While all playgrounds eventually come to a stage where they need a revamp, how you develop the space moving forward is something that requires a lot of thought. Modern playgrounds need to fulfil several important functions and meet the needs of your pupils. To help you better understand the process, here are some questions to consider before upgrading a school playground.
1. Does your current playground cater for all pupils?
A playground should be for all the children in your school; however, it is easy for those on duty to spot those who make active use of it and those who do not. Before planning your improvements, it is important to find out why some children don’t get involved and what you can do to make it better for them.
You may find that some features of your playground are not suitable for all ages, for example, younger children may be too small to use the climbing equipment. It may not suit all interests; there could be too many sports markings and little space for those who prefer imaginative or creative activities. There may be equipment that children queue up to use because there isn’t enough of it and other pieces which stand idle because no-one enjoys playing on it anymore.
The only way to find out how the playground can work for everyone is to talk to the children and ask them what equipment or features they would make use of. This way, your new playground will provide facilities for everyone.
2. Is your playground inclusive?
While some children may choose not to play, others find themselves prevented from joining in. Children with disabilities, particularly wheelchair users, might find it difficult to move around the space because of inadequate surfacing or narrow pathways. They may also find themselves left alone while their friends are playing on equipment that hasn’t been adapted to give them access. Some are even left unable to sit around a picnic table with their friends because it hasn’t been designed for wheelchairs to fit underneath.
Children with other needs may also feel excluded; those with autism, for example, might find the playground too noisy or busy to feel comfortable and would prefer it if there was a quiet, outdoor space to retreat to during break times.
Again, talking to these pupils and their parents, together with careful scrutiny of your existing space can help ensure that any redevelopment results in an inclusive playground that is accessible by everybody.
3. Is your playground safe?
Before you can consider adding shiny new features to your playground, one of your key priorities will be to address any safety issues that are currently there. These can include broken or damaged pieces of equipment, degraded surfacing, uneven pathways, warn or loose steps, splintering wooden mulch and so forth, which may need replacing or repair.
You will also have to consider the additional safety features needed for your new playground, for example, putting wetpour surfacing underneath climbing equipment to absorb impact and reduce the likelihood of serious injury.
4. Does the playground address children’s needs?
Playgrounds are just as much for learning as recreation and there needs to be a range of equipment that can help with the development of a wide range of skills, including communication, problem-solving, social interaction, risk-taking and resilience. Similarly, there needs to be the opportunity to take part in physical activity and to encourage the adoption of healthy lifestyles. This can mean installing sports and climbing equipment or even a nature area for mental wellbeing. You may also want to develop the playground so it can be used as an outdoor classroom or provide learning continuity between indoor and outdoor spaces.
5. Upgrading a school playground – financial questions
Finally, once you have considered all the above aspects, you’ll need to look at the finances you have available. Upgrading a playground can be expensive and with school budgets getting tighter, the money for the project, or at least some of it, often comes from fundraising or a grant. Schools will need to see what capacity there is in the school budget to contribute towards the project as well as looking at what grants are available (we can help you with this) and how much can be raised through PTA events and similar activities. Only once you have a budget can you plan the scale of your development.
Conclusion
Modern playgrounds have to tick a lot of boxes to be fit for purpose. They need to engage all pupils, be inclusive and accessible, be safe to use and ensure that children’s physical, emotional and educational needs are catered for. Putting these things in place when upgrading a school playground ensures that your investment and the time and effort that goes into raising the funds is worthwhile.
If you need advice about upgrading a school playground, call us on 01282 43 44 45 or visit our homepage to find out more about our products and playground design and installation services.
