12 June 2012
Speelnatuur natural playground on Tiengemeten
On 20 June 2012, a huge natural playground will be opened on the island of Tiengemeten, where adventuring-seeking children can play to their hearts' content.
‘Natural’ fun for young and old
The island of Tiengemeten, part of the Hoeksche Waard National Landscape, is supremely suited as a natural playground. Speelnatuur is an initiative of the Society for Preservation of Nature Monuments in the Netherlands (Natuurmonumenten). There are countless opportunities for children to explore nature with all their senses, from building dams and rafts to climbing, flower-picking and playing hide-and-seek. The island also has a Visitors Centre, two museums, a B&B with campsite and a wide range of walking routes.
Ukkie-eiland, Toddler Island
On Ukkie-eiland, there is plenty of sand and water to keep toddlers entertained. There are also shallow streams in which to enjoy a refreshing paddle. Comfortable viewing platforms are provided for parents and guardians, allowing them to keep a close eye on their little ones.
Scrambling and crawling
Children aged four to twelve can enjoy a range of activities, such as clambering up obstacles, exploring mazes and building huts and rafts out of natural materials. The large nature reserve has plenty of adventurous play areas such as “Vlottenbouweiland” for building rafts, the “Doolhofeiland” maze and “Kruip-door-Sluip-door-Eiland” for scrambling and crawling.
Practical information
A scheduled ferry service runs daily from Nieuwendijk to Tiengemeten. For the natural playground, there is a special introductory price of € 4.50 for children from 2 years of age and € 2.50 for adults. Speelnatuur Tiengemeten is open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday from 1 April 2012 to 1 November inclusive. During the school holidays, the natural playground is open Tuesday to Sunday inclusive.
More information
For more information, please visit www.natuurmonumenten.nl/tiengemeten (only NL-version). Alternatively, please telephone Natuurmonumenten on +31 (0)10-217 01 41.
