Giving young children the opportunity to enjoy long days outside is a hugely positive thing, since this can really help ignite their imagination and develop lots of core skills. If you’re in the process of designing a brand new children’s play area but keep getting stuck, we have made the process slightly easier with a basic breakdown of what you should focus on the most.
Pick a Layout
Draw out plans for the play area and decide what its main purpose will be. Some areas try to enforce visual activities, whereas others may be built for more active play. It’s also important to decide where any equipment and furniture will be placed to ensure the area is methodical and simple to navigate, especially for young children who may not be the best when it comes to special awareness. Keep everything suitably spread out and try to incorporate nature where you can to really amplify the positive vibes often felt when the sun sours.
Create Interactive Spaces
Use your play area to encourage practical learning, the likes of which cannot be done in the classroom. With children interacting with lots of different things, they can discover more about themselves and the way in which the world works. These could be spaces where they can undertake very basic gardening, or even an area in which fencing panels could be painted. You could also help improve their coordination with throwing and bouncing activities, or a hopscotch laid out, which will require them to be very careful about where they place their feet.
Consider Health & Safety
This should really be your biggest concern, since even if adults are nearby to help, there’s every chance children could be exposed to harm should your play area not be made with suitable levels of health and safety. Lots of considerations will need to be made to any equipment you have installed, such as swings or slides which will need safety mats placed to cushion the impact made when hitting the ground. Also place signs around the play area to remind people how they can maintain safety. This may include walking around equipment rather than through them, or pointing out the areas where running would not be advised.
Choose Your Surface Material
Your surface materials are also a huge choice to make, and for play areas, there are two which still stand out most.
It’s soft, durable and easily installed. Using play sand will provide the safety credentials you desire, while also bringing about some much needed colour.
Bark
Another simple and often very cheap installation process makes play bark a great choice to make. This can also withstand both the unpredictability of British weather and constant exposure to jumping, stomping and just about anything else children get up to when playing.
Buy Aggregates For Your Play Area
Are you struggling to find the aggregates you need to create your desired play area? Then contact Brisks and discover how we can source and deliver everything you need to get started right away.