During the development and construction of the Laguna Hills Community Center and Sports Complex, the design team researched and collaborated with a paleontologist and various artists to create a paleo-adventure playground that reflects the historical significance of the area. View the
photo gallery of the prehistoric playground.
Features
This prehistoric playground includes a myriad of educational opportunities for children of all ages to explore. Resting in rolling sand waves sits a 33 foot bowhead whale skeleton that children can climb on and imagine how it lived 9 million years ago. This 1/3 scale replica is reminiscent of the fossil unearthed on this very site.
Fossils in the Playground
A replica of fossil reef has been recreated by the playground bridge and has imprints of actual fossils that are over 15 million years old. Under the bridge, a 70 million year old fossil replica of a Hadrosaur is imbedded into the bridge wall, along with fossil pieces of a saber toothed cat, duck-billed dinosaur and mammoths.
The prehistoric playground contains fossils - real and replicas - that represent a rich diversity of ancient life from the changing Laguna Hills environments. To walk across the playground is to walk through time. By enjoying the many paleontological features located throughout the playground, visitors can discover the ancient life that walked, swam, and flew thousands of years ago in the Saddleback Valley.
Custom Panels
The diversity of primitive life found as fossils in Laguna Hills is also displayed in the custom panels on the play equipment. These panels include mammoths, camels, dolphins, whales, sloth and other creatures of the prehistoric period. Animal tracks and fossil impressions throughout the park reinforce the theme. Overall, 25 prehistoric animals are represented in the prehistoric playground.
