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A playground is a fantastic controlled environment for children to explore, innovate, and construct their own tailored fun experience. Kids are able to run and fall and then learn the power of being able to get up and go again. Playgrounds are really meant to be places where children can play, exercise, develop essential motor & social skills, and just plain have fun! And a playground is also a great place for kids to learn the value of empathy and teamwork. The playground is really an ideal domain for children – but the right playground environment doesn’t just happen on its own. It must be created with intentionality.
Just because you have some sort of playground in place doesn’t necessarily mean it’s engaging for children. If kids are set free to run around in a playground facility that’s less than ideal, they can get bored very quickly. Today’s children respond best to constant engagement and to play structures that really grab their attention. So, what’s the best way to keep kids properly stimulated on the playground?
Children respond well to visual stimuli like bright colors, and they engage better with a playground design that follows a particular theme. To that end, it’s best to make your playground as colorful as possible, and you’ll want to incorporate various shapes and textures with your play structures. It’s also important to make your playground as inclusive as possible. Remember, a playground is a common area for kids of various ages possessing a range of ability levels. Seeking to cater to the needs of a wide audience will make your playground much more valuable to a larger target group.
When it comes to modern commercial playground equipment, there are honestly more options available now than ever before. Even so, some types of playground equipment have been proven classics for years, and others have gained significant popularity in recent years. Here are some popular playground equipment features that are worth considering for inclusion in your own playground:
Honestly, it’s hard to envision a playground without a swing set. Swings have been a favorite of children and adults alike for generations, and that fact really hasn’t changed in modern times either. Swinging is a wonderful combination of leg power, gravity, and physics, resulting in pure exhilaration for the swinger! You really can’t leave a commercial swing set out when it comes to designing a perfect playground.
Slides are another playground classic that simply can’t be ignored. There are classic straight slide options, as well as more intricate curved slides available. And a curved slide is a great way to help maximize the play value of limited space constraints.
Kids like monkey bars. They always have, and likely always will. These are climbing structures which focus primarily on developing arm strength, and children like the challenge of swinging from one rod to the next. Even teenagers and adults may make use of available monkey bars for pull-up exercises.
Kids like to swing from their arms on monkey bars, but they like climbing activities which require the use of both hands and feet as well. Climbers of all types are beneficial for strength and motor skills development, and they’re just plain fun for kids. There are dome-shaped climbers, rope ladder climbers, rope mesh spiderweb designs, bouldering climbers, and many more vertical and horizontal options.
The merry-go-round is a proven classic, but there are lots of other spinning play features available, including barrel ride spinners, maypole spinners, saddle seat spinners, and spinners that can even accommodate wheelchairs.
Balance and coordination are both important to a child’s development, and balancing playground equipment is just plain fun for kids! There are seesaws, balance beams, curved balance beams, elevated balance elements, and more!
There are freestanding water features like water play tables for the youngest children, but you can go much bigger than that. Splash pads and spray parks have become incredibly popular all over the country, and you can have your own water playground installed on your commercial property, too!
When you choose to base your playground around a central theme, you make your outdoor play area a much more engaging space for young minds. Themed playground equipment like barnyards, castles, trains, planes, and pirate ships help nurture children’s imaginations, expand their horizons, and enable kids to create their own meaningful play experiences.
Music is a universal language, and children love to engage with music just as much as adults. And musical playground equipment is more than just fun for kids. It also has positive developmental benefits around learning, memory, communication, and making positive connections. There are lots of great outdoor percussion play elements, as well as other musical features available.
Planning a playground with inclusion in mind gives all children the ability to play, explore, and have fun on your playground. Research indicates that independent and group play are both important to the health, growth, and development of all children, regardless of their individual ability levels. Carolina Recreation & Design offers a full range of ADA-compliant playground equipment, including swings, cozy spots, sensory activities, motion activities, and social activities. We also provide access points that make for easy transfer from personal mobility devices, along with safety handles and low-slope ramps.
We’re a playground equipment dealer that offers a great selection of commercial playground designs and play structures at a number of playground equipment cost points. All of our play products are designed to be age-appropriate, safe, fun, and long-lasting. But at Carolina Recreation & Design, we do much more than just provide playgrounds and play equipment. We also install everything we sell too, plus we offer playground design services, safety surfacing, sun shades, shelters, and more.
In addition, we can furnish essential site amenities like benches, tables, and trash receptacles. But what about the necessary site preparation? We’re also general contractors, so we can take care of that, too, including permitting, electrical, water, fencing, landscaping, and masonry! If you’re located in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, or Virginia, we can deliver a complete turnkey solution from start to finish! Want to learn more? Ready to get started? You can reach out to us online by filling out this simple form, or for a faster response, just give us a call today at (704) 664-1833! Carolina Recreation & Design has all your playground, recreational equipment, installation, and site preparation needs covered!
Carolina Recreation & Design is a full-service general contracting company offering turnkey installation of recreational products for parks, schools, churches, clubs, daycares and amusement parks. We offer premium-quality commercial products that are safe, fun, and built to last.