Everything You Need to Know About Playground Equipment

Back in the days when we were little kids, playgrounds consisted mostly of swings, seesaws, a few monkey bars, and maybe a metal slide or two, along with the necessary basketball hoops and tetherball setup.

Since then, the playground team has come a long way: the colorless pieces of welded metal laid out on the cutthroat black asphalt disappeared. Today's kids can play with all kinds of fun, interactive equipment, and if they spill, their fall will likely be interrupted by several inches of industrial-grade foam padding rather than concrete or gravel.

Changing shift

The playground equipment began its metamorphosis from simple metal and asphalt to the most colorful and user-friendly options you see on the market today in the 1980s.

Playground equipment began to move away from galvanized metal and wood structures without powder coating in the early 1980s, says Meghan O'Brien Taylor, CPSI, company president O'Brien Sons Inc. based in Medfield, Massachusetts, a provider of outdoor recreation equipment in New England. While many wooden structures remained, there was a definite trend towards powder coated (factory applied paint) posts and components (climbers, grab bars) and rot molded slides. The biggest change came during the continuous play movement in 1981, where there were platforms on different levels with climbers, bridges and slides, all interconnected instead of a separate slide, a geodesic dome, a monkey bar, all in different areas of the world playground. These components were deliberately part of a structure, prompting a huge move toward the modern playground. "

Industry experts say that advances in materials and technology in the 1980s and 1990s led to a vast expansion in opportunities for commercial gaming equipment.

"I've been in this business for over 20 years and saw the change in playground equipment begin in the 1980s," says Doug Knotts, president of Premier Park Play in Newton, Massachusetts. "I think it was a consumer interest and the ability of manufacturers to create new products."

A major change in playground equipment occurred in 1981 when numerous playground injuries that occurred when children fell off seesaws, slides, basketball indoor court and bars led to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to publish the first Manual for Public Playground Safety, which was designed to provide guidelines for making playgrounds safer.

In 2008, the CPSC made several major revisions to the 1981 manual. Age ranges were expanded to include children up to six months, guidelines for trail riding and log rolls were added, the critical height table was revised, and added suggestions for surfaces on asphalt.

Another modification to the construction of the playground occurred as a result of changes in the American Disabilities Act (ADA) and the ability of children with special needs to be able to play alongside other children.
"The original ADA standards went into effect in 1992 and were recently revised after 20 years," says Kenneth Otten, a nationally recognized ADA and accessibility expert. There were no specific requirements for playground equipment in the original version of the ADA Accessibility Guidelines for buildings and facilities. The only requirement was that an accessible route must be provided to the edge of the playing area. "

Otten says that after much study, the US Access Board incorporated new requirements for playground surfaces and equipment that became mandatory on March 15, 2012.

Homeowners associations should be able to rely on the manufacturer's claim that their equipment meets the new ADA standards, says Otten. "However, it is good practice to consult with a local design professional and ADA compliance specialist before designing a new playground, upgrading an older one, and purchasing equipment."

Otten says there are other factors, in addition to the actual equipment, that need to be considered, including the number and types of elevated and ground-level features, the surface material underneath, and on the path to the equipment (because the material from surface must meet safety requirements and accessibility requirements) and travel routes to the playground.

"Surfaces under playground equipment must meet safety requirements so that when a child falls, they will land on a soft, safe material," says Otten. At the same time, the surface must also meet ADA requirements to ensure that a wheelchair can successfully move to and between equipment. There are specialized materials that accomplish this; however, they tend to be quite expensive. "

New Products

Every year, the playground industry releases new and updated products that allow children to twist with sport court contractor and turn through tunnels, run down mountain slides, or even walk a tightrope. What hasn't changed is that children love to climb, swing, slide, and bounce.

Old resources are always popular with kids: swings, tire changes, the more swings the better, says Michael L. Parody, CPSI and president of UltiPlay Parks Playgrounds, Inc. in Uxbridge, Massachusetts.

But in terms of the products we see regularly, one of the most popular is called RockBlocks. It is for outdoor playground equipment UAE climbing: climbing walls and side climbing. They are a great success due to the gross motor aspects. Children love to climb and a lot of physical energy is exerted when they climb. Some other things that are popular with kids right now are ropes, space nets, and play nets. Parents see them as if they are not the typical design of a playground. There are parents and teachers suspicious of the height and the climbing that is being done. They are always a bit off guard with your potential safety. But if you fall you're going to land on ropes. It is like a big spider web. You couldn't hurt yourself if you tried. "

"Parents and children can sometimes be divided on what is challenging and fun," says O'Brien Taylor. Most parents realize that there are healthy risks that need to be promoted for children to learn and grow. I see a lot of clients, who are also parents of two to twelve year olds, who are really in tune with what's popular and fun. They want their children to be stimulated by play and they see the value of play equipment that promotes sensory stimulating activities. "

For kids, some of the most exciting pieces have to do with wall climbing, boulders and nets, adds Knotts. Those are the newest items kids enjoy on the playgrounds. Traditional swings and slides are also in high demand. In terms of what parents like, they just want something that is safe, but interesting and challenging for children. They don't want the kids to get bored after five minutes of being on the playground. So there is a balance. They understand that the game is important, but there is a balance.

Playing it safe

Industry experts agree that safety standards for playground equipment have changed radically in the last two decades.

"Twenty-five years ago, the guidelines from the ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) didn't even exist," says O'Brien Taylor. One of the most relevant changes is the safety coating. Our playgrounds were placed on compacted earth, asphalt, or grass. ASTM has found that approximately 75 percent of all playground accidents occur from falls overhead to inadequate safety surfaces. Some of the results of fall injuries have been due to surfaces that do not attenuate impact. There's a lot of emphasis on that. "

"From a guidelines and safety standpoint for tennis court flooring UAE, we have taken a direction such that as manufacturers and designers we are pigeonholed into design in certain ways due to the guidelines that there are no risks and no challenges," adds Parody. If kids can essentially dominate a playground in the first or second round, those are generally the playgrounds that you pass by and you don't see kids. You want a playground that offers challenges and risks that expand your mental and physical capabilities. People will find that you can't bubble wrap your kids and that it's good to skin click here to find out more your knee once in a while. "

Community Building

Playgrounds provide a sense of community to a homeowners association or association and is a service that will increase property value and attract families.

I just had a meeting with a homeowners association, who are building a playground and see it not only as a disposal responsibility, but also to use it to maximize their exposure by being a family townhome association, he says. Parody. "They also want to market it as a central courtyard-type gathering place."

There are several ways that an association or building can choose which basketball court and equipment is best for their community.

"The first step in installing new equipment from scratch is to do your homework to find the best supplier and the best gaming equipment," says O'Brien Taylor. The supplier is a true partner in the process and the quality of the playground should be highly valued. Take a tour of the playground and find out what these playgrounds look like after five or ten years. Playgrounds are expensive and the good ones may cost a bit more like basketball court build, but if they last twice as long and don't have maintenance headaches, it can be worth it. "

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