A Commercial Playground Brings the Community Together
Whether it’s for a school, church, community park or housing complex, a commercial playground brings the community together for outdoor play. Choose from independent play structures, merry-go-rounds, spinners, activity panels and safety surfacing.
Highly interactive elements like tether ball and funnel ball encourage group play and teamwork. And kids love climbing through brightly colored tunnels to experience sensory learning and imaginative immersion.
Age-Appropriate Playgrounds
When people think of playgrounds, they often imagine elementary school-aged kids conquering the monkey bars or zipping down the slide. But children come in all shapes and sizes, with different physical strengths and abilities. Playground equipment must challenge them enough to increase enjoyment, but not so difficult that they are discouraged or injured.
To make sure your playground reflects this range of skills, choose age-appropriate equipment that suits the needs of each developmental stage. For example, toddlers from ages 6 to 23 months develop gross motor skills as they transition from crawling to walking, and equipment that supports this range of movement, like tunnel mazes or activity panels, is ideal. Kids at this age also need plenty of space to explore and develop their sensory skills.
Seesaws
The up-and-down motion of a seesaw helps children develop balance and coordination. It also encourages social interaction and cooperation.
While fulcrum seesaws are disappearing from urban playgrounds, some parks still have them. A spokesman for one of the country’s largest metal traditional-style playground equipment companies said the seesaws are still popular with smaller communities and townships.
Teachers can invite families to join a Seesaw classroom by adding parents and caregivers’ email addresses or phone numbers to the student roster, sending an email or SMS message with a link to the classroom, or providing a printable QR code. Once families have an commercial playground account, they can access class announcements, assignments, and the teacher’s inbox via a web or mobile app. They can also view, comment on, and share classmates’ work with each other.
Play Tables
Play tables allow kids to connect with each other and explore the world with their hands and imagination. Kids can sketch, paint or build using a wide variety of toys like blocks, Lego bricks and Duplo.
Group games like tether ball or funnel ball help kids learn teamwork and hand-eye coordination as they compete to eliminate opponents. These games also help develop gross motor skills as children throw or hit the balls.
A commercial playground is designed to accommodate a large number of kids at one time, and follows stricter safety guidelines. These playgrounds are found in schools, daycares, parks, community centers and housing complexes. These playgrounds have a variety of designs available to meet specific needs for each location. They are also more durable and able to withstand heavier use than residential playgrounds.
Sand Boxes
Sandboxes are a childhood staple that allow kids to explore their creativity and imagination. They are also a great way to help develop minor motor skills and promote STEAM play. Kids become amateur explorers looking for hidden treasure, baby architects building the next skyscraper, or sculptors shaping shapes.
Because commercial playgrounds are used by a large number of children over an extended period of time, they are built to be more durable than residential options. This can save on replacement costs in the long run.
Because kids use their hands while playing in sandboxes, it is important to regularly check and sanitize the box. Phillips-Walker recommends using nontoxic sand and avoiding river, marble, crystalline silica, or other dusty materials. She also suggests opting for a design that includes covers to protect the sand from sun exposure and critters.
Tunnels
Playgrounds allow children to develop their skills in a safe and engaging environment. These activities promote physical health, social development and self-esteem.
Children can practice teamwork and coordination with playground equipment such as tether ball or funnel ball, allowing them to build their gross motor skills while working together. This encourages healthy, active play throughout childhood and into adulthood.
Metal playground equipment is durable and long-lasting, making it ideal for commercial use. It also complies with safety regulations. Proper playground surfacing is also essential to ensure that children’s falls do not damage the surface below them. Options include wood mulch, artificial turf and poured-in-place rubber. Each year, emergency departments treat 200,000 children for playground-related injuries. Falls to the surface are a contributing factor in 79% of these accidents.
Shade Structures
Shade structures are critical for playgrounds, as they protect kids and equipment commercial playground from harsh UV rays that can damage both people and materials. They also keep outdoor spaces cool, allowing for longer play times and more comfort.
Unlike residential playground structures, commercial options are built for high durability and large capacities. They are also more customizable and suitable for a range of different types of facilities and clients.
Choose from full or partial playground shade structures, including pavilions that are perfect for seating areas and spectator bleachers. USA SHADE offers limitless design options and sizes, as well as a wide array of color choices to match any school, church, community or park’s specific aesthetic.
Site Amenities
If your playground features equipment suitable for kids of all ages, you’ll need site amenities to keep guests comfortable and happy. Picnic tables allow families to relax and chat after a long day of play, while trash receptacles and bike racks help visitors keep your park clean and safe.
Amenities can also help a space feel more inviting to visitors, encouraging them to stay longer or come back frequently. By improving hygiene, safety and comfort, these elements can increase the attractiveness of any park or public space. In addition to playgrounds, they’re ideal for outdoor break areas, schools and office complexes.
