Choosing the Right Park Equipment for Your Community
Playground equipment serves a vital role in the development of children. It helps them build social skills, physical strength and coordination, and emotional understanding.
Classic playground staples include swing sets, slides, climbers and sensory panels. These elements are popular at most kid-approved play sites and have proven themselves to be safe and practical for kids of all ages.
Swing Sets
Swing sets are a great way to provide kids with their own outdoor space. They help promote cognitive development, exercise and social interaction.
They also give parents an excuse to get outside and play with their children. These backyard structures are fun, inexpensive and easy to maintain.
There are many materials for swing sets, ranging from smooth plastic to metal and wood. The most expensive sets are made from cedar, which is rot- and insect-resistant. These can be very elaborate, incorporating multiple slides, a clubhouse, climbing wall and sandbox.
When buying a swing set, think about your family’s needs and future plans. Choose one that can accommodate multiple ages and that will be safe for your kids as they grow.
Consider ADA accessories for people with mobility impairments, such as wheelchair-compatible seats and platforms that can hold up to 250 pounds of weight. These are becoming increasingly popular and can ensure that everyone is able to have access to playground equipment.
Lastly, consider where you will install the swing set in your yard. The area should be flat and shady, as this will prolong the life of the swings.
In addition, a 6-foot “safety zone” should be around the swing set to ensure that children don’t fall while playing.
Before installation begins, make sure you have the right anchors. These can be twist or flat and are installed differently, depending on the type of foundation you’re using.
Before you start assembling your swing set, you should inspect it to make sure there are no cracks or rust spots that could compromise suspension. You should also check to see if the S-hooks on the swings are properly closed to prevent slips.
Slides
Slides are a popular park equipment playground staple that children love to ride. These colorful and thrilling slides give kids an adrenaline rush as they glide down.
Slides also provide a variety of developmental benefits for kids. They promote a range of physical and social skills, such as coordination, balance and spatial orientation. The process of climbing to the top and waiting on the ladder helps develop strength in arms and legs, while needing to wait to use the slide fosters coordination.
Children can also gain increased vestibular involvement as they navigate their way down a slide, which improves balance and proprioception. This skill is important for future movement as they learn to walk, run, climb and ride a bike.
Unlike swings, which require several minutes of building momentum before the fun begins, slides are immediate thrills that can be enjoyed by kids without much effort. This makes them a must-have at parks, as they can be used repeatedly by children.
In the past, metal slides were common at playgrounds. However, these slides offered shallow rails that posed a significant risk of injury to children. They could also accumulate dangerous ice in the winter, resulting in painful burns to children who fell off.
Today, slides are made of a variety of materials and sizes to accommodate different age groups. Some are designed to be free-standing for the younger crowd, while others come as part of a larger playground set.
The main goal of slides at a park is to provide a safe and fun environment for children. They help children develop a sense of freedom, build confidence, and increase their social interaction. They can also encourage children to share and take turns.
Commercial
Commercial park equipment is a big part of the puzzle when it comes to making your community space a place people enjoy. Whether you’re equipping a new playground or updating an existing one, you need to choose the right products. Choosing the wrong ones can leave your visitors disappointed, frustrated or even disgruntled.
There are many types of equipment that you can use at your park, from merry-go-rounds to climbers. The best ones are designed to make your guests laugh, challenge them physically and stimulate their imaginations.
Climbing structures are a fun way to build strength and balance while improving motor skills and coordination. They are also a great way to promote teamwork and cooperation in your play area.
Merry-go-rounds are a fun and entertaining addition to any playground. They come in a variety of styles and are made to fit any budget.
Another nifty commercial park accessory is an outdoor bike rack that helps prevent bike theft and creates additional parking for cyclists. This piece of park equipment is also a great way to promote healthy exercise habits and increase business in your community.
Lastly, a good-looking commercial outdoor bench or picnic table can be a welcome sight in any park. They are often a favorite of joggers, strollers and other park-goers who like to socialize and have a few drinks or snacks.
The best commercial park equipment is the one that helps your visitors accomplish their goals in a safe and convenient manner. That may mean something as simple as a comfortable seat or as elaborate as an interactive water feature. Our staff is here to help you find the perfect solution for your specific needs and budget.
Equipment for Children with Disabilities
Many playgrounds are not fully accessible for children with disabilities. This is a problem because play is an important part of development, which helps kids develop intellectual, emotional, sensory, social and physical skills.
In addition, inclusive playgrounds make it easier for kids with disabilities to interact with other children. They also help children with disabilities build self-confidence and park equipment independence as they learn to work through conflicts in a safe, inclusive environment.
Accessible equipment for children with disabilities includes playgrounds that include ramps and smooth ground surfaces to ensure that wheelchair users can easily enter and exit the play area. Swings that are modified to accommodate children in wheelchairs can be a good option as well.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects the rights of people with disabilities by requiring all playgrounds to be built according to specific guidelines. All playground equipment and facilities must be ADA compliant if they were constructed or altered after March 15, 2012.
Fortunately, it’s possible to incorporate ADA-compliant components into your park and provide an excellent experience for all children. The best part is that it’s actually fairly inexpensive to install ADA-compliant playground equipment!
The best way to improve accessibility is to include a wide range of inclusive play activities and equipment that will allow children of all ages and abilities to enjoy the park. For example, a ground-level activity like our Ten Spin can accommodate up to 10 kids at once and encourage them to interact together.
Social Interaction
Parks are an important social space for children and families. They can meet new people, make friends and learn about self-control and empathy through physical activity.
If your child is nervous about interacting with others, try visiting a playground earlier than other kids typically get there to give them a chance to familiarize themselves with the playground and the people on it. This will help them feel comfortable enough to participate in play activities with other children.
Having equipment like spring riders that can accommodate multiple passengers will encourage children to work together and take turns using the equipment. This can teach them patience, teamwork and empathy as they work toward a common goal.
Another way to promote social interaction on the playground is by encouraging children to play games. Playground games such as tag, tetherball, tug-o-war and ball games can be great ways for children to practice social skills like etiquette, self-control and empathy.
Research shows that playing a ball game can be a great way to develop social skills and build confidence in young children. In addition to developing social skills, playing a game can also teach children about the rules of the game and how to follow directions.
The research also shows that children who play a ball game in a group setting develop better social skills than those who play on their own. This is because they can play with other children of different ages and abilities.
The research also found that children who played a ball game on playground equipment used more verbalizations and were more active than those who did not. This suggests that playground equipment can help children with developmental disabilities learn about social cues and play levels, self-regulation, sensory features and motor skills.
