Every playground should include a wide variety of play amenities, including swings, climbers, slides, and merry-go-rounds. While there isn’t a set requirement for what commercial playground equipment you need to include in your outdoor site, it helps to have as many different types as possible. Most popular equipment can be adjusted based on the age groups you are targeting. For example, if you decide to put in a playground at your daycare for a younger age group (6 - 23 months), ground-level amenities should be considered like smaller slides, bucket swings, spring riders, play panels, and more.
When it comes to ground-level playground amenities, some equipment to consider includes activity panels, swings, and merry-go-rounds. One of the primary benefits of ground-level playground equipment is that any child can walk up to the equipment and start using it. Additionally, since this equipment is situated on the ground, the risk of falling from dangerous heights is greatly mitigated.
Elevated play amenities include a bevy of classic playground mainstays, such as slides, climbers, and, of course, commercial play structures. Play structures are unique in that they combine a number of different play amenities into one convenient location. While a play structure isn’t necessary to complete a playground, they do serve as an effective hub of active play, and give kids the opportunity to engage in several different activities within a relatively small area.
In order to comply with Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) playground standards and regulations, playground surfacing should also be installed along with your equipment. 70 percent of all playground injuries are from falls, and with adequate playground surfacing, you can minimize these risks and improve playground safety. By ensuring your surfacing is soft and thick enough to lessen the impact of a child’s fall, you lessen the risk of injury due to falls and other accidents. Some playground surfacing options include poured-in-place rubber, rubber mulch, engineered wood fiber, rubber tiles, and more. Some common tools needed for proper playground surfacing include border timbers, which help to enclose the play space and ensure no surfacing material gets loose, as well as the surfacing material itself, which can come in various forms.
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