What happened to the old way of playing?
In the world of today, it is perhaps important for young children to have fun and safe places to play on, and meet new friends while they do it. In other words, playgrounds are more essential than ever in the age of virtual fun at every corner, and computers, tablets and smartphones in the hands of every child from the earliest days of their lives. Children of previous generations did not have instant access to technology while that young, and their childhoods were arguably filled with more laughter, fun, and interaction with other children.
Source: allstateloghomes.com
Today sadly, playgrounds are usually empty or are only filled with very small and young children accompanied by their parents. Older children who choose their own sources of entertainment never opt for playgrounds as their first or only choice. This is what has to change, in order for our children to be healthier, more involved, and socially active.
To make a modern playground which will be appealing to children, more than their virtual worlds and gadgets, each and every detail has to be thought of and planned. Read on to learn what needs to be done for a playground to be a relevant site in the community again.
Location
First of all, the place where the playground is has to be in the center of a community, equally distant or close to the neighborhoods and blocks it belongs to. A playground serves as a meeting place for all of the children living in its proximity. Therefore, the best places for them are near schools, in parks, close to sports centers and massively visited places like shopping malls and markets. If it is easy to arrive to and always full, what better place for kids to meet current and new friends?
Source: Picerno-Giordano
Safety
Fences on the playgrounds are a crucial part of the whole site. Since a playground is situated outdoors, it is easy for children to run off in a blink of an eye, as they are very curious. Additionally, if there is high traffic close by, another danger presents itself in the form of running across the road or not paying attention to speeding vehicles. Fences should therefore be an obligatory part of each playground. They should be tall enough for the kids not to be able to climb over, and strong enough to withstand potential nature and physical damage. A gate with a simple mechanism is another option, for extra safety and time to react.
Surface
In the old days, playgrounds were on either grass, dirt, or hard surfaces like asphalt and tarmac. Today, however, children have the luxury of new artificial materials to help them stay safer and move more easily. The most popular surfaces for playgrounds today are tarmac, rubber mulch, and artificial grass. In addition, fun designs on the surfaces offer extra fun and games. The most popular ones are roadways, compasses, maps, animals, letters, footprints and numbers. Check out a surfacing site for more information on the most desired and safest surfaces for children.
Source: MRC Rec
Equipment
The most important part of every playgroun, of course,e are the apparatuses to have fun on. The most common ones but still very fun to play around are slides, swings, and see-saws. These are essentials for any playground. Depending on the space available, additional equipment is available. Climbing walls and frames,multi-unitss, spring rockers, carousels, and sandboxes should bethe top priority. For an even more advanced playground, bigger constructions like activity towers that combine multiple ways to have fun are the way to go. They come in many themes like castles, vehicles, forests and objects. The bigger the choice of activity options, the more children of all ages will flock to the playground!
What else?
Often overlooked are benches, trash bins, and lampposts, which can always be made to fit in with the rest of the playground equipment. Flowerbeds and trees are another nice touch will be appreciated by the community. A playground rich in objects and equipment goes a long way. The children in your community will make everlasting childhood memories here.
