If you are having a playground built, you’ll want to make sure the playground equipment, playground surfacing and playground furnishings are well suited for the age of the kids who will use it. Toddlers have quite different play preferences and needs from pre-teens after all. Playground manufacturers typically make playgrounds for three age groups: 6 – 23 months, 2 – 5 years, and 5 – 10 years. So, how do these playgrounds really differ? Take a look.
PLAYGROUNDS FOR 6 – 23 MONTHS Children in this age group are usually referred to as “pre-toddlers.” Playgrounds designed for their needs need to meet specific guidelines set about by two different organizations: the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). First of all, playgrounds for these very young children need to be designed to fit their tiny bodies. Seat heights are very low: 7 inches. Table heights are only 14 inches. Playsets for pre-toddlers tend to have a lot of mentally stimulating elements, such as knobs and spinners that turn. You may also see tactile elements, such as shapes with different textures. Flooring is usually rubber and soft to protect the knees and hands of crawling children. PLAYGROUNDS FOR 2 – 5 YEARS Children in this age group are usually called toddlers, and the CPSC and ASTM have guidelines for playgrounds for them, too. The equipment can be a little taller and higher. Seats are 10.5 inches tall, and tables are 20 inches tall. Playground equipment for toddlers is designed with the knowledge that these kids are more independent. You’ll see a lot of equipment that challenges kids to climb, balance, and pull themselves up. Surfaces and floors are still padded to reduce the chance of injury if a child falls. PLAYGROUNDS FOR 5 – 10 YEARS Kids in this age group are referred to as elementary students in the ASTM and CPSC guidelines. Equipment for them has seat heights of 16 inches and table heights of 25 inches. Playgrounds for elementary kids allow for more independence. This is where you see swings, classic slides, monkey bars, and more involved climbing walls. Elementary playgrounds are what many people picture when they hear the word “playground.” A playground built for the right age group will be safer and more enjoyable for the kids who use it! Always make sure you’re building for the right age range before you have a playground designed and installed. About Premier Park & Play Premier Park & Play is a family owned and operated playground equipment supplier for schools, parks, child care centers, apartments, campgrounds and more in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine. Our products include playground equipment, playground surfacing, site furnishings, shelters and shades, outdoor sport and fitness equipment, spray park / splash pad /water play, outdoor musical instruments, dog parks, bleachers and more. Contact us at [email protected].
3 Comments
A playground can be a wonderful resource for a community, school, or campground. It can become a place where children and their parents gather to get some fresh air and exercise. In many communities, the playground serves as a meeting place, a landmark, and a source of great job. However, not all playgrounds are created equal.
In choosing park playground equipment for your community, one of the most important factors to consider is the age of the children who will be using it. Preschoolers, for instance, have quite different playground needs from preteens. Here’s a closer look at age-appropriate playgrounds and some tips for choosing the most age-appropriate choice for your community. WHAT AGE GROUPS DO PLAYGROUNDS SERVE? Kids of all ages can enjoy playgrounds, but the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission actually divides play equipment into three brackets, depending on the age groups it’s intended for. There are different guidelines regarding the safety of playground equipment within each bracket. These three age groups are:
Because the CPSC standards divide play equipment in this way, most playground equipment makers offer three different types of play structures — one for each of these age groups. WHY IS AGE-APPROPRIATE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT IMPORTANT? Kids tend to have more fun on children’s playground equipment built to suit their age group, but that’s far from the only reason to select age-appropriate equipment. Age-appropriate equipment is safer for kids to use. A 12-year-old, for example, can safely use monkey bars in school playgrounds. Most 18-month-olds cannot. Size is another factor. Swings made for the age 2 – 5 bracket will be hard for a 10-year-old to squeeze into. HOW DO YOU CHOOSE AGE-APPROPRIATE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT? Sometimes your playground needs are obvious. For instance, if you run a daycare center and wish to build a playground for toddlers and preschoolers, you want equipment for 2 – 5-years. In communities with multiple age groups, such as housing complexes, churches, campgrounds and parks, you may want to include equipment for various ages in the same playground. Some playground companies make specific structures that offer a few activities for kids in each of the three age ranges. Another approach would be to build three small, separate playgrounds — one for each age range. Playgrounds are safer, more fun, and more usable for kids when they are built to suit their age-related needs. Make sure you keep the age of the kids you’re serving in mind when selecting playground equipment. Premier Park & Play provides commercial grade playground equipment that are safe and fun for children. If you need help designing a playground for your community, school or daycare center, contact Premier Park & Play at 617-244-3317 or email [email protected]. Designing a playground for early age kids involves more than choosing age-appropriate equipment. It’s important to design a whole play environment that helps them develop the skills they need and enjoy their playtime. Whether you are designing for daycare centers or preschools, keeping a few key developmental needs in mind can help ensure that your playground design provides both skills development and fun.
Interaction Simple interactions with both equipment and environment can give kids experience with how the physical world works. Provide opportunities to push, pull, dig, build, roll, collect, or spill things. Try to include items that have multiple uses and/or settings that the children can alter by themselves to encourage hands-on discovery. Sensory Engagement Appeal to children’s senses. Think beyond brightly colored equipment. Engage touch, hearing and smell in addition to sight. Textured surfaces and natural materials can provide a range of different tactile experiences. Incorporating trees, gardens, and other natural features adds sensory appeal and encourages movement as well. Challenge Consider the importance of risk and challenge. Children are built for adventure. They test their limits through play and repeat skills in order to master them. Provide graduated levels of developmentally appropriate challenges that nurture children’s natural curiosity and taste for adventure, allow them to try out their problem-solving and creative thinking skills, and build confidence. Imagination Encourage imagination. Young children have an active imagination and naturally engage in creative play. Playgrounds that include structures like forts, tunnels, and other components that facilitate storytelling and dramatic play allow children to express their creativity, invent scenarios, and act out their imaginary worlds. Independence Support individual exploration and discovery. Playground structures designed to allow opportunities for children to control the environment and select their level of risk without sacrificing safety build confidence and encourage independence. If you need help designing a playground for your school or daycare center, contact Premier Park & Play at 617-244-3317 or email [email protected] Building a community playground is a big project and can seem a bit overwhelming on first thought. Does it seem too big for your group to take on? As with any large and complex task, it helps to break it down into the essential steps.
A study on playground injuries showed that over 70% of them are due to falls under play structures. To ensure that our parks and school playgrounds are safe for children to enjoy, installing a safe playground surface is essential. While it is common for kids to play in sand or grass and soil, these surfaces are generally unsafe when commercial grade play structures are installed on them. So what types of playground surface materials are safe and how to they compare? Among the safe, ADA-compliant playground surfacing materials, the most popular options are wood fiber, rubber mulch and pour-in-place rubber. Wood Fiber Playground Mulch Wood fiber mulch is affordable and eco-friendly. It is made from engineered wood and is free of paint and chemicals. It does require raking and top ups, thus the maintenance cost can be higher than rubber mulch. Wood fiber has a natural look that blends in well with most outdoor park playground settings. Recycled Rubber Mulch Playground Surfacing Rubber mulch is made from recycled tires. It does not absorb water and decompose, and requires less top ups than wood fiber. It also offers better fall protection than wood fiber. Pour-in-place Rubber Playground Surfacing This is the most accessible surface and allowing wheelchairs to most easily roll over it. It must be installed over concrete, asphalt or a compacted aggregate stone and is comprised of two layers, a cushioning layer and a decorative top layer. The top layer can be creatively designed in various colors and patterns to enhance the look of the playground. Pour-in-place rubber playground surfacing is durable and needs little maintenance other than checking for cracks on a regular basis, but it is more expensive compared to wood fiber and rubber mulch.
Premier Park and Play has designed and installed many excellent playgrounds in New England that meets safety and accessibility standards. We offer playground surfacing options including wood fiber mulch, rubber mulch, poured-in-place rubber and others. To find out which playground surfacing option is right for you, please contact Doug Knotts at [email protected] or call 617-244-3317. Educators know that play is one of the most effective ways for children to learn. That is why a well designed and installed playground is an indispensable part of a school. Here, we provide some suggestions for School Boards and PTAs to consider when choosing playground equipment and installing play structures on their grounds. Carry out a playground needs assessment Before you start reviewing the possible playground equipment or designs, it is essential to carry out a needs assessment. Some of the things to consider should include:
Playground Equipment and Design The ideal playground should give children exercise, socialization, and learning opportunities. A great playground should have the equipment and design to stimulate kids’ sense of adventure and their need to explore and investigate. It should encourage kids to run, swing, climb, and then do it again! There is an undeniable link between a healthy body and a healthy mind, especially for growing kids. An excellent playground equipment supplier can help you choose the right equipment based on your needs. They can put together a playground design and construction plan to make your dream playground a reality! Playground Installation - Safety and Accessibility Every parent needs assurance on the safety of their children when using the playground. Playground safety includes not only the safety of the play equipment, but also playground surfacing, and the overall safety of the playground environment. An experienced certified playground safety inspector can give you a good assessment after a site visit. He can also ensure that your choice of playground equipment meets safety and accessibility standards established by ASTM, CPSC and ADAAG.
Premier Park and Play is a highly reputable provider of playground equipment and playground design and installation services in New England. Owner Doug Knotts has over 20 years of park & playground industry consulting experience. He has a Master's Degree in Recreation, Sports and Leisure Management from Northeastern University and has been an NPSI certified playground safety inspector since 1995. Doug has a natural understanding of the things that would excite a child, and applies it toward the design of playgrounds. If your school is looking to install a new playground, please visit our website at premierparkplay.com and contact Doug at [email protected] or call 617-244-3317. |
Author
Premier Park and Play is a playground equipment supplier based in Newton, Massachusetts. Archives
January 2018
Categories
All
|