Recipe for a Perfect Playground

How to make the perfect playground

A background on playgrounds and play equipment

A children’s oasis is a playground. Playgrounds know no bars. Found around the world, playgrounds are found in parks, school, beaches, fast-food restaurants and backyards. Playgrounds are used by kids for fun, exercise, creativity, learning and meeting friends. For parents they’re used to take a moment of relaxation while their kids are busy playing.

Playgrounds come in all sorts of shapes, colors and sizes. But they’re all the same in that they offer an area and equipment for children to play on. The most basic and common of playground equipment is: a slide, swings, ladders, elevated platforms, monkey bars, a jungle gym, teeter-totters and sandboxes. More elaborate playgrounds have: rope ladders, a roller slide, a tube slide, tire swings, playhouses, towers, interactive games (such as tic-tac toe), zip slides, trapeze rings and merry-go-rounds. There is also playground equipment for toddlers, that feature child swings and some form of small slide that give toddlers a chance to play too.

Most playgrounds at parks and schools feature some sort of play surface. Many put the entire playgrounds in large sandboxes while newer ones have started using wood chips. Some use soft rubber mats, still others are on concrete or grass. Playgrounds at businesses such as McDonalds feature mats.

In planning and building or buying a playground there are many factors to consider. Residential playground sets are smaller than commercial ones. Residential sets still have a variety of arrangements and offer different equipment. Most have swings or a child swing, a slide, a ladder and a playhouse. Playsets are made of either wood, plastic or metal. Metal playsets are less expensive than wooden ones. The playing surface must also be thought about. Most residential playsets are on grass which is perfect because it is common, in nearly all cases already present and it is a naturally soft turf for slide landings, etc.

The age of the children is a factor in what equipment to buy. It is fact that kids will age, but they won’t get younger. A child swing for example isn’t appropriate for older children. Finding the right equipment for the right age is critical not only for use today, but also for tomorrow. It’s important to find and buy equipment that children will enjoy and play on today as well as in the future. Not all children like the same equipment, some like swings, others a slide and still others prefer climbing equipment. The appearance can largely determine the material and also the cost. Wood playsets are generally nice looking than metal ones but this comes at a higher cost. Many companies who sell playsets have additions that can be purchased over time to expand the original playset.

A good playground is a safe playground. Ensuring the safety of children should be just as important as any other factor if not the most important. Equipment that is too advanced or too large or too high is not safe for younger children. An older steel jungle gyms can be potentially dangerous to children. Recently these steel jungle gyms are being replaced by rope ones to reduce and prevent injuries. A playset without a proper safe area or border around it could be dangerous as well. Leaving a 5 to 7 foot safe clear zone around the playset is a good idea as well as a safety measure.

Whether it’s for a school or playground or for a household playset the same factors apply. The playground process doesn’t have to been painful, but it should be planned and thought-through.

About the author:
Rick Lorenzen is a client account specialist for 10x Marketing. To learn more about playsets and outdoor toys visit www.JustOutdoorToys.co.uk