A public playground is a great way for kids to enhance their physical, cognitive, and social skills. It gives them a space to explore and play in a controlled environment. If you’re considering adding a playground to your community, take a look at the essential elements of a successful playspace and consider the obstacles you may need to overcome.
Keep Kids Moving
An excellent playspace needs plenty of room for kids to run, jump, climb, and move around. Shoving your playground into a corner or small space will result in a very inadequate and claustrophobic playspace that kids may avoid entirely. You need to consider equipment with moving parts, such as swings. These require a lot of space, and they help refine a child’s motor skills.
Appealing Aesthetics
Many people often overlook the appearance of the playground, which is one of the essential elements of a successful playspace. The space must be appealing and visually stimulating. Sound, color, and texture engage with a kid’s senses and spark their imagination. The design of the playground influences whether or not children want to play there.
Playground Sanitation
Due to the nature of a public space, many different children will touch and interact with your playground equipment. This causes a rapid buildup of germs and bacteria, so you need to regularly sanitize your equipment to keep your playground as safe as possible. Remember that it’s not enough to just use soap and water; you must use playground disinfectant to thoroughly eliminate bacteria.
Effective Surfacing
As a further safety necessity, you should invest in surfacing material to prevent major injuries should any kids fall or trip. These surfacing materials include sand, wood chips, or rubber mulch. Options like wood chips may not seem much better than grass or dirt, but they aid in preventing injuries from greater heights.