Discovery Playground Design and Install for EYFS - Malvern Primary School, Liverpool | Absolute Play - Case Study
- Absolute Play
- May 26
- 3 min read
📌 Project snapshot
Sector: Primary Education
Age range served: EYFS
Key project drivers: Malvern Primary School’s existing EYFS space was no longer fit for purpose and did not reflect the ethos or culture of the school. The area felt busy, cluttered, difficult to maintain and raised safety concerns. The school wanted a more natural, calmer environment with clearer zoning, stronger opportunities for discovery and a layout that could remain flexible and evolve over time.
Equipment type: Discovery play, sand & water play, messy play, sensory learning, creative learning & natural play features.
Surfacing: Artificial Grass, Resin Bound Gravel, Bark, Slate, Block Paving & Natural Landscaping.
Budget: £90,000.00 +VAT
Project summary - Discovery Playground Design and Install
Absolute Play worked with Malvern Primary School to deliver a complete EYFS Discovery Playground Design and Install, transforming a cluttered and difficult-to-manage outdoor area into a more natural, flexible and discovery-led Early Years environment.
The redevelopment focused heavily on zoning, sensory materials, open-ended play and long-term adaptability, helping create a calmer outdoor space better aligned with the school’s culture and modern EYFS practice.
The brief
The school wanted to completely rethink their EYFS outdoor provision.
The existing environment had become busy, fragmented and increasingly difficult to maintain. It no longer reflected the school's values or the type of learning environment they wanted to provide. Safety concerns, poor flow between activities and a lack of meaningful zoning meant the space was not functioning effectively.
The brief centred around creating a more natural and purposeful environment, introducing clearer activity zones, stronger discovery and sensory opportunities and a design that could flex, adapt and develop alongside the school over time.
Our solution
Key Equipment:
• Sleeper Sand Pits
• Water Walls integrated into fencing
• Sleeper Mud Pit
• Sleeper Gravel Pit
• Creative Drawing & Painting Windows
• Activity Post
• Raised Discovery & Planting Zones
• Natural sensory & messy play areas
• Flexible open play spaces.
Design approach:
The design focused on simplifying and calming the environment, moving away from a busy and overly fragmented layout towards something more natural, flexible and intuitive to use.
Clearer zoning was introduced across messy play, discovery, sensory exploration, creative learning and open movement space. Natural textures, softer colour palettes and layered materials helped strengthen the outdoor learning offer whilst maintaining flexibility for the school to evolve the provision over time.
Rather than overfilling the space, the approach intentionally created stronger flow, clearer purpose and adaptable opportunities for open-ended play and exploration. The layout combined artificial grass, resin surfacing, planting, loose material zones and creative learning features to support a broad range of EYFS experiences.
Materials & surfacing
Equipment materials used
• Natural sleeper construction throughout sand, mud, gravel and planting areas.
• Timber fencing, edging and creative learning features.
• Integrated water play and sensory elements.
• Flexible loose materials and discovery resources.
Surface types used
• Play Grade Artificial Grass to create cleaner, softer and more usable all-weather areas.
• Resin Bound Gravel in sand, grey and pastel tones to support zoning, texture and visual warmth.
• Landscaping Bark & Slate to create richer sensory experiences and natural contrast.
• Block paving & edging details to improve structure, definition and movement throughout the space.
These materials were chosen to reduce maintenance, strengthen durability and create a more natural, layered EYFS environment.
Installation
This project involved a complete strip out and reconfiguration of the existing EYFS area, including removal of fixed equipment, old wetpour and artificial grass surfacing, sensory garden clearance, willow removal and repositioning of existing fencing lines. Additional screening fencing and new surfacing build-ups formed part of the wider redevelopment works.
Careful integration with existing shelters, buildings and boundaries was required to create a cohesive space that felt calmer, more organised and easier to manage day to day.
The outcome
Malvern Primary School now benefits from an EYFS environment that feels more natural, safer, calmer and significantly more purposeful.
The new space delivers stronger zoning, richer opportunities for discovery, messy play and sensory learning and a much more flexible outdoor environment that can continue to grow and evolve alongside the school’s curriculum and ethos.
Client feedback
"The team were so helpful and friendly during the installation and you have completely brought our vision to life, thank you so much!" Natalie - EYFS lead
Looking to create something similar?
If you're planning an EYFS Playground Design and Install project and want to create a natural, flexible and curriculum-led outdoor environment, we'd love to help.
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