Fun for Kids: Tips for Building Playground Equipment
Kids need a good playground for healthy growth and development, as a play space can help with motor and social skills. However, there are a lot of mistakes you’ll commonly see when looking at designs for a small, local playground. Anyone who’s looking to add a community play space to their neighborhood should learn these tips for building playground equipment before they break ground on this project!
Aim for Fun and Safety
When you’re first developing your goals for the eventual playground, you should keep in mind two major goals. The playground needs to be fun for the kids, and it needs to keep them as safe as possible. Adding any piece of equipment to the playground also means investing in safety features for that part. Keeping in mind this balance you need to strike with your design plan is key.
An Opportunity for Growth
Another crucial part of the playground is how it contributes to the healthy growth and development of children. An effective playground engages the kids and keeps them entertained while promoting physical activities and inclusive social gatherings. Craft a plan that lets them run around and interact with the environment and each other safely, as that’s what a playground is for!
Being Green
Many people consider the impact even a small project like a neighborhood playground can have on the environment. Choosing materials that have as little of an environmental impact as possible can benefit everyone and even teach kids about helping and protecting the environment. A great example of this is choosing playground equipment that uses plastic lumber, a material that is rising in popularity as a tool for building sustainable cities.
Work With Other Parents
One of the biggest tips for building playground equipment you can use is to add local parents into the conversation. Holding meetings with the community to hear their input can create some of the best designs and help you avoid problems later. You can even add a few other parents to the initial planning stages to make the whole project a community effort.
Develop Your Full Plan
The last step in creating your playground should be finalizing a full plan for every stage of the playground’s construction. This plan includes everything, from the materials and designs of the park to the budget and fundraising you need to pay for the project. Developing a complete plan before you start construction will help keep everything on track and prevent the project from disturbing the neighborhood during construction.
Following these tips for playground equipment construction and planning will help you create an area everyone will appreciate and love. If you execute the plan correctly, you’ll soon have kids playing safely on all-new playground equipment!
Photo – Bulat Khamitov
