Sensory Trail in Paddington's Playground Features Outdoor Musical Instruments

A new adventure playground with features inspired by Paddington Bear (the marmalade-loving bear from darkest Peru) opened its gates in Paddington Recreation Ground last month.

Located in leafy West London, Paddington Recreation Ground is Westminster City Council’s largest open space at 28 acres and welcomes over 1.2 million visitors per year.

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Designed by Ruth Willmott Associates and Playscheme , and part-funded by Westminster City Council, the new playground features bespoke equipment that offers inclusive, creative, and stimulating play for residents of all ages and abilities. This epic project that took five whole months to build and includes a train with its very own Paddington Station, an amazing steam liner ship, zip wire, a terrace of pastel-coloured houses and even a carved Paddington Bear himself.

Outdoor musical instruments from Percussion Play feature along the innovative sensory trail, which has been designed with inclusivity in mind and which allows visitors to explore the playground in different ways and at their own pace. Playing on the senses of touch and sound, the bespoke trail provides a stimulating space for visitors to interact with the newly planted flowers, plants and trees, and the outdoor musical instruments allow visitors of all ages and abilities to play together. Outdoor musical instruments help create truly inclusive play spaces and play opportunities for children who may not normally have access to all equipment.
The instruments selected were -

  • A Cadenza - perfect for exploring possibilities with melody, harmony, and rhythm.
  • A Small Babel Drum - children (and adults, too!) will enjoy improvising with the mesmerizing sounds they produce.
  • Congas (Pairs) - combine outstanding playability with high energy, a wonderful sound and exciting visual appeal.
  • Soprano Pentatonic Freechimes - hand-tuned aluminium chimes which produce a rich vibrant, harmonic resonance.

Cllr Iain Bott, Westminster City Council Cabinet Member for Sports, Culture and Community, said:

“As a City for All, the new playground at Paddington Rec is a fantastic place to encourage Westminster’s children and young people to get active. With wheelchair access and sensory experiences, we’ve made sure anyone can take part and enjoy.”

About Playscheme

Playscheme is a family-run company with over 20 years' experience in creating inspiring bespoke outdoor play areas for schools, nurseries and public places.

Bespoke playground specialists, they have a vast experience of designing, manufacturing and installing custom-made environments that are imaginative, exhilarating and educational.