A key part of the playground design-and-build process is the integration and installation of school playground equipment. The natural playgrounds that we build in Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and locations across the UK feature bespoke playground equipment precisely tailored to the space and our client’s requirements. This means that no two of our climbing frames, for example, will ever be of the exact same design.
We build the vast majority of school playground equipment out of timber. Why timber? Because we attain it from sustainable sources and sometimes find locally felled timber that can be recycled, it allows us to keep our natural playgrounds as carbon neutral as possible. What’s more, we’ve found that children prefer playground design concepts that rely more on timber than on plastic and metal materials.
Timber equipment integrates better with the environment. It feels to children as if they are exploring the great outdoors rather than playing on something resembling apparatus.
A good playground design concept features an array of school playground equipment to target different users. Some children love to run, jump, climb and hide, favouring what we call active play. Others prefer to use their free time engaging in creative tasks, like drawing, playing with loose materials or using their imagination and “making believe”. Often these two types of play overlap and most children enjoy both.
That’s why it is so important to cover all bases, and to have trails and climbing frames for those who want to stretch their legs, supported by separate areas where children can socialise while exercising their personal creativity.
This page looks at the different types of playground equipment that can play a role within an effective playground design.
If the equipment you are most keen on isn’t mentioned below, please call us on 020 7254 7282. We are very versatile and have many years of experience in translating our client’s ideas into a reality. Please keep in mind that while we are based in Hertford and work regularly in the Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire areas, we also take on work nationwide or overseas and have even completed a project in Azerbaijan.
A playground classic, climbing frames can be built in any shape or size to ensure they are suitable for the age group of the target user. They are great fun to use and can help children build their strength and confidence. With a bit of imagination, they can take the shape of anything from a pirate ship to a castle. We build natural playgrounds, so our climbing frames are designed from sustainably sourced timber.
Adventure trails are a versatile form of school playground equipment which help children to develop balance and agility. They can be as short or as long as you like and tailored to any size of space. Additionally, they look fantastic amongst a natural playground’s flowers, shrubs and trees, and they blend well into the wider environment.
Options include:
Encourage budding musicians by integrating music into your playground design. Designs could take the form of a timber xylophone or just a series of percussion instruments that can be struck, banged or hit against each other. Children love to make noise and giving them a constructive outlet to do so is a fantastic idea.
Have you considered the benefits of an installation with loose play materials like sand and water? These materials make a perfect addition to natural playgrounds. This school playground equipment can encourage children to create sculptures and miniature landscapes of their own. It also shows them how solids and liquids interact, so can be employed as educational tools.
To see examples of the school playground equipment we have incorporated into playground design-and-build projects across Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, the UK and locations overseas, please take the time to look at our portfolio.
TELEPHONE: 020 7254 7282
ADDRESS: Unit 4C, Bramfield Farm Place Buildings, Bramfield, Hertfordshire, SG14 2FD
E-MAIL:
info@dna-play.co.uk
