Thompson Child Development Center has upgraded their outdoor learning environment to meet best practice standards as a result of participating in Preventing Obesity by Design (POD3).

Prior to being identified as a POD3 Lab Site, the existing spaces for all ages included play hills, concrete pathways, and several kinds of play structures.

The first steps towards lab site best practices were to upfit all the play hills with poured-in-place surfacing to address erosion concerns. Ornamental grasses, shrubs, and new play settings were added to play areas, including: storage, playhouses, stages, earth play, art easels, and a climbing wall.

In addition, they will install plumbing in the preschool area for water play and water for their vegetable garden, install stepping stones in their infant space, and increase new plantings in all of the outdoor spaces.