Exciting New Playground and Sports Court Coming this Fall!
Construction is underway on a new playground and sports court at Norwood! The new playscape will include an exciting variety of play areas and structures designed to foster creativity, imagination, adventure, challenge, coordination, agility, fitness, and, most importantly, fun!
Unstructured outdoor play has always been a cornerstone of the Norwood School experience. We understand and value the many benefits of play, particularly unstructured play, in a child's healthy development. Play leads to happier, healthier, and more independent children, fosters imagination and creativity, engages a child's sense of adventure and wonder, enhances learning readiness and problem-solving skills, promotes physical fitness, balance, coordination, and motor skills, and improves memory, attention, and concentration.
Last fall, Norwood partnered with Earthscape, a leader in natural and innovative playgrounds, and Campion Hruby, award-winning landscape architects, to design a unique playscape and recreational hub that embodies our happy, welcoming, playful, and active community. Each feature is designed to maximize play value, stimulate children’s imagination, offer physical challenges and beneficial risks, and encourage social interaction and creative play. All play structures will be ADA accessible and cater to a wide range of play styles and developmental stages.
Highlights include:
Norwood Blue Hawk
This one-of-a-kind, highly interactive play structure will be a magnificent showpiece in Norwood's front yard. The enormous replica of Norwood’s mascot has been designed to inspire imagination and creative play and will appeal to all kinds of play styles and developmental stages.
The Nest
This section of the playground will include traditional elements such as rings and monkey bars, slides, hammocks, bridges, randomized posts, and a climber. It offers a diverse range of play opportunities for different abilities and interests. The High Log Jam Climber and Log Tangle will provide open-ended challenges and gross motor skill development, allowing children to experience graduated challenges and learn to assess risk.
The Junior Wetland
This area will feature a variety of elements to encourage imaginative play and adventure, including crawl-through logs with mice-themed rock climbers, a leaf climber, a post and rope challenge course, bog stilts and steppers, a balance circuit with a slat bridge and notched posts, and wobble boards to enhance balance, coordination, agility, and core strength.
This area will feature a variety of elements to encourage imaginative play and adventure, including crawl-through logs with mice-themed rock climbers, a leaf climber, a post and rope challenge course, bog stilts and steppers, a balance circuit with a slat bridge and notched posts, and wobble boards to enhance balance, coordination, agility, and core strength.
Sports Court
The new sports court’s durable surface will support soccer, basketball, handball, and street hockey, making it an excellent play space year-round. It will also serve as an additional location for P.E. classes and athletic practices.
The Ellipse
This grass sports field has been specifically designated for daily use by lower school students during recess for soccer, football, and other sports/games. It will be centrally located between the Blue Hawk play area and the sports court.
Prospective families can learn more about the new playground and sports court by contacting the Admission Office at 301-841-2130 or admission@norwoodschool.org.
Prospective families can learn more about the new playground and sports court by contacting the Admission Office at 301-841-2130 or admission@norwoodschool.org.
Located in Bethesda, MD, Norwood School develops students in grades PK-8 into confident lifelong learners who have the academic, character, and leadership skills to succeed in high school and beyond. Recognizing that children are multi-faceted, Norwood provides many opportunities for safe risk-taking, exploration, discovery, and growth in a nurturing, supportive, and inclusive school community.
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