Humble ISD is inviting families to celebrate the new ice castle-themed playground at Shadow Forest Elementary School, 2300 Mills Branch Drive. Members of the public are invited to a brief dedication ceremony at 5 p.m. on Monday, April 29, featuring SFE choir and student speakers. Food trucks -- El Taco Nato, The Lunch Bag, Tikiz Shaved Ice and The Cotton Candy Cart -- will be on site for the event.
New or additional playground equipment, with themes focused on imaginative play and learning, is being installed at every elementary school on handicap-accessible, poured-in-place rubber surfaces instead of mulch, over the next five years. Elementary playgrounds at Humble ISD schools are open to the public when school is not in session.
The playground is inspired by a fictitious Yeti, or abominable snowman, kingdom hidden on top of a frozen mountain. Very few brave villagers from the bottom of the mountain dare enter the frozen lands in search of the Yeti and its legendary ice castle.
The giant 31-foot-tall play tower with custom ice-castle themed panels features two slides, a Cliff Rider thrilling pendulum play structure, custom tactile play panels and a climbing net and wall. The playground equipment sits on a handicap-accessible Pour-in-place (PIP) rubber playground surfacing featuring snowflakes, wisps of ice magic, and the trees and village.
The playground also features: a double zipline; pendulum swing; Yeti Trail climbing net with custom Yeti climbing panels; Ice Cave Climbing Rope Tunnel with custom icicle and snowy top panels; Snow-capped Swing Set featuring ADA-accessible seating; Snowman Seesaw; Snowflake Jumping Net; various spinner and springer play equipment; rubber pour-in-place (PIP) ice cubes and balls; turbo carousel, or rotating monkey bars and a themed communication board sign.
The playground at Shadow Forest Elementary was designed and installed by KOMPAN Inc. Americas.
Shadow Forest Elementary is the fourth Humble ISD campus to debut an updated playground in the 2023-2024 school year. In March, North Bend Elementary opened its ski lodge-themed playground, in December, Jack Fields Elementary opened its Space-themed playground, and Oaks Elementary opened its National Parks-themed playground in October. It is the eighth new playground in the school district since the revitalization of the campus playgrounds began. Last school year, River Pines (Rainforest-themed); Elm Grove (Treehouse-themed); Park Lakes (Safari-themed) and Woodland Hill (Fairytale-themed) were all unveiled.