parks and playgrounds

7/23/2019 Parks and Playgrounds

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Republic of the PhilippinesEastern Visayas State University

College of Architecture and Allied Discipline Tacloban City

Research No. 01

Parks andPlaygrounds

Presented By

Pumanes, Angelique Lucille M.BS ARC !"#C"$R# % &A

Presented To

Arch'(. )ianne Angelynne Lim%So, $AP.!ns(ruc(or


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"a*le o+ Con(en(s

!n(roduc(ion 1Parks

"he "y-e o+ Park Needed

Park in Con unc(ion /i(h School&

eneral Planning Considera(ion&

Selec(ing A Si(e

Preliminary Planning

Choosing Ma(erials2

$sing Ma(erials and #qui-men(3

Playgrounds10

Playground Charac(eris(ics10

Loca(ion o+ Playground11


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The ter! *par"* can be applied to various "inds of develop!ents %hile

the ter! *playground* refers to develop!ent that are designed for active

recreation only#

Playground is that one contained area %here "ids go to cli!b& slide ands%ing# $t is a great place for a play date# Playgrounds often also have

facilities for playing infor!al ga!es of adult sports& such as baseball

dia!ond& a s"ating arena& bas"et ball court& or a tether ball#

Children thin" so!ething entirely di+erent %here to the!& a

playground beco!es a fort or a )ungle or an obstacle course or a race trac"#

$t serves as a stage and a ga!e space# $t is a place of fun and i!agination#

All children %ant to do fun things# All children %ant to be in interesting

places# All children %ant to be in the !iddle of play# Children do not go to

playgrounds to build their !otor s"ills# They go to have fun#

To achieve such %onderful and safer par"s and playgrounds& there are a lot of

things about par"s and playgrounds and things to be considered that %ill be

discussed on the follo%ing pages#

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PAR6S

A par" is an area of open space provided for recreational use# $t can bein its natural or se!i-natural state& or planted& and is set aside for hu!anen)oy!ent or for the protection of %ildlife or natural habitats# Par"s provide

opportunities for physical recreation& social interaction& cultural andeducational activities& and pleasing vistas# They are places for people to!eet and congregate& stroll and sit& play and e(ercise#

Par"s are planted places in %hich vegetation& earth& %ater& andconstructions are cultivated in such a %ay through co!position that theyac'uire a !eaning beyond the signi.cance of the single plant# Par"s are


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potentially the !ost artistic products of landscape architecture# /Par"s are%or"s of Art& rather than of 0ature#/

Par" design is in1uenced by the intended purpose and audience& as%ell as by the available land features# A par" intended to provide recreation

for children !ay include a playground # A par" pri!arily intended for adults!ay feature %al"ing paths and decorative landscaping# Speci.c features&such as riding trails& !ay be included to support speci.c activities#

The Type of Par" 0eeded

Par"s !ust be correctly located and recreation syste!s !ust be %ellorgani2ed# 3hen considering the types of recreational areas to locatethroughout the co!!unity& it is i!portant to "eep in !ind the di+erentneeds that e(ist# 4irst& there is need for areas that are readily accessible fordaily use by !any people# Second& there is need for less accessible areas%ith facilities related !ore to the co!!unity as a %hole# 4inally& there isneed for areas outside the co!!unity for %ee"end visits# This latterclassi.cation !ay fall under county or state )urisdiction# After deter!iningthe location of a par"& it is necessary to decide %hat type of par" is needed&based on infor!ation about the people it is intended to serve#

The neighborhood par" should include provisions for children fro! 5 to,6 years of age# A!ong the reco!!ended facilities are grass areas for

infor!al ga!es& play e'uip!ent& paved courts& a baseball .eld& possibly ashelter building& and other appropriate landscape ele!ents# The e(tent to%hich these facilities can be incorporated into one area is deter!ined by theacreage available#

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8ost of the follo%ing facilities can be included in the co!!unity par"

and playground grassed areas for .eld sports& paved areas for court ga!es9bas"etball& volleyball:& tennis courts& s%i!!ing pool& recreation building&picnic facilities& space for adult passive recreation& par"ing areas& andrestroo!s#

Speciali2ed par" and recreational sites can include 2oos& golf courses&s%i!!ing pools& historical sites& or any other facility desired by the public#
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playgroundhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playground


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Roads& paths& par"ing areas& rest roo!s& and other special facilities !ust beconsidered in planning this type of par"#

Par"s in Con)unction 3ith Schools

$n loo"ing over the facilities re'uired for the neighborhood par"-playground and the co!!unity par"-playground& it beco!es evident thatthey are very si!ilar to those needed for ele!entary and secondary schools#$t is logical then to consider the develop!ent of these par"-playground areasin con)unction %ith school sites# School play areas are de.cient %henco!pared %ith par"-playground areas# Usually the ground surface is entirelypaved and the e'uip!ent is li!ited# Si!ilarly& the par"-playgrounds arede.cient in facilities usually re'uired for the educational-recreationalprogra!s of a school# But by )oint e+ort each area can co!ple!ent the

other& o+ering greater recreational opportunities to the public than eitherone could provide alone#

The ad)acent develop!ent of schools and par"s is not necessarilyal%ays desirable& but should only be atte!pted %hen there are advantagesto the total situation# 3hen par" authorities enter such agree!ent& they!ust be .r! in resisting e+orts of the school district to ac'uire par"land fore(pansion of the school/s physical plant# This situation has fre'uentlyoccurred because of population gro%th# A short-sighted public %ill readilysupport such a plan in the conviction that schools are all-i!portant# 3herethis does happen& it indicates a brea"do%n in co!!unication and publicrelations bet%een the par" board and the public# The par" board should carryon a continued public infor!ation progra! to sell the public on the social andecono!ic value of par"lands by publici2ing the recreation progra!s and thee(tent of public participation# Such e+orts also pay o+ %hen both issues areplaced before the public for vote#

;eneral Planning Considerations

There are general steps in planning necessary to have an orderly andattractive par"-playground#

c arteries to reach it#

Preli!inary Planning

After land has been ac'uired& the ne(t step in planning is to design thearea so it %ill serve the people e+ectively# There are t%o preli!inary tas"s tobe co!pleted before actually deciding on design details# These t%o tas"s arethe pro)ect progra! and the site analysis and should be dealt %ithsi!ultaneously#


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The pro)ect progra! is a detailed description of the re'uire!ents of the pro)ect# Through research& investigation& and consultation %ith recreationspecialists an accurate progra! of all re'uire!ents for a successful pro)ectcan be outlined# $t is on this theoretical progra! that the design is based#

At the sa!e ti!e the pro)ect progra! is being studied& an analysis of the site !ust also be co!pleted# This analysis consists of a topographicalsurvey and on-the-site observations in an e+ort to beco!e fa!iliar %ith thesite and the design proble!s it %ill present#

The topographical survey establishes the legal boundaries and sho%s roadboundaries& %ooded areas& strea!s or bodies of %ater& and groundelevations# The ground elevations are sho%n on a topographic !ap ascontour lines at a speci.ed vertical interval#

$n this topographical survey an investigation of soil structure and itsability to support the anticipated activities is i!portant# This !ay involve theuse of soil survey !aps and a study of soil pro.le 9a core of earth ta"en to aspeci.ed depth:# As a result of these studies the behavior of any particularsoil structure can be predicted# ?n this basis it is possible to deter!ine if the

soil %ill support intense use and to predict its load-bearing 'ualities#

?bservations should include notes about e(isting vegetation& includingtrees& shrubs& and ground covers# An evaluation of this vegetation should be!ade to deter!ine %hat should be preserved and incorporated into thedesign and %hat should be re!oved# 8any ti!es on heavily forested sitesthe trees gro% so close together they beco!e tall& spindly& and poorlyshaped# By selective re!oval of the poorest trees& the better ones candevelop their natural for! and beco!e handso!e additions to the totalpicture# At the sa!e ti!e notes should be !ade on %hat protection %ill benecessary to avoid da!age to the trees during construction#

Special attention should also be given to roc" outcroppings& strea!s&bodies of %ater& s%a!py areas& presence or absence of natural drainagepatterns& the sun pattern over the property& and the prevailing %ind# The siteanalysis should not be con.ned entirely to property %ithin the legalboundaries# $t should also include study of the areas beyond the par"


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property lines that %ill in1uence the design& such as bordering streets andtheir tra>c loads& good and poor vie%s& natural and !an!ade ha2ards 9cli+s&industrial areas& and railroads:# So!e of these factors can present ha2ardsthat !a"e it necessary to protect not only the users of the par"& but also thead)acent private properties#

The person !a"ing the .eld observations should have a print of thesurvey !ap

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!ounted on a hard board# @e can note pertinent infor!ation in those areason the !ap that appro(i!ate the actual location on the site# 3hen the .eldanalysis is co!plete& he %ill have an accurate diagra! of all features andfactors to refer to as he begins to develop the design#

$n addition to the .eld observations& other infor!ation is needed toco!plete the site analysis# This infor!ation is obtained through research# $tincludes chec"s on the o%nership of the land& deter!ination of ease!entsfor both overhead and underground utilities& and an investigation into anyreversion clauses in the deed that !ight li!it the types of develop!entplaced on the property#

@aving noted this infor!ation on a base plan& the landscape architect

begins to study the organi2ation of space to deter!ine the best use of theland# @e refers bac" to his pro)ect progra! to revie% facilities that are to beincluded# @e studies the land to deter!ine ho% to incorporate these facilitiesand dra%s out certain activity areas in very general ter!s# The speci.c detailof design is not a !a)or consideration in this phase of planning# At this pointthe !a)or concerns are the organi2ation of activity areas and facilities& therelationship of one activity area to another& and the best use of land#

eeping in !ind this organi2ation of space& he thin"s about isolatingage groups so the recreation of older children %ill not infringe on the play of pre-school children# $t is also good to separate the passive fro! the !oreactive recreational areas# @e selects the best location for various facilities inrelation to the sun and prevailing bree2es and considers the topography of the land to see if it %ill be satisfactory for each activity# $f any !odi.cations%ill be needed& he then develops a grading plan# This plan is a guide forchanging the land surface to acco!!odate speci.c activities and to get thebest use of space#


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Ar!ed %ith the "no%ledge of %hich features are to be incorporated&%here they are to be located& and ho% the ground for!s should be changedto acco!!odate the!& the landscape architect is ready to design each of these features and the surrounding area in detail#

3hile designing the details of these areas& the !ain goals of thedesigner are to achieve pleasing appearance& durability& and ease of !aintenance# 8aintenance of an area begins on the dra%ing board# Carefulthought !ust be given to each detail of the design to assure that it %ill stillbe useful& attractive& and practical , years after its construction#

The .rst step in site planning is to !a"e a .eld site analysis# 3ith theinfor!ation fro! the .eld site analysis& the ne(t step is to !a"e a land-useplan indicating the possible locations

of the activity areas to be included in the par"# An e+ort should be !ade tolocate each activity on a spot that is topographically suitable so as topreserve the natural features of the land and at the sa!e ti!e reduce costsby "eeping grading !odi.cations to a !ini!u!# At this point no e+ort is!ade to de.ne the speci.c for! each activity area %ill assu!e# 8orei!portant is the place!ent of the areas in relation to one another and to thephysical features# ?ne step re!ains before developing the .nal design& and

that is !a"ing the sche!atic landscape plan#

Choosing 8aterials

Proper design can !a"e a facility easy and econo!ical to !aintain# Apart of this design process is the choice of !aterials# The landscape architectreali2es the i!portance of the choice of !aterials to be used in par"-playground design# @e !ust "eep in !ind the budget %ithin %hich the par"depart!ent is operating and also the proper 'uality of !aterial to be used#So!eti!es it is cheaper to choose %hat !ight see! to be a lu(ury becauseit %ill be !ore e>cient and less costly over the long run in ter!s of !aintenance and replace!ent# The par"-playground design %ill include playe'uip!ent and facilities& appropriate ground-surfacing !aterial& andlandscape plantings and structures#

andscape plantings should not be chosen )ust to beautify the area# Those plantings that are included in the design should be *%or"ing*


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plantings# They should perfor! a speci.c function and at the sa!e ti!e theyshould be carefully selected for 'ualities that %ill add beauty#

So!e of the functions a plant can serve in a par"-playground areainclude border protection& screening& pedestrian tra>c control& spaceorgani2ation and de.nition& separation of play areas& and shading#

Border protection plantings are generally located along the propertylines for one of t%o purposes# They !ay si!ply de.ne the area of the par"-playground# Trees spaced along the property line %ould acco!plish this#

They !ay also serve as protective plantings bet%een the par"-playgroundand ad)acent streets and properties# Such plantings could include largeshrubs and trees& depending on the degree of protection re'uired#

$n general it is better to leave the vie%s fro! the par" open& ratherthan solidly enclosed# A screen planting 9a solid !ass of one type of plant togive the e+ect of a %all: !ight be used to obscure an ob)ectionable vie% orto provide a barrier in areas of potential safety ha2ards# An ideal shrub for ascreen %ould be tall and narro%& but %ith heavy foliage to the

ground# The height of the screen !ust be a co!pro!ise bet%een the heightneeded for screening and the li!itation of scale given by the area# To

function e+ectively as a visual screen& the planting %ill have to be at least feet high in order to bloc" any ob)ect fro! vie%#

4or pedestrian tra>c control& for space organi2ation and de.nition& andfor separation of play areas& several di+erent planting arrange!ents !ightbe used# A clipped or unclipped hedge& a group planting& or a screen type of planting using either tall or lo% plants %ould be very e+ective#

$n choosing a hedge& select plants that have dense foliage %hichcannot be seen through and %hich are able to survive close together# @edges

can either be clipped 9for!al: or unclipped 9infor!al:# The for!al hedgere'uires a great deal of !aintenance# $f the hedge is being used to control!ove!ents of people& it is often advisable to select varieties that havethorns#

;roup plantings aid in space de.nition and organi2ation# The groupplanting is co!posed of several di+erent plant varieties# 4or e(a!ple& three


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or four plants that are si!ilar in for!& color& and te(ture can be co!bined tofor! the bul" of the planting# ;roup plantings should be interesting in outlineand arrange!ent# A plant that o+ers contrast in for!& te(ture& or color& suchas a s!all tree& %ill add special interest to s!all groupings#

3hen shade trees are used& their location !ust be carefullydeter!ined to avoid interference %ith any special activities or sport areas inthe par"-playground# The tree planting should include a co!bination of s!all& 1o%ering trees %ith !ediu! and large varieties# Be sure to selecttrees that gro% %ell in your area# Do not use trees that have *nuisance*litter& such as !essy fruit& seed pods& and bro"en t%igs# Do not select trees%hose roots are heavy surface feeders# Such trees interfere %ith the gro%thof nearby la%n and plantings and cause pave!ent to heave# 4inally& selectthose that are long-lived and resistant to ice and %ind as %ell as to insects

and disease#

Using 8aterials and E'uip!ent

To illustrate ho% so!e of these ele!ents !ight be co!bined into adesign& the follo%ing is a list of features 9both e'uip!ent and plantings: that!ight be necessary for the proper functioning of a s!all children/s play areaand the older children/s playground#

$n the s!all children/s area& the ground should be level# @o%ever& s!all

!ounds or

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undulations provide opportunities for creative play# The surfacing !aterialshould be turf or so!e !aterial that provides a soft& resilient cushion forfalls#

The play e'uip!ent should include lo%-hung s%ings& a s!all slide& asand bo(& s!all teeter-totters& and possibly a playhouse# Cut-out .gures of nursery rhy!e characters can also be included# Provide benches for parents#

$t is i!portant that this area be separated fro! areas used by olderchildren# $f a!ple land is available for the develop!ent of the par"-playground& the design should allo% plenty of open space for a safety 2onebet%een the t%o age groups# $f this is not practical& then the use of a %ell-designed fence or planting !ay be considered#


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Plantings& other than those re'uired to give safety to the area& shouldbe held to a !ini!u!# The only really necessary type of planting %ould belarge trees to provide shade in the area#

Playful irregularities of for!s& !aterials& and heights encouragechildren/s natural actions of )u!ping& cli!bing& cra%ling& and hiding# Thefor! and function of the total co!position %as carefully conceived through adesign on paper to avoid a !ere accu!ulation of !aterials and playele!ents#

$n developing a par" as a space for play& there are several di+erent agegroups for %ho! special design considerations and facilities are re'uired# 4ore(a!ple& toddlers !ust be protected fro! older youngsters# $n this case anunobtrusive fence separates the toddler play area fro! the rest of the par"#

Appropriate e'uip!ent is included along %ith a large sandbo( on the left#Sand is also used under the s%ings= ho%ever& the hobbyhorses are !ountedin concrete# The large paved area provides tricycle space#

$ne(pensive building !aterials can be e+ectively used to create playfacilities that sti!ulate the i!agination of the child# This %ell-designed playarea for s!all children provides for !any di+erent types of play activities#

The use of sand for a surfacing !aterial eli!inates !aintenance proble!sassociated %ith grass# The sand is contained by 1o%ing concrete stripsdesigned as a tricycle high%ay#

A si!ple play structure that provides an e(citing play e(periencecra%ling into the concrete cylinder& cli!bing up the ladder inside& and thensliding do%n to earth#

$n the older children/s area& youngsters ranging fro! to ,6 years %illbe using the older

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children/s playground# Because of this age range it is desirable to develop athree-division layout that provides facilities for boys and girls in the to ,age group& boys , to ,6& and girls , to ,6# This plan& of course& !ay be!odi.ed because of lac" of space#

$n general the topography should be reasonably level because thefacilities provided for this group include both play apparatus and space for


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.eld ga!es# The surfacing !aterial %ill depend upon the area and its use# $t!ay be la%n or it !ay be a hard surface !aterial such as asphalt#

Huite di+erent fro! playground e'uip!ent but of e'ual i!portance isa level& open area for active& organi2ed ga!es# 3here space is li!ited& thisarea could be planned to function as a !ulti-purpose ga!e area# $t couldserve as a soccer& softball& or touch football .eld& depending on the seasonand the interest of those using it#

Tennis courts are only one of the !any types of facilities that !ight beincorporated to provide a %holeso!e outlet for youthful energies# Althoughtennis courts are an e(pensive ite!& the space can be used for activitiesother than tennis# $n %inter the tennis court can be 1ooded and the resultingice can serve as a s"ating rin"# $n su!!er the court can also be used as a

dance area#

Space re'uire!ents for sports and ga!es of older teens and adults areconsiderably larger than those for children# 4acilities for these sports andga!es are generally not included in the par"-playground because of spaceli!itations# They are !ore feasible in larger par"s# Table 5 belo% sho%s thespace re'uire!ents for adult ga!es# Re!e!ber that the .gures in the tableare appro(i!ate and !ore or less space !ay be needed& depending on theland available#

PLA7 R8$N)A playground is a place %ith a speci.c design to allo% children to play

there# $t !ay be indoors but is typically outdoors# 3hile a playground isusually designed for children& so!e playgrounds are designed for other agegroups#

Playground Characteristics The playground is the chief center of outdoor play for "indergarten and

school age children fro! 5 to ,7 years of age# $t also o+ers so!eopportunities for recreation for young people and adults #

The playground at every ele!entary school should be of su>cient si2eand design& and

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Play_(activity)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Play_(activity)


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properly !aintained& to serve both the ele!entary educational progra! andthe recreational needs of all age groups in the neighborhood# Sinceeducation and recreation progra!s co!ple!ent each other in !any %ays&unnecessary duplication of essential outdoor recreational facilities should beavoided# ?nly %here this )oint function is not feasible should a separateplayground be developed#

A playground !ay include a playlot for preschool children& an enclosedplayground e'uip!ent area for ele!entary school children& an open& turfedarea for active ga!es& shaded areas for 'uiet activities& a paved&!ultipurpose area& an area for .eld ga!es& and circulation and bu+er space#

ocation of PlaygroundA playground is an integral part of a co!plete ele!entary school

develop!ent# School playgrounds and other playgrounds should be readily

accessible fro! and conveniently related to the housing area served # Aplayground should be %ithin ,I6 to ,I7 !ile of every fa!ily housing unit#

Si2e and 0u!ber of PlaygroundsReco!!ended si2e of a playground is a !ini!u! of to F acres&

%hich %ould serve appro(i!ately ,& to ,&5 fa!ilies # The s!allestplayground that %ill acco!!odate essential activity spaces is about < acres&serving appro(i!ately 75 fa!ilies 9about ,, ele!entary school children:#

This !ini!u! area should be increased at the rate of #7 to #6 acres for

each additional 5 fa!ilies# 8ore than one playground should be provided%here a co!plete school playground is not feasible& the population to beserved e(ceeds ,&5 fa!ilies& or the distance fro! the housing units is toogreat#

Playground Activity Spaces and Ele!entsA playground should contain a playlot& as described in the preceding

section& %ith e'uip!ent and surfacing as reco!!ended# $t should contain anenclosed playground e'uip!ent area %ith supple!ental planting forele!entary school children& and %ith e'uip!ent as reco!!ended# $t shouldalso contain an open& turfed area for infor!al active ga!es for ele!entaryschool children# There should be shaded areas for 'uiet activities such asreading& storytelling& 'uiet ga!es& handicrafts& picnic"ing and horseshoepitching for both children and adults# There should be also a paved and %ell-lighted& !ultipurpose area large enough for activities such as roller s"ating&


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dancing& hopscotch& four s'uare& and captain ball& and ga!es re'uiringspeci.c courts& such as bas"etball& volleyball& tennis& handball& bad!inton&paddle tennis& and shuJeboard# There should be an area for .eld ga!es&preferably %ell-

,,lighted& 9including softball& )unior baseball& touch or 1ag football& soccer&trac" and .eld activities& and other ga!es:& %hich %ill also serve for infor!alplay of .eld sports and "ite 1ying& and be used occasionally for pageants&.eld days& and other co!!unity activities#And lastly& it should have a !iscellaneous ele!ents such as public shelter&storage space& toilet facilities& drin"ing fountains& %al"s& benches& trashcontainers& and bu+er 2ones %ith planting#

ayout of Playgrounds The layout of a playground %ill vary according to si2e of available area&

its topography& and the speci.c activities desired# $t should .t the site %ith!a(i!u! preservation of the e(isting terrain and such natural site featuresas large shade trees& interesting ground for!s& roc"y outcrops and strea!s#

These features should be integrated into the layout to the !a(i!u! e(tentfeasible for appropriate activity spaces& as natural divisions of various useareas& and for landscape interest# ;rading should be "ept to a !ini!u!consistent %ith activity needs& ade'uate drainage and erosion control#

The playground e'uip!ent area should be located ad)acent to theschool and to each other# An open& turfed area for infor!al active play shouldbe located close to the playground e'uip!ent area for convenient use by allele!entary school children# Areas for 'uiet activities for children and adultsshould be so!e%hat re!oved fro! active play spaces and should be close totree shaded areas and other natural features of the site# The paved!ultipurpose area should be set o+ fro! other areas by planting and solocated near the school gy!nasiu! that it !ay be used for physicaleducation %ithout disturbing other school classes# All posts or net supportsre'uired on the courts should be constructed %ith sleeves and caps %hich

%ill per!it re!oval of the posts and their supports# The area for .eld ga!esshould be located on fairly level& %ell-drained land %ith .nished grades not ine(cess of 7#5 percent= a !ini!u! grade of , percent is acceptable onpervious soils having good percolation for proper drainage#

$n general& the area of a playground !ay be divided as follo%sappro(i!ately half of the area should be par"-li"e& including the open& turfedareas for active play& the shaded areas for 'uiet activities& and the


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!iscellaneous ele!ents= the other half of the area should include


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All play e'uip!ent should be designed and built for safety of theparticipants& and be free of all sharp protruding surfaces caused by %elds&rivets& bolts& or )oints# $t should have su>cient structural strength to%ithstand the e(pected loads# $t should be designed to discourage incorrectuse and to !ini!i2e accident# E(a!ples are seats that discourage childrenfro! standing in s%ings& slides that re'uire children to sit do%n beforesliding& and steps or ladders that discourage !ore than one participant at ati!e# $t should have hand or safety rails on all steps and ladders& and nons"idtreads on all steps# $t should be installed in accordance %ith the speci.cdirections of the !anufacturer# $t should be also placed over suitablesurfaces that %ill reduce the danger of in)ury or abrasions in the event achild falls fro! the cli!bing& !oving or sliding e'uip!ent# There !ust be asoft surface belo% anything %hich a child can fall fro!# A safe landingsurface should be provided at the end of a slide chute# 8a"e sure the

di!ensions of the play e'uip!ent are in scale to the si2e of the child %ho %illuse the e'uip!ent# $f a s!all child needs to reach too far to grab so!ething&they are !ore li"ely to slip

,< and fall# The parent should be able to see or supervise the child& ideally%ithout the chil reali2ing they are being observed# This is particularlyi!portant for preschool children but older children can be a+orded !orehiding places#

Durability of E'uip!entE'uip!ent that is durable should be selected# $t should be !ade of

!aterials %hich are of su>cient strength and 'uality to %ithstand nor!alplay %ear# 3ood should be used only %here !etal or plastics have seriousdisadvantages# All !etal parts should be galvani2ed or !anufactured of corrosion- resistant !etals# All !ovable bearings should be of an oilless type#E'uip!ent should be designed as vandal-resistant as possible 9for e(a!ple&%ire-reinforced seats for s%ings:#

E'uip!ent %ith Eye AppealAll play e'uip!ent should be designed and selected for function& for

visual appeal to sti!ulate the child/s i!agination& %ith pleasing proportionsand %ith colors in har!onious contrast to each other and the surroundings#Play e'uip!ent !ay have a central the!e& to re1ect historical signi.cance of the area& a storyboo" land& a nautical !otif or a space 1ight !otif# The the!e!ay be carried out by constructing retaining or separation %alls to rese!ble


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a corral& ship& or airplane& and by appropriate design of such ele!ents aspaving& benches& and trash cans#

Ease of 8aintenanceE'uip!ent should be selected %hich re'uires a !ini!u! of

!aintenance# Purchased e'uip!ent should be products of established!anufacturers %ho can provide a standard parts list# E'uip!ent parts %hichare sub)ect to %ear should be replaceable# Color should be i!pregnated intothe !aterial& if feasible& to avoid repainting# Sand areas should besurrounded by a retaining %all and be !aintained regularly to re!oveforeign ob)ects end loosen the sand as a suitable play !ediu!#

Basic Play E'uip!ent

Play e'uip!ent !ay include s%ings& slides& and !erry-go-rounds=various types of cli!bers= balancing e'uip!ent such an balance bea!s&conduit& leaping posts& and bo(es= hanging e'uip!ent such as parallel bars&hori2ontal bars& and ladders= play %alls and playhouses= and a variety of playsculpture for!s#

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Preschool children really li"e to get involved# They li"e to !anipulatetheir environ!ent& to build things& or change things around# 3hile a t%o-year-old !ay be enthralled by s!all building bloc"s& an older child %ill %antto !a"e bigger and !ore signi.cant changes to their environ!ent#

Children over the age of .ve need a greater physical challenge andneed things they can do in pairs or groups# $f so!ething is not !eant to beused by several children they %ill very often .nd a %ay to !anipulate it foruse by !ore than one at a ti!e li"e a slide !eant for one child is li"ely to beused by several children sliding do%n together#

4or preschool children& the play e'uip!ent should have di+erentte(tured surfaces li"e rough or s!ooth# $t should have variety of !aterialsli"e rubber& %ood& plastic or !etal# $t should have a variety of di+erent playspots li"e inside a cubby& in front of the cubby and behind the cubby# All feelsli"e di+erent places to the child# $t should also have things that can be!oved and things that encourage the greatest variety of !ove!ents in the


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child# $t they can cli!b it& it is good# But if they can cli!b& slide& s%ing& it is!uch better#

School Aged Children/s bodies are physically bigger# The playe'uip!ent needs to sturdier and bigger# Their !inds are !ore co!ple( andinfor!ed# $f the e'uip!ent is not !ore challenging and 1e(ible& theyprobably get bored and si!ply not use it# Consider ho% it enhances socialplay& provide private places %here children can sit& tal"& or play pretendga!es together#

Play e'uip!ent should be seen as only one co!ponent in creatingtotal play environ!ent# Di+erent types of play e'uip!ent should be providedfor preschool children and for ele!entary school children to !eet thedevelop!ental and recreational needs of the t%o age groups#

E(a!ples of Play E'uip!ent,: Sand Pit

This should have sturdy but s!ooth edges# A secure cover %ill "eepthe rain out and prevent leaves& stic"s& etc fro! blo%ing in# $t also preventsani!als fro! conta!inating the sand#

Portable plastic sandpits are ine(pensive and easy to clean# They canalso be used as paddle pools in %ar!er %eather# A ho!e-!ade sandpit hasthe advantage that you can build it to any si2e or shape - a large pit %ill

allo% t%o or !ore children to play together safely& using larger toys# Anotherbonus is that ti!ber edges can be used as seating#

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7: Cubbies or 3endy @ousesChoose or build a %ell-constructed& %ell-.nished cubby house# Do not

!a"e it too s!all or dar"& other%ise it %ill not get !uch use# A %eatherproofcubby %ith a clean& dry 1oor %ill also encourage use#


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A set bought fro! a reputable toy or hard%are shop %ill !ost li"elyconfor! %ith safety regulations# $f you build your o%n s%ing or purchase ati!ber fra!e !a"e sure the edges are rounded and s!ooth& and that all!oving parts are securely attached# Concrete footings !ay be needed tosecure the set in soft ground#

Playground E'uip!ent for Ele!entary School Children The follo%ing table indicates types& 'uantities& and !ini!u! play

space re'uire!ents totaling about & s'# ft= this area& plus additionalspace for circulation& !iscellaneous ele!ents& and bu+er 2ones& %illacco!!odate a full range of playground e'uip!ent serving appro(i!ately5 children at one ti!e#

E'uip!ent 0u!ber of Pieces Play Space Re'uire!ents 9ft#:Balance bea! # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # ,,5 (

parks and playgrounds

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