Playground planning should be a fun, creative exercise and if you’re working with a professional designer who is certified in playground safety, you can leave the worrying to them and focus on your vision. Whether you’re planning a simple play space for use by a few children or a gigantic mega structure that can entertain dozens of children, we have three tips to help you get started on the right foot.
Playground Planning Basics
Before any major playground planning can begin, it’s important to know who you’re building your playground or outdoor space for. We’ll cover the basic aspects of your project that need to be established.
Age & Capacity
Playgrounds fall into two main safety categories 2 to 5 and 5 to 12. Both have different safety rules and each group has different developmental needs. Always build for your age group as much as possible to avoid installing equipment that is unsafe or underused.
You should also consider the size of your community and estimate the number of children using the playground at one time. Your professional designer can help you decide how big your structure (or structures) should be, how many bays of swings to install and help you stretch your budget to get the right sized playground.
Prioritize
Regardless of the size of your budget, it’s easy to overspend. As nice as it is to have everything, it’s important to approach the creative process with an idea of what you need. Starting out with a clear list of must haves as well as features you’d really like is a great way to make sure you are satisfied with the end results. Being upfront about your priorities can also help your designer guide your planning. If shade is a must have on your playground, your designer can help you figure out how much you need and the most affordable way to incorporate it.
Free & Low Cost Playground Planning Features
Playground structures are available in a variety of colors, most at no additional cost. Color choice should be as important for your playground as it is for your business or home décor. Even the smallest playgrounds can benefit from the right pallet. Get creative, a brown and red structure over red surfacing can create the impression of a mountain volcano and bright greens over blue feel like a tropical island.