The new playground was unveiled during a ceremony on Wednesday at the preschool.

But not before the new equipment and play areas were tested out by the Tuggeranong preschool’s 44 students.

As part of the upgrade, the playground got fitted out with new astroturf, new flowerbeds and vegetable gardens as well as a ‘mud kitchen' up the back, where the children can make mud pies.

Megan Sawbridge, chair of the Gowrie preschool sub-committee, which was responsible for organising the upgrade, said it’s been a large transformation.

“The playground was mostly an empty space with old, worn-out astroturf,” she said.

“There’s now a lot more space for them to use, and it’s much more inviting space for them to play in.

“With the mud kitchen, it wasn’t an inviting space down there. Originally, it was a bit of a nothing area.”

Planning for the playground makeover began at the beginning of the year, largely through a group of parents.

Ms Sawbridge said the preschool sub-committee aims to undertake one project a year to improve the preschool, although the playground upgrade has been the largest for several years.

“The teachers had a design of what they would like to see in the area, and then we mapped out the nuts and bolts of the design with local landscaping businesses,” she said.

“We did all the work over three large working bees, where we had a lot of the parents come out to help make the new garden.

“There were lots of people supplying large machinery and materials for the garden, and it was a real group effort for coordinating what work to do.”

As for the verdict of the new playground, Ms Sawbridge said it’s been a big thumbs up for the students who will be able to use it every day.

“The kids absolutely adore the new play space,” she said.

“There’s now a lot more for them to use and they love being able to play there.”