ABSTRACT
In 1966, the author conducted a real-live experiment in playground design in Boston which resulted in the development of several operational concepts applicable to the design and management of play environments. In Berkeley, he have found the opportunity to apply and extend these realizations in two elementary school settings; first, at Thousand Oaks in North Berkeley and for the past year and half at Washington (a University Laboratory School) near the center of town. In both cases the aim has been to make the school yard a communal place for learning, recreation, and creative play for the school population and everyone in the wider school community. Both projects were initiated through the growth of an environmental education orientation among teachers and parents, who viewed their yard as a potential outdoor extension of the school environment. The physical changes at Thousand Oaks were made by a dedicated group of parents and students in environmental design during 1970 - 1971.
