About Us

Nature of Early Play Made in the USA Playground Equipment

 

Nature of Early Play is a woman-owned small business. We manufacture recycled outdoor early childhood playground equipment in rural Somerset, Kentucky. Providing jobs in our local community, while offering “green” products on national and international levels is something we take pride in. Each item is hand-crafted by skilled men and women. Our products are 100% made in the USA, and manufactured primarily from 100% recycled materials, averaging 85% recycled content per structure, by weight.

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Nature of Early Play Mission:

THE PRODUCT: To maintain a high level of integrity, dependability, and quality while producing a world-class product at affordable prices to the consumer. To provide children the opportunity to experience a safe, environmentally friendly, and creative place in which to play and grow.

THE EMPLOYEE AND WORK ENVIRONMENT: To work together with our employees to create a safe, environmentally friendly, and creative place in which each person has the freedom to use his or her God-given gifts and abilities.

THE INCREASE: To use the increase to reinvest in Nature of Early Play’s growth, to improve the quality of the lives of all employees, and to use a portion of the increase to advance God’s kingdom around the world.


Nature of Early Play Green Initiative:

At Nature of Early Play, our greenness is more than just a corporate buzzword.

Not only is our early childhood playground equipment made from recycled materials. Our company’s very mission focuses on providing environmentally friendly products for the consumer. More importantly for us, Nature of Early Play provides a healthy work environment for all of our employees and we hold firmly to principles of corporate integrity—ethically, socially, and environmentally.

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Family Business Making Playground Equipment:

Nature of Early Play truly was a family business from the very beginning. After moving the family to rural Kentucky from Boulder, Colorado in 1978, Dennis and Rebecca Beach and their their five children shared “cozy” quarters in their two-bedroom trailer. The rolling hills and creeks of Woodstock, Kentucky had become home to the Beach family. Dennis’s Landscape Architect degree and construction experience afforded him opportunities in a variety of carpentry odd jobs. When a local PTA (Parent Teacher Association) requested he build a playground, he undertook the project with characteristic energy and innovation. The Beach children helped to develop the mission, vision, and heart of this unique, family-owned and operated company.

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Woman Owned Small Business: Rebecca Beach

Rebecca Beach’s passion for connecting young children with nature in all its marvelous forms – by growing, observing, and providing habitat for living things – has spilled over into our Nature of Early Play product designs. She raised five children in rural Kentucky and home-schooled them through high school and knows that children must develop their relationship with the natural world at an early age. It is her mission to help caregivers provide small children with genuine experiences in nature, creating a foundation for their entire lives. Rebecca is the major stockholder and operates as the company CEO directing the company’s daily operations, keeping a pulse on the market, and working with Dennis to keep products fresh and updated.

 


Design Passion: Dennis Beach

Play Mart’s Co-Owner, Dennis Beach, is the definition of design and environmental conservation passion. His mind is continually challenged by redesigning everyday objects to make them more user-friendly, more efficient or more aesthetically pleasing. He is the driving force behind Play Mart’s streamlined play equipment, efficient use of materials and ergonomic products. His second passion – photography – is evident throughout the pages of our catalogs. His obsession with cutting-edge design renderings combines his detailed, technical knowledge with his practiced eye for beautiful images. Dennis and Rebecca’s California home is nearly fully sourced by collected rainwater. Dennis enjoys teaching anyone who will listen about recycling and energy efficiency. Not surprisingly, all his children and grandchildren share his love for “tools”.