Adventure play refers to a form of play that encourages children to engage in spontaneous, imaginative, and self-directed activities. It focuses on allowing children to take risks, explore, and create their own play experiences, often with minimal adult intervention. The emphasis is on promoting creativity, problem-solving skills, physical activity, and social interaction. Adventure play can take place in various settings, from natural environments like forests and beaches to specially designed play areas.

An adventure playground is a designated area specifically designed to facilitate adventure play. These playgrounds typically feature unconventional and flexible structures, such as loose parts (e.g., tires, planks, ropes), natural elements (e.g., trees, rocks, sand), and recycled materials that children can manipulate and use to build their own play environments. Adventure playgrounds are distinct from traditional playgrounds in that they offer more opportunities for children to engage in unstructured, imaginative play and to take risks within a managed, often supervised, setting. The aim is to create a dynamic and stimulating environment that encourages creativity, physical activity, and social collaboration.