The perfect playground will create a safe and welcoming space that anyone can use to have fun and explore physical activities. It can be somewhere that brings the local community together and a great resource for fitness, as well as an environment that inspires young minds. So, what does it take to create a perfect playground? This is our guide on what you need to consider.
- Pick the right surface – There are lots of different options available when it comes to safety surfaces for playgrounds and ensuring that you pick the right one will be vital. Wet pour, for example, can be a great choice because it has high impact absorption properties, is easy to install and offers plenty of different options when it comes to design choices and colours. Artificial grass can be ideal for school playing fields, as it has a much lower cost and maintenance burden than real grass. Key questions to bear in mind will be what the playground is going to be used for, installation restrictions and any requirements for specific thickness due to equipment height.
- How will the weather impact your choices? – Weather conditions must be integrated into choices for creating the perfect playground. This might be with respect to surfacing that is porous and so can withstand lots of rain – or creating shaded areas so that the playground can still be used on a very hot day. A safe and fun play area will be one that people can use in any conditions.
- Choose a theme that will inspire – The perfect playground will have a very visible theme that runs through everything, from the design of the playground through to the equipment that you choose to install. The right theme will make a playground popular and create lots of opportunities to inspire and excite. It will also provide the foundation for the design strategy so it’s something that is worth getting clarity on early in the process of creating the perfect playground. Once the theme has been chosen then it should be integrated into everything, from the colours selected for the surfacing to any patterns in the design, as well as the furniture and equipment for the playground.
- Ensure inclusivity – The perfect playground is a space that is available to everyone so inclusivity has a big role to play in design. Children of any age and ability should be able to use a playground and find something there to entertain them so an inclusive space will be designed for many different ages and abilities. It’s also important to ensure that the playground is accessible so that some children aren’t excluded because of physical limitations. Equally key will be the need to consider creating quiet spaces for any children with sensory processing disorders. The best spaces will have something for everyone.
Creating a perfect playground means taking into account all of the needs of likely users and then letting your imagination run wild in terms of what is most likely to be enjoyed.
Abacus Playgrounds are leading playground surfacing providers with extensive experience in creating fun, safe and themed playgrounds for schools and communities. We’d love to hear about your playground project and how we can be of help to you, contact us today and we’ll be in touch!