Play equipment and outdoor play areas have significantly increased in parks and gardens in recent years. Successful play spaces are bespoke, well-located, incorporate natural elements, provide a wide range of play experiences accessible to all children, meet community needs, allow children of different ages to play together, build opportunities for risk and challenge, and are sustainable and well-maintained. Factors to consider when locating play areas include accessibility, safe access routes avoiding roads, providing supervision through seating near play areas, and security from vandalism.

1. PLAY EQUIPMENTS AND OUTDOOR PLAY AREAS
There has been a significant increase in the
provision of play equipment in outdoor areas such as
parks, gardens etc over recent years.The creation of
outdoor play space is required to do justice to
children’s endless capacity for adventure and imagin-
tion, their fundamental need exercise and social
interaction and, above all, to their innate sense of
fun. It is also aimed at those responsible for the wider
public realm, and aims to show that well-used and
well-lovedplaces to play will often be integrated
within the cohesive design of a wider community
space.
Principles for designing successful play spaces
Successful play spaces…
� are ‘bespoke’
� are well located
� make use of natural elements
� provide a wide range of play experiences
� are accessible to both disabled and non-disabled children
� meet community needs
� allow children of different ages to play together
� build in opportunities to experience risk and challenge
� are sustainable and appropriately maintained
Learning and problem
solving skills
Improve interpersonal skill
Being challanged and taking riska
Involves exploration
and creativity
Socializing with friends
Being physically active
Sense of well- being
Location of Play Areas
Factors to consider: -
1. Access – For children, pushchairs, the disabled, emergency
services etc
2. Access routes – Hard surfaces should be non-slip so they are
not affected by weather conditions. Avoid the need to cross
roads/car parks to reduce risk of injury by traffic. Consider
relationship to other buildings or facilities such as toilets.
3. Supervision – Providing seating, tables, parasols etc near to
the play area encourages guardians to remain in the vicinity and
helps improve supervision.
4. Security – Is the site protected from vandalism or improper
useoutside of opening hours? Is the site enclosed to reduce the
riskof abduction?
5. Topology – The site should be level and have adequate
drainage so as to reduce the risk of corrosion to equipment and
surfaces.
Things to remember in choosing equipment
� Locate equipment carefully in its setting as the
right setting will enhance a piece of equipment
considerably. Use the spaces between equipment
positively.
� Include some equipment which can be used flexi-
bly and is ‘non-prescriptive’ in its use.
� Choose equipment which helps make the play
space inclusive: hammock swings, accessible round-
abouts’ and equipment which accommodates com-
panion or helper, such as wide slides or big circula-
tion platforms.
Safety and Security
Related injuries are cuts, sprains and fractures. To
minimise therisk of injuries, it is important that children
are supervised by an adult while playing with any
equipment.
Supervise – watch children at all times, and take extra
care with younger
children as they are more prone toserious injury.
Regularly check the mat and net don’t have holes,
springs are intact and
securely attached at both ends, frames are not bent.
Hazard-free surrounds and there is an
overhead clearance to avoid objects like trees and
wires.
Safety padding – always use safety padding on
frames.
Make sure the trampoline is in good order and replace
worn parts promptly.
Benefits
Maintenance
Supervision of the play area by:-
• Staff/parents
• CCTV cameras
• Fencing
• Lighting
Provision of suitable drainage
The play area should be checked at
least each day before ope ing. Any
faeces found must be removed and
disposed of correctly.
Daily, weekly, monthly and annual
checks should be carried
Develop emotional response