Water Fun for Kids: New Mud Playground Being Built in Jena-Ost
The playground on Schlippenstraße in Wenigenjena is set to undergo a comprehensive renovation and be transformed into Jena’s first water and mud playground. The Committee on Urban Development, Environment, Climate Protection, and Sustainability has approved the corresponding plans.
“With this redesign, we are creating a modern, nature-oriented playground that offers children—including those with disabilities—a completely new play experience featuring water, physical activity, and plenty of space for exploration. At the same time, we are responding to a long-standing request from the community. The new playground will promote physical activity, creativity, and collaborative play, and will enrich the neighborhood as an attractive gathering place for families and the local community,” says Dirk Lange, Director of Urban Development and the Environment.
Here’s what the new playground will look like
The plan is for a nature-inspired play area featuring waterways, pumps, channels, and sand and mud areas. The facilities will be complemented by climbing and balancing elements. The site will be divided into several levels so that children can actively direct, dam, and experience water.
The playground is designed primarily for children up to about six years old, but also offers a variety of play options for older children. In addition, accessible play features are planned so that as many children as possible can play together.
Involvement of Children and the Neighborhood
During the planning process, children and teenagers, as well as the neighborhood’s daycare centers, were surveyed about their wishes and ideas for a water and mud playground. Their ideas and needs were directly incorporated into the design.
The project was also presented at the Eastside Youth Club and discussed together with the children. In May 2026, the commissioned planning firm also presented the designs to the Wenigenjena neighborhood council.
Timeline
The call for bids for the construction work is scheduled for fall 2026. Construction is set to begin shortly thereafter, so that the project is expected to be completed between March and May 2027.
Background: A Request from Citizens Is Being Implemented
The idea of adding more water play features to Jena’s playgrounds has been repeatedly brought to the city’s attention by residents in recent years. A proposal from the 2023 participatory budget to create a public mud playground also received widespread support and was incorporated into further planning.
The playground in the Schlippenstraße/Kunitzer Straße area was identified as the ideal location for the project. The approximately 593-square-meter playground was built in 1990 and last partially renovated in 2016. Since the facility has since aged and no longer meets today’s requirements for a diverse and inclusive range of play options, a fundamental redesign became necessary.
With the approval from the Urban Development Committee, preparations can now begin for the implementation of Jena’s first public water and mud playground.