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Tree-mendous new play area opens at the National Arboretum, Westonbirt

Crawling under tree roots, encounters with over-sized worms and climbing into a giant birds nest are not normal experiences associated with a visit to the National Arboretum, Westonbirt, but it's what awaits the under-fives as a brand new play area opens in time for summer.

The Forestry Commission-managed site in Gloucestershire spreads across 600 acres and provides limitless natural play opportunities for children - and grown ups! From hide-and-seek to den building, fun and games are encouraged throughout and family groups account for 25% of all visitors.

The Exploratree experience, located next to the Courtyard Café, is aimed solely at under fives to help develop their play skills and their understanding of trees.

Taking the functioning tree as its inspiration, Exploratree seeks to enable children to explore the different parts that make up a tree - roots, trunk, branches, leaves, flowers and seeds/fruit - creatively, actively and through their imagination in such a way as to expand their understanding of how a tree works.

Toddlers and young children will be able to walk through a large wooden tree root to enter a woodland wonderland where they can climb, hide, make sculpture, build dens, meet all sorts of creatures and enjoy some real adventure play.

While enjoyment is at the heart of this project, as far as Westonbirt Education and Interpretation Manager Ben Oliver is concerned, this is serious fun: "The aim is to engage the youngest visitors with trees, to spring board their interest in the environment and encourage their own exploration of Westonbirt through self-discovery, curiosity and spontaneity."

The arboretum's 2006 family survey indicated that it is this age group which most want play facilities close to the visitor hub, and the decision to build the play area is also supported by a recent Forestry Commission publication, Growing Adventure, which outlined the desire to develop play provision across its sites. Westonbirt's Exploratree is the first step towards that goal and the next phase will see play opportunities for older children throughout the wider arboretum.