Playground for all ages. Classification of playgrounds by types of materials used. Wooden playgrounds

Linda Cain Ruth Department of Building Sciences, Auburn University. The desire to play comes naturally to all children, and its value is undeniable. The process of play increases the child's self-esteem, opens the young mind to new possibilities and develops social, verbal and problem solving skills. In fact, as the old saying goes: play is a child's work. Since its inception in the early 20th century, playground design in the United States has evolved significantly from traditional playgrounds of insulated metal objects. gaming equipment to state-of-the-art compositional structures of imaginary play that are designed to high standards of safety and durability. However, it is important to remember that the process and quality of play cannot be acquired.

This is provided by the imagination of the child and the innate desire to play. Therefore, the design goal for a game is simply to create an environment that will engage children and enrich their "work" of play. The act of "playing" contributes greatly to the development of children. The information contained on this resource page pertains to the design and construction of community playgrounds. For home playgrounds, refer to the safety advice for home playgrounds and equipment issued by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

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The main challenge in designing playgrounds is to provide challenging and interesting activities, as well as to ensure the safety of children using the playgrounds. Methods for designing and creating safe play environments that provide age-related challenges and play experiences for children are outlined in the section.

As with the design of any architectural space, the playground design process must begin with careful programming to better understand the needs of the owner and how and by whom the playground will be used. For example, important information about preliminary design includes knowing how and from what directions children can get to the playground; whether or not children will be supervised while playing in the playground; what is the expected age category children using the playground; and how many children are typically expected on the playground at one time.

Appropriate equipment and zoning

Knowing how and in what way a playground will be maintained can also influence many planning and design decisions. Anticipating the age of the children who will be using the playground is most important when the age range spans from toddlers to children. Best practices recommend that when toddlers are about to be present on the playground, a separate area should be designed for their play needs. Estimating the expected age of children in the playground is also important in selecting activities that will provide an appropriate level of difficulty within acceptable safety limits for children of different ages.

Since children differ in that they prefer to participate during play, the playground should offer a variety of play activities or areas. The following is a list of potential zones that are useful in initiating discussion during the programming and design phases. While not all areas may be included in the final design, pre-development discussions for each area will create unique and situationally responsive playgrounds. Care should be taken during design to find activities that create the same levels of noise adjacent to each other to avoid children who participate in noisy forms of play disturbing those who choose quieter activities.

Intermediate zones

It is located at the entrance to the playground and allows both the teacher and the child to inspect and evaluate the playground. This area allows the child to take independent solutions about when and how to enter the site. This area can be equipped in a wide range of possibilities from the groundwater level, which has a small pool that is filled with water daily with a large full body water play element. Drama Play Area - Role play is especially helpful for developing social and verbal skills in young children. A setting that supports comfort zones may be located throughout the playing area and may include shady seating areas, tables, fountains, and restrooms. It is especially important to create comfort zones in places where children can be visually supervised when they play in the playground. Living rooms also contribute social aspects playground, giving children the opportunity to interact with adults. Areas that support socialization among children should also be provided, small enough for two or three children, as well as others that will cover larger groups of children. Service zone. To help maintain the playground, trash cans should be placed strategically around picnic tables, seating areas, etc. for controlled storage playgrounds for loose play materials such as balls, bouncing ropes, dramatic play props and large loose items, details must also be provided. Consideration should also be given to whether maintenance equipment should be stored on site or in close proximity to the playing area. Even though they are the most popular playground activity, swings should be separated from other areas of activity for safety reasons. This area usually consists of a concrete slab that provides a surface suitable for sidewalk chalk and ball games such as four squares and hoops. It can also be designed to provide an accessible route for various kinds activities throughout the playground. For safety reasons, it is extremely important that no climbing equipment be placed on a hard surface. Trees and vegetation provide shade, social spaces, and natural boundaries between playgrounds. Protected areas for planting or simply digging in the mud can be provided in protected playgrounds. Care must be taken to ensure that new trees and shrubs are mature and strong at the time of planting. Because tree climbing is not recommended in public playgrounds, select trees and support tree branches in a way that does not make climbing easier. The landscape of the playground, which requires it to be a children's ban, is not recommended. This area should only be considered for playgrounds where children will be closely supervised and adequate security should be provided. Storage must also be provided for loose parts. Gross Minder Zone - This zone contains playground equipment that offers opportunities for exercise such as sliding, climbing, reaching and crossing.

Estimated need for square feet

• Water play area.
• Rigid surface area.

To include additional zones in the project, additional square meters. Research shows that what more number square feet per child, the fewer injuries. This zone usually has a minimum of 6 extending in all directions from the playground equipment perimeter, however there are variations for slides and swings.

Most of the manufactured game structures are used as the main building material one or more of the following materials: wood, steel, galvanized steel, aluminum and various recycled materials. The choice of materials to be used in the construction of playground equipment should consider environmental conditions, use, and desired aesthetics.

Recently, there has been concern about the use of wood-preserving chemicals in the manufacture and construction of play structures. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has published an information report on the matter.

The playground was opened with rubber and rubber mats. To reduce the risk of injury from falls, playground equipment should be positioned above a shock-absorbing or protective surface. Each hardfacing material has a critical height factor. The critical material height is approximately equal to the height below which no expected fatal head injury from a fall is expected. The critical height factor is directly related to the depth of the material: the thicker the material, the greater its absorption capacity and the critical height factor.

The intrinsic material and depth of the protective surface is determined by setting the material at a depth where the fall height of the playground equipment is less than the critical height protective coating. Fall height is the maximum height a child could potentially fall from certain play equipment.

Rubber and rubber mats in the form of towels are becoming more and more popular when used as a protective covering in playgrounds. Playgrounds should provide activities for children of different ability levels. These guidelines ensure the development of play areas that are accessible and can be used by people with handicapped. Currently, the guidelines are the final rule issued by the Access Board and are not enforceable until they are accepted by the Department of Justice.