Filled with pallets, pipe fittings, wood scraps, buckets, barrels, cable reels and other odds and ends, the unique playground near the Estonian National Museum (ERM) welcomes kids and teens ages 6–16 starting Tuesday.

An all-ages community cleanup day on Sunday helped prepare the yard for reopening, with local children among those lending a hand.

"Last year we came with a big group and we built a pretty big house," said Älis, one of several kids who helped get the space ready.

"This year we'll start by building a castle, and then after that, I'm not even sure yet," added Lenna.

For both kids, the junk playground offers a welcome change of pace as summer break continues.

"What are you supposed to do all summer? You're bored and just sit around watching TV," Älis said. "But now we can come here and build something for ourselves."

"I like building stuff and doing stuff here," said Lenna. "Last year I really liked painting the walls and thinking about what would go where and what kind of house to build."

The chance to make new friends is another draw.

"You can build stuff with them," Älis said. "And visit each other's houses — if they give you permission to come in, of course."

'Real play was playing with loose junk'

Referred to internationally as both adventure and junk playgrounds, these spaces encourage children to use loose parts and found materials to create their own play environments.

The Estonian National Adventure Playground (Eesti Rahva Kolahoov) provides room for building with or without tools, crafting, resting, hiding, campfires and many forms of adventurous and risky play.

A separate quiet area is available for adults and younger children, while adult playworkers remain nearby in the main yard to help assess risks and conflicts and step in only when needed.

Leene Kolp, one of the project's main organizers, said adults can understand the value of this kind of play by reflecting on their own childhoods.

"When we were kids, play — real play — looked like sneaking off away from adult eyes, usually somewhere outside, and just playing with all kinds of loose junk," Kolp said.

"All those elements that promote well-being are already built into play, so this offers so much at once," she added. "It's a real shame kids don't have more opportunities like this, so we're just trying to provide a little bit of that."

In 2025, the Estonian National Adventure Playground was nominated for the Estonian Association of Landscape Architects' (EMAL) Annual Award for Co-created Space.

Located near Raadi Manor on the outdoor grounds of the Estonian National Museum (ERM), the junk playground is open Tuesday through Friday from 1–5 p.m. throughout August.

Admission is free.

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