Tulsa Zoo Helmerich Playground

About This Project

Completed in 2020, the Tulsa Zoo Helmerich Playground is a monumental experience for children. While children have a fun-filled time playing and exploring on play structures, they will also gain a new level of engagement with the animals that they encounter during their visit. The goal is for this unique playground to use play to create empathy and understanding through shared experiences. Featuring animal-shaped equipment and musical instruments, this playground offers free-play experiences for toddlers and older children in separate, defined areas. To ensure that children of all physical, social and emotional capabilities can participate, inclusion was the goal of every aspect of design. Kids can play and mimic the movements and motions of the animals in the zoo. The playground consists of multiple areas all age appropriate. They’re also inclusive and accessible to all children, all capabilities. They’ll all include some sort of sensory play for children who may not be able to climb and swing as others can and the sky bridge allows for a beautiful view of the zoo.