Introduction
What makes a playing place?
Inspiring/Informative playing places
Kippen Skate Park
Gorgie/Dalry Community Park
Mugdock Country Park
The Yard
Giffnock Primary School
Garnethill Community Park
Balornock East Youth Centre
The Spire Park
Conclusion
References & Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements
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Where is it? What's it like? What's the story?

The Yard (formerly known as Scotland Yard) is an exciting adventure play area for special needs children and families, and organised groups. There is very little conventional play equipment at the Yard and it is a remarkably rich play area.
Where is it?
It's in Edinburgh's New town, off Eyre Place.
What's it like?
The most original thing about the Yard is that it isn't really like anything, and it can be different every day. It's an outdoor play space with a purpose built indoor facility
What's the story?

The Yard started out as Scotland Yard (it's situated behind Scotland Street) and has recently changed to simply the yard. It is an enclosed adventure play area for children with special needs (and is open on some days to local children too). The Yard has permanent play structures e.g. a mountain with a stream, a sand area, and a timber walkway, and has a lot of mobile equipment, which is set out on a daily basis. Usually there are bikes, and crash mats, and swings attached onto the building beams, and sometimes there is water or other materials to play with.

The key thing about the Yard is that it is dynamic and can be set up to suit whoever is coming in. The staff spends about an hour each morning setting up the temporary parts of the play area amongst the more permanent structures. There is an initiative every so often to discuss, design, and construct a new feature. It is through this process that the sand-pit, the willow dome, and the sensory garden were created. The Yard advertises for volunteers, although there is already a core team, to help with construction of these major elements, but all the children are invited to help with design and some can be involved with construction. These projects are well documented in words and photographs in their own project books.

Bikes are a key feature at The Yard, and there is a wide surfaced path with a few gentle hills, which is not strictly adhered to-you're allowed to cycle off the track. There are standard bikes, trikes, two side-by-side tandems, and a more conventional tandem so that everyone can have a safe biking experience. Helmets are provided. Bikes inevitably require maintenance, and there is a volunteer who comes one day a week to provide that service. Variety of shapes, colour, materials, and textures seems to have been designed into the place and yet there is no impression of careful design layout.
Being at the yard is really quite an inspiring experience, staff numbers ensure that play can be risky and yet safe, and difficulties can be shared and solved, and the whole atmosphere is enormously informal. There is lots of stimulation at the yard.