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Ten Children’s Playground Design Principles

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Children's Playground

Children’s favorite locations to play come in a variety of shapes and sizes. A fantastic playground can take the form of a densely forested grove, a run-down junkyard, or a multi-million dollar creative artwork. So, what are the elements that go into creating a fantastic playground design? These ten principles guide the designs created by the Playground Ideas team:

1. Create designs for various sorts of play.

Different sorts of play are used by children to understand the world around them and to learn life skills. Unfortunately, most playgrounds cater exclusively to energetic, physical activity. Therefore, a good playground challenges and encourages children’s development by allowing them to engage in a variety of various sorts of play.

2. Give your work a sense of place.

We had to practice incorporating a “feeling of place” into our drawings. In other words, a playground that lacks a feeling of the place appears generic as if it might be located anywhere on the planet. Therefore, a playground with a strong sense of place reflects the community’s culture, location, and “spirit.” Feeling rooted in your town and culture is important for many positive outcomes, not just for children, but for the entire community.

3. Have faith in children’s ingenuity.

Adults have a habit of designing play pieces with a specific purpose in mind: slides are for sliding down, swings are for swinging on, and monkey bars are for traversing. On the other hand, children are endlessly inventive, and they will always find methods to put elements to use that they weren’t intended for. Therefore, a good playground should foster and trust children’s natural creativity.

4. Leave room for surprises and mysteries.

Spend a day walking through a metropolis with a young child, and you’ll see the world in a new light. Additionally, they’ll be entranced tracking the path of the crack in the sidewalk/footpath, enthralled by the movement of falling leaves floating through the air, and completely enthralled by the way the garbage bin lid swings.

5. Think about how the space “flows.”

Children do not walk in straight lines in their natural state of play. As a result, all of the playground’s components must be well-connected for the playground to “flow” smoothly.

6. Create zones for various levels of energy.

Consider the ambiance or feeling you want to create in various areas of the playground, depending on the activities that will most likely occur there.

7. Don’t get too caught up in appearances.

Every youngster deserves a lovely space to play, full of vibrant colors, shapes, and textures. However, don’t get too wrapped up in how the area will appear when you’re designing it.

8. Make intersections a priority.

Consider the requirements of youngsters of various abilities while developing your website. In fact, this can include children with mental and physical problems, as well as youngsters of all ages, abilities, and capabilities.

9. Work with nature rather than against it.

The ideal playground is the one offered by nature. In fact, climbing and swinging on tree limbs is ideal, and stepping stones are best made from river rocks. Therefore, a long stretch of beach and a handful of shells make the ideal sandbox.

10. Don’t overlook the fundamentals!

Finally, make sure to incorporate all of the essentials in your space. For instance, shade, drinking water, garbage cans, adult seats, and a rule sign.

 

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