|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Filoli, a historical estate located in Woodside, is considered by many to be a hidden gem in the Peninsula, but with over 654 acres of property, the majority of which is natural lands, the Filoli team is working on increasing visitorship through new exhibits and events. The Nature Playspace is one of its newest additions.
Recent data showed that only 10% of Filoli visitors ventured into the open space, where the property has two hiking trails, the Lamchin Interpretive Center and even a bridge that crosses the San Andreas Fault. Most of the visitors only know of the historic house and garden, said Programs and Partnerships Manager Sonia Capitant.
“Filoli has always had dreams of expanding visitorship into the natural lands and so we were looking for ways to motivate people, particularly families, to get out into that space,” she said.
Visitors can hike the 1-mile California Trail to see the newly built Nature Playspace. The area features a maze, willow huts, platform stage and a fairy ring. The maze was constructed as a collaborative effort between the horticulture and facilities team and is made entirely with recycled and repurposed materials.
“I wanted to create something that was an invitation to explore nature that wasn’t too intense for kids that didn’t have much experience being in nature,” said Capitant.
Inspired by the Outpost Playground at the Presidio Tunnel Tops and the playspace at the California Academy of Sciences, Capitant chose to incorporate recycled materials found on the grounds of Filoli, including orchard prunings and oak trimmings.
Maze pathway created with dead hedges and decorated with repurposed artwork at Filoli’s Nature Playspace. Photo by Jennifer Yoshikoshi. 
A child observing a fairy house at Filoli’s Nature Playspace. Courtesy Courtesy Filoli House and Historic Gardens. 
Willow huts at Filoli’s Nature Playspace. Photo by Jennifer Yoshikoshi.
The maze pathway is created with dead hedges, layered with twigs, branches and foliage. Capitant said that this natural element to the playspace also serves as a home for local wildlife such as lizards.
She also used repurposed materials in alignment with the estate’s temporary Troll exhibit by artist Thomas Dambo, which aims to spread the message that trash can be turned into treasure.
“We’re lucky that the site is rich with materials and so repurposing what we had to create something, was definitely a motivation,” said Capitant.
To encourage play, the pathway features a music wall with a tambourine, an old xylophone, a rolling pin, and other items that Capitant found from Goodwill. This area is decorated with repurposed art, such as a flag bunting made from recycled saris and a crocheted spider web made from old T-shirts. Filoli hopes to add more repurposed artwork as they discover more artists in the future, Capitant said.
The playspace adds whimsical details with small fairy houses hidden throughout the maze and a fairy ring made of oak tree stumps — perfectly set up for a forest tea party.
In addition to the Nature Playspace, Filoli will be hosting various family programs such as a puppet show, theater performance and art activities in the natural lands area, said Capitant.
Community members can look forward to more summer events and activities that are family friendly and an encouragement to get children outdoors.
In the future, Filoli will be extending its seasonal events such as Halloween’s Nightfall into the open space. The Wellness Wednesday programming will also be hosted in the natural lands where families can enjoy yoga, sound baths and vegetable tastings.
For more information on Fioli and its events visit filoli.org.
Charged with child sex abuse, East Palo Alto employee gets character reference from council memberFebruary 23, 2026 2:08 pm
San Mateo County health officials warn of measles exposure at Burlingame restaurantFebruary 27, 2026 5:37 pm
Woodside town manager behind scathing report asked town to buy out his contractFebruary 20, 2026 12:25 pm