Play at ONS BUITEN

20 juni 2025

PLAY at ONS BUITEN

What if a tree stump becomes a dragon? Or a hill turns into a stage? At ONS BUITEN, we believe that real play begins where toys end.

Today’s toys are becoming more and more defined. Figurines with specific facial expressions, toy cars that sing about being cars, or play structures shaped like pirate ships. They can be a lot of fun. Still, it’s hard to imagine that a pirate ship-shaped structure could also be a hospital or a school.

To make room for imagination and to encourage children to create their own worlds, ONS BUITEN has chosen not to place conventional playground equipment, but to offer play invitations that truly invite free play. This way, children’s imaginations are free to flow and grow.

Design

In designing our play invitations, we followed our intuition and personal vision. We felt a strong desire to give children the chance to play outdoors, with the elements, in tune with their own mood. The kind of feeling we wish every child could experience.

Together with our partner (landscape architect Jos Willemsen), we added a wide green zone to ONS BUITEN. What used to be a playground, an amphitheater for the recreation team, and a playfield has now become a long green space with play invitations, a greenhouse, cascading water, hiding spots, a small green theater, a campfire area, a water and mud playground, a water cushion, and a terrace.

It’s a place somewhere between a village square and a park — where you can listen to birdsong, the gentle splashing of the water playground, the chatter and laughter of people, and where you might spot someone reading a book on one of the little hills. Sometimes lively, sometimes serene. The heart of ONS BUITEN. A place where you’ll want to linger.

No age limits

We’ve let go of the usual advice to separate play areas by age. At ONS BUITEN, there’s space for people of all ages to meet — or to simply be alongside one another. This way of being together feels natural and enriching. We all mean something to one another, even if it’s just a younger child watching what an older child or adult is doing.

For every mood

Feeling more inward today? Or ready to be in the spotlight? Your mood naturally shapes how you experience the day. And that’s okay. Every child (and every adult) gets to come a little closer to themselves.

On the pink water cushion, you may feel seen. Barefoot in the water, hidden behind the willow bushes, brings a sense of peace. You can wander alone for hours, or meet someone and decide together to redirect the water flow in the water playground.

Open-ended play

With open-ended play, there are no fixed rules, no set goals, and no right or wrong. Children decide what they do, how they do it, and why. A stick becomes a magic wand, a boat, or a snake. Anything is possible.

This kind of play fuels creativity, builds confidence, and helps children discover who they are — in their own time and rhythm.

The grounds at ONS BUITEN are naturally designed, with plenty of space to wander, explore, and disappear into play. Children naturally gravitate towards the "green lung" or they find their own special spot somewhere on the site. Everything is there, yet nothing is predetermined.

It may take a moment to get used to the absence of traditional playground equipment or predefined play structures. But we believe that’s exactly where the strength lies. We want to give children (and adults!) the freedom to follow their mood, to find joy simply by being — in connection with nature.

That’s why you’ll find as many open play invitations as possible at ONS BUITEN. We believe that’s exactly what children need. And maybe — you do too.