Chances are, now more than ever, you’re making use of the backyard. With the coronavirus confining people to their homes and yards, more people are finding ways to find enjoyment and excitement with what’s around them. Especially for families with children, the backyard can act as the place where kids get their exercise, release emotion, and explore their creativity. If you want to ensure that your yard is a place of excitement, follow these tips for building the perfect backyard playground. After it’s finished, you and your family won’t mind spending time at home!
Create a “Secret” Space
Give the kids a place to get imaginative—give them a secret spot where they can hideaway. Maybe it’s a treehouse, a fort next to the swing set, or a tent. When you give them this space, you allow an opportunity for the kids to delve wholly into their imaginations and not worry about what you may think of their creative stories or conversation. Think about it as their own workspace—they can create plays with their siblings, read books in the sunshine, or whatever else.
Obviously, you’ll still have control over the situation because it’s not entirely secret, but it does give them that feeling of freedom.
Provide Various Play Options
In your kids’ eyes, this is the most important aspect of the perfect playground. Give them a variety of choices, and they’ll be much happier. Now, you’ll have to pay attention to your design concept and the size of your backyard, but you may be able to include more than just a swing set. If you can, try to include a variety of components in addition to the secret space. We’ve included a few options below!
Swing set
Swing sets are the go-to playground equipment for backyard playgrounds. Make sure that you can raise and lower the swings when need be, and think about different seating options.
Sandbox
If you have younger kids or anyone with motor disabilities, then a sandbox is essential because it provides the opportunity for sensory play.
Tire swing
If you have a big backyard, think about adding more than just your typical swing set. Tire swings are an enjoyable way for everyone to pass the time—not just little children!
Slide
Of course, slides have to make this list. You’ll want to ensure that you’re making smart choices on the height of the slide and whether there should be any curves. Once you decide, ensure that you follow steps to install it properly. Wobbly slides are a no-go for children.
Climbing features
The climb up to the slide counts, but you should also think about providing more than a ladder. Think about a jungle gym or a small climbing wall. You may not be able to do this if you don’t have space, but it’s a feature that will help your kids build up muscle and physical confidence.
Keep Landscaping in Order
The perfect backyard playground is only perfect if the backyard is, too. Even if your playground is superb, that doesn’t mean the unmown lawn, broken-tiled patio, or weed-filled garden will go unnoticed. The perfect backyard playground is a backyard play-yard, which means that the whole yard needs to be accessible for some sort of play. If the yard is too full of holes or the grass is too high, then there’s room for improvement in your backyard play-yard.
Think About Timelessness
You don’t want to have to fix up the playground every time your kids get a bit older. Try to ensure that the design is timeless enough to last as your kids get older. Make sure the swing set is adjustable as they grow and that the slide is easy to switch out to a bigger slide or can change into a different structure as they outgrow it.
Pay Attention to Surfacing
Most people think that backyard playgrounds only need grass for the surfacing. But if you want to provide a safe place for your children to play, then there needs to be more than grass. Artificial grass is a little bit better, but still provides a hard landing for little kids. Wood chips are another good choice, as they can be layered, which means they have a good shock-absorbency in case any of the kids fall.
Our top pick, even for backyard playgrounds, is pour-in-place rubber surfacing. It’s the safest safety surface—low maintenance, slip resistance, and great for shock absorbency. If you can, make your perfect playground a surface-safe place.
Follow Safety Regulations
In that same vein, a backyard play area needs to follow all other safety regulations. For example, when it comes to setting up swing sets, you’ll need to follow the safety tips for doing so. Keep in mind, there’s more to designing the perfect background playground than just putting together the design. You have to think about how close the swings come to where other children may play. You have to think about the height of the slide and the surfacing by the tire swing. All of these may seem like minor regulations, but they will ensure that your kids stay safe.
Keep it Clean
Right now, and probably for some time to come, the most important tip for building a backyard playground has to deal with how you maintain it. Not just by fixing the height of the swings but by cleaning it—thoroughly—so that it stays a healthy place for your kids. Because of the current pandemic, proper cleaning practices must be followed even for the backyard playground. This means more than wiping it down with a rag, but sanitizing it as well. Here at Discount Playground Supply, we have a playground sanitizer than you can mix up and keep the area clean and free of germs for up to four weeks!
Remember, every perfect playground looks different to every family, so take the time to sit down as a family and design together. When you’re looking for ideas, head to Discount Playground Supply. We’re the playground equipment supplier you need to get your backyard in order and build the perfect backyard wonderland.
