The school playground is a fundamental part of a child’s development while at school, and can be a memorable place of fun and games.
Whether you want to upgrade the equipment in your school playground, install some new fixtures, or make your playground more accessible, here are five top tips for improving your playground for the better.
1. Use High Quality Safety Features
Safety features in a playground are a must for any occasion. Small children are often testing the limits of their own bodies with high energy levels. A misjudged jump or step can often result in bruises and grazes.
For this reason, installing soft flooring like rubber mulch can be instrumental in preventing broken bones and more serious injuries when children fall from a greater height than their body is equipped for, or if they stumble on legs they’re still getting used to coordinating.
2. Encourage Social Interaction and Rest Areas
Social interaction is particularly important for children’s development before the age of five, and learning social skills, cues and language from others.
By creating areas for children to sit and talk to friends, you will inevitably create areas for them to bond and build social skills with each other. This could include benches and tables, or marked areas on the ground.
You can also encourage games and activities such as rock, paper, scissors, what’s the time Mr Wolf and more to encourage social interaction between groups of children.
3. Provide Shade and Shelter from the Elements
Children should be able to experience playtime in all weather conditions, so providing some needed shelter from wind, rain and sun can help them to continue to enjoy playtime for longer.
You could build seats with a canopy, or a wooden deck with a wooden shade over the top. The options are endless! Why not intersperse your seating arrangements with flowerbeds or bushes to encourage wildlife? You can find seeds and readily planted plants for sale at garden centres like Dobbies.
Make sure to encourage the use of sun cream and hats in warmer weather for children playing outside.
4. Incorporate Physical Play Areas
Younger children are often full of energy, and need a physical outlet. Building playgrounds with equipment that can allow children to be creative, move their bodies and stay active can encourage better behaviour, emotional regulation, and improve health and wellbeing.
Companies like Creative Play can supply your school with playground equipment that is guaranteed to keep your youngsters entertained for a long time. With high quality values in safety and creativity, you can rest assured that Creative Play’s equipment will give your children fun in the sun whilst remaining safe.
5. Make Your Playground Inclusive
Inclusivity in play is one of the most important factors to take into consideration when building your playground.
For children with a disability, having equal access to playground equipment can be fundamental for their wellbeing. Tactile areas and sensory parts can also be helpful for children who favour more sensory feedback from play equipment. Similarly, quiet areas can be helpful for children who may find that the noise of the playground can be too much for them.
Do you have any tips for improving your school playground? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
