Children across the ACT will be able to enjoy two new nature play areas across Canberra, just in time for the school holidays.
The new play areas were opened on Thursday in Eddison Park in Woden and Glebe Park in Civic.
Rather than emphasise traditional playground equipment, the new areas focus on natural elements such as logs, boulders and dry creek beds for children to use.
Murrumbidgee MLA Bec Cody said the new nature play area in Eddison Park would allow children to be engaged in more unstructured play.
"This is about getting back to nature and integrating it with play," Ms Cody said.
"Kids haven't changed much and they still want to do things like climb and play in the grass or with sticks and stones."
The Eddison Park play area is estimated to cost $200,000, while the Glebe Park space is expected to cost $300,000.
Among the features at the new Woden play area are climbing hills, rope bridges and tunnels.
A dry creek bed and even an area for water pumps are among the features at the new space in Glebe Park.
The unveiling of the two new play areas comes off the back of a similar site opening in Farrer in October.
Two more spaces are expected to be opened in early 2020, including one near Gungahlin. The location of the other is yet to be determined.
Ms Cody said the design of the new play areas was developed after speaking with children and parents in the area.
"It's been good to make use of this barren area in the park," she said.
"The area should've had more water in it but we lost that and some of the greenery because of the drought.
"Because of the construction of the space, there's been birds and frogs returning, but it also gives an opportunity to play around shady trees and have picnics as well."
While more nature play areas are being built across Canberra, Ms Cody said they wouldn't replace more traditional playgrounds.
"It's really important that we have both types in the community," she said.
"There's absolutely the need for traditional playgrounds and they help build fine motor and gross-motor skills."
Among the children who got to first experience to new Eddison Park play area was five-year-old Sani Haider.
He enjoyed being able to jump off all the rocks with his brother, Remi.
"I also like going over the rope bridge. It's scary but I'm not scared," Sani said.
