Playground design requires good planning and a playground that will match student needs in their learning development, without degrading the fun and excitement of their playtime.
The design focuses primarily on intellectual development, cognitive development, social skills, physical development, emotional skills, language development, sensory development, and environmental and risk awareness.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- PLAN AND BUILD
- PLAYGROUND DESIGNS
- BEST DESIGNED SCHOOL PLAYGROUND
- CONCLUSION
- PLAN AND BUILD
Significant factors must be considered when planning and designing school playgrounds to ensure a safe and fun playtime for the students. It is essential to identify the needs and abilities of the age group where the playground will be built. Playground safety and appropriate equipment must be planned and installed correctly and safely in the play area.
Involve the parents, community, teachers, students, government, and non-government organizations (NGOs) to get their insights and suggestions on what is best for the playground and establish funds to make the play area engaging and inviting to the students.
- PLAYGROUND DESIGNS
- NATURE-INSPIRED
Nature-inspired play areas use woods, stones, sand, and water to create a natural environment experience. Play pieces of equipment copy things found in nature, such as logs, wood paints, tree houses, and giant boulder climbing walls. Play areas designed with trees, flowers, and shallow ponds allow children to experience water play in a nature-inspired way.
Nature-inspired play areas engage children to be imaginative and creative in a nature-inspired perspective, which will help them be aware of the beauty of exploration in a natural way.
- INCLUSIVE DESIGN
An inclusive playground allows children to experience the best play with all the convenience. These designs support physical inclusivity that will cater to all the needs in developing cognitive, social, and intellectual skills. All the equipment is planned thoroughly and carefully to meet the expectations inclusively.
The inclusive design benefits children with limited abilities by allowing them to experience the fun of play and explore the play area in an accessible and safe way.
- ADVENTURE PLAY AREA
The adventure play area offers thrilling interactive spaces that feed children’s imaginations and excite them, encouraging more physical activities, problem-solving, and creative imagination.
The adventuristic play area promotes physical fitness and helps children improve strength, coordination, and endurance. It offers opportunities to take risks and know their limits, encouraging team play and problem-solving skills.
- STEM- INSPIRED
Science is all you can see in the playground, which you can explore through block plays, experimentation, weight, and balance —math, where some grids or blocks encourage computation. Engineering is where building blocks occur, sand castles, and structures that encourage children to think critically and solve problems. Technology where digital features shoes like touch screens and reality zones that allow children to do basic programming playfully.
STEM stands for Science, Technology, engineering, and Math which are designed to focus on students’ intellectual development. They stimulate their scientific and technology skills playfully,d which is perfect for schools.
- SPORT AND FITNESS
The sport and fitness-designed playground is an outdoor space where physical activities strengthen athletic skills and overall fitness playfully. The equipment in the play zone focuses on exercise, agility, and teamwork, a good foundation for honing athletic skills.
- BEST DESIGNED SCHOOL PLAYGROUND
- STONEBROOK DAY SCHOOL (NATURE-INSPIRED)
https://youtu.be/bDse1S_-kfg?si=Vcnw15QBODNxkIzg
Stonebrook Day School has a nature-inspired playground with a natural stone brook, trike path and garage, tree stump bench, garden classroom, footbridge, music and art spaces, sand bunker, labyrinth, wood playhouse, and store, area with built-in slide and tunnel, picnic area, and a lot of grass, plants, and trees.
- JACKSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL(INCLUSIVE DESIGN)
https://youtu.be/tUgVrg4-83Y?si=czVgcRXIvk3XbyPN
Green Bay Area public schools opened their first ADA-inclusive playground at Jackson Elementary, inviting students and families to the ceremony. The playground has easy access and allows children of all abilities to have fun.
- Park Lakes Elementary School(Adventure Designed)
https://youtu.be/fk69sqXv5z0?si=04Es0W037AF6JmmJ
Park Lakes Elementary School, located in Humble, Texas, is an adventure and inclusive playground where kids of all abilities can explore and have fun. The Savanah-themed play area has many sensory and imaginative surprises to entertain their sense of play.
- PUTUO Campus (STEM Inspired)
https://youtu.be/omFrC-vlTno?si=5qG0DbfHWOVUilKn
Putuo Campus of the China Welfare Institute Nursery for kindergarten and early childhood school has a STEM-inspired playground that aims to stimulate students’ curiosity and interest in science and desire to explore. The playground is like bringing a mini museum into the school where children can experiment, see science like volcanoes, see, gravity walking and water cycle displays. It helps the kids to nurture the scientific and technological talents of the students at this early stage.
- Jebjerg School (Sport and Fitness Inspired)
https://youtu.be/odp-mXp8xyA?si=7QeFmrMBzk5xlsbN
This school playground in Denmark has embraced fantastic play in sports and fitness-inspired types of equipment. The play area features an arena, skate park, swings, and carousel. Denfit outdoor fitness frames, trampolines, and trail courses.
- Campbell Primary School
https://youtube.com/shorts/0Vx4Ujlyyx4?si=aW19qGAyXP-zeaag
Campbell Primary School in Australia embraces a nature-inspired play area where students can have a wonderful playtime every recess.
- Downers Grove Elementary School(Inclusive Play Area)
Downers Grove Elementary School Opens Inclusive Playground – NBC Chicago
Downers Grove says that has the most inclusive school playground that been funded by the HIllcrest community and many local business organization after their heart touched by an 8th grade student that has mobility disability struggling to have have fun in the play area.
- Key Elementary School
https://youtu.be/wazM1oK9vL0?si=Tn8C_Bpe3DgTw7cH
The endless fun at the nature-inspired school playground of Key Elementary School. The play area features a Log Stack Climber, Rushwindwer slide, Sidewinder, and many more.
- Great Lakes Elementary School ( Adventure-Inspired)
https://youtu.be/SLCOB99vB_0?si=1x63rmoCJboSDiWl
A Ship-themed playground is the Great Lakes Elementary School’s best feature for their recess program where kids can play a lot of activities, there’s a telescope, bridges, net climbers, slides activity panel that kids aged 5 to 12 will enjoy and explore their imaginative and creative self.
- Enterprise Elementary School ( Adventure-Inspired)
https://youtu.be/StYrNhuHy2E?si=VZAomUIeH-yNOiwI
A play filled with fun and excitement with Enterprise’s Spongebob-themed playground, this dream playground was made possible by winning the “I Wanna Play” Nickelodeon 2012. The playground features a concrete pineapple, Spongebob’s house other characters’ (Patrick, Squidward,) houses, and colorful flower-shaped climbers.
- FINAL THOUGHTS
To wrap it up, whatever the inspiration and design that the school planned in the playground it is important to consider the needs to development to their student. Design that also prioritize the inclusivity, sustainability and adaptability ensuring that all student of all abilities can have fun and also experience the benefits of outdoor plays.
A school playground is an essential factors that every school must focus because it plays a big contribution to the children’s physical, mental and well being of every children.