Should a playground evaluated it“pay value” or “play value”?

Author: Austin Stanfel

We all have had our own experiences on a playground. As kids, we spent a lot of time exploring and expelling our energies with friends in the playground. We also have heard stories from our friends about their experiences on the playground. Well yes, this is where we learn and get exposed to friendship, fight, or fear. It cannot be denied that playgrounds have a profound influence on the minds of children. It helps in the growth and development of children and is vital to their mental and physical well-being. It is an environment where a child can be creative, social, and spontaneous.

Unfortunately, today we see a growing trend of time and research being spent on trying to reduce the costs in developing a playground. Playgrounds are being evaluated in terms of its monetary value rather than on the factor of which we like to call “play value quality”. Yes, it is rather unfortunate that playgrounds are being designed based on a budget when they should first be designed based on play quality, and then on finance.

We, as a society, need to understand that playgrounds are not merely a place for kids to hang out or simply while away time. It is an environment that is an answer to many issues that children face as they grow up into adults,and this also helps battle many issues like child obesity or depression.
As a matter of fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics and Scientific American states that children who do not play outdoors risk suffering from depression, anxiety, diabetes, and obesity. To further buttress, studies prove that playgrounds help children:

• Develop excellent motor skills
• Develop muscle strength and stronger bones
• Improve mind and body coordination
• Improve social skills, communication skills, and build friendship
• Develop imagination and independently solve problems
• Burn energy and explore

Then why are we neglecting these qualities and looking at the monetary aspects of building playgrounds? We should try to develop a play area that is more focused on yielding positive effects in children. In reality, the planning of a playground should be the other way around – first, plan the playground and equipment necessary for children, and then plan the budget and other monetary aspects. So, “play quality” comes first, and afterwards, the “pay value”.

A well-designed playground should have equipment suitable for all ages. Equipment such as slides, swings, towers, and activities like climbing and swinging all help develop various areas of a child. It is also important that all equipment be safe and maintained regularly. Many play manufacturers are well aware of the safety standards and the equipment that is necessary to help promote a child’s growth. Also, it is important to follow the playground safety guidelines provided by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). It has everything from site layout, hazards, supervision, equipment safety, the spacing between equipment, to surface safety rules. Every playground must follow the rules provided in the handbook.