Hello
I'm Katie Colgan, a nature-play designer and mom passionate about creating outdoor spaces where children can explore, imagine, and connect with the natural world. Through Natural Wonders Playscapes, I help families and schools bring more wonder, creativity, and adventure into everyday play.
My Story
The idea for this work started years ago when my wife and I were expecting our son. Before becoming a parent, I spent many years working as a nanny, visiting countless playgrounds. The ones that stood out — and the ones kids were naturally drawn to — were the simplest: tree stumps to climb, sand to dig in, water to splash, and plants to explore. I saw this especially in Waldorf preschools and other nature-based environments.
What I noticed was that kids often spent more time inventing games with sticks, rocks, sand, and water than they did on big plastic play structures. That realization led me to explore nature-based playscape design and start creating simple outdoor elements families can add to their yards — pieces that invite hours of imaginative play while blending beautifully into the landscape.
Contact
I'd love to help you create an outdoor space where children can explore, imagine, and connect with nature. Let's start a conversation about your vision.