The UK’s leading specialist design and build play company, TouchWood Play, has completed a three-year project to create bespoke play equipment for William’s Den, a brand new, £3 million indoor-meets-outdoor play adventure, in North Cave, Yorkshire.
Believed to be the UK’s largest-ever bespoke indoor timber play experience, owners Christian and Tor Carver, who both grew up on farms, describe William’s Den as a ‘nostalgic nod’ to a bygone era of child’s play where children were free to explore and play in natural surroundings.
William’s Den includes a 475 sqm play barn in which TouchWood’s specialist design team has brought the outside-in, to enable children to play, whatever the British weather has to offer.
The bespoke play features include a 25-metre granite installation, complete with a cascading stream and pool, a rainmaker to simulate a rain shower, a unique six metre high Ancient Oak linked to a tree house, which incorporates swings, balancing pole branches, bridges and a three metre slide off a deck down into a sandpit below.
To emulate the great outdoors, the barn is filled with natural light from huge windows and plenty of fresh air from huge sliding doors.
In the extensive outdoor play area, kids have plenty of space to jump and roll around freely. They can choose to fly on a 50-metre zip wire, get practical in the den making area or get musical on pieces of sculpted wood, which TouchWood’s team has carefully carved and tuned to a pentatonic scale.
Touchwood’s Founder Joe Cooper says: “This has been the most incredible, large-scale project we have ever worked on. Our team has had their own three-year creative adventure to help Tor and Christian fulfil their vision.
"We are all extremely proud to have been a part of this ground-breaking, multi-sensory project and are delighted it has been so much enjoyed by the first children to visit.”
Tor Carver, William’s Den co-founder says: “TouchWood’s team of designers and craftsmen have enabled us to realise our dream to create something very special, which will help children learn through active play.
"William’s Den inspires and challenges children with a natural play experience, giving them freedom and space to play inside and out, whatever the weather. It’s the stuff our childhood memories are made from.”
Christian Carver co-founder, says: “William’s Den will be a place where children can run, splash, jump and climb their way to the ‘best day ever’.
"We want kids to have freedom to play outside, get lots of fresh air, always finishing their day at William’s Den with rosy cheeks and big smiles.”
