A Playground Designed By Boys, For Boys

Crescent celebrated the official opening of its new Lower School Primary playground with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 27. Nestled beside the ravine, the playground offers the School’s youngest boys an exciting new space to climb, explore and play. “This is a long time coming,” said Headmaster Fellin to the Grade 1, 2, and 3 students in attendance. “We’re so grateful to have this new structure for you to enjoy, for you to climb, have some challenge, and build friendships while playing.”

What makes it particularly special is the thoughtful, student-centred approach behind its design.

Last year, Grade 6 students were invited to imagine their ideal playground through a design-thinking exercise led by physical education teacher Kody Vaisanen. Four boys whose ideas stood out for their creativity and practicality were invited to present their suggestions directly to the playground design team. 

Their ideas helped inform a design philosophy championed by Headmaster Michael Fellin: encouraging healthy risk-taking, resilience, and imaginative play. Working with Lower School leadership, the team balanced adventurous climbing and balancing challenges with more familiar playground features. “We wanted to have the opportunity to use the ravine area and reflect that in the natural materials of the structure,” says Chief Operating Officer Haiyan Zhao. “This also created easy access to the back of the school for primary grade  students.”

Bringing the vision to life required close collaboration between educators, school leadership, and the construction company hired to build the structure. The result is more than a playground; it’s a space where boys can build confidence and experience the simple joy of play.