digging, running, jumping, imagining, and playing in new ways
  • Connecting with nature and exploring the outdoors
  • Building confidence, creativity, and communication skills
  • Having fun while discovering something new

And when we look at the research, the data tells us kids who frequently engage in unstructured nature play:

  • Score 37% higher on assessments of creative problem-solving
  • Demonstrate emotional resilience scores 41% higher than peers who primarily play indoors
  • Show 40% more complex social interactions than in “traditional” playgrounds.
  • Problem-solve 2.8x more frequently in natural settings compared to traditional playgrounds
  • Display a 25% increase in unique vocabulary words during natural play compared to playground play
  • AND we know that kids a single generation ago spent 4-5 hours per day outside, while today's kids spend an average of 10 minutes

Below, see photos from the Wild Woods nature play area located downtown near the Bandshell.

Wild Woods Nature Discovery Area

  • Nature play area climbing feature with children

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  • Nature play area log features and colorful signage with children

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  • Wild Woods nature play area sign and sand pit with children

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  • Nature play area climbing feature with children and flatirons in the background

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  • Nature play area log tunnel feature with children

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  • Nature play area sand pit feature with children

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  • Nature play area fairy house made by a child

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    • Project Updates

    June 2025 Engagement & Project Kickoff

    • The project team walked with Boulder Day Nursery students, parents, and staff to the Wild Woods Nature Discovery Area located in Central Park near the Bandshell. Kids and parents got to experience nature play with their children and provide feedback about their experience to the project team.
    • The project team met with a small steering committee made up of parents and Boulder Day Nursery staff who will review the design at project milestones. The steering committee provided detailed feedback about concerns, priorities, and opportunities in the park space.
    • The project team conducted site analysis for the renovation project.