Tag Archives: foam padding for playground

Author: Austin Stanfel

Playground surfaces were created to provide people with a space where they can play and have fun. So, it should be a place where accidents and injuries occur. So, how can we reduce the occurrence of such cases? It can be done by conducting a surface impact attenuation pre-test.

What is it?

It is a test that ensures that playgrounds are compliant with the requirements and standards of this industry. So, prescribed test devices are used in the process to ensure the consistency of the values, regardless of what country or place the test has been conducted. Also, the prescribed test methods are followed as well. After all, it is very important to ensure the accuracy of the measurements. After the result of the test has been obtained, it will be discovered whether the playground surface tested fails or passes a specification. From there, it’s compliance would be determined.

What is the role of standards in this process?

With the help of the standards, an impact attenuating surface owner or operator is given the chance to choose values with a lower impact in order for it to be able to provide an increased level of protection against impact. It would then be mandated in the contract documents. Typically, the g value in the surface performance value should not be more than 200, for a 200-g value already has a 10% skull fracture risk. On the other hand, the HIC value should not be more than 1000 for a 100 HIC, which already means that there is a 5% critical head injury risk, a 55% serious head injury risk, and a 16% severe head injury risk.

The importance of accurate measurements

Since we are talking about the risk of injuries here, not only on playgrounds but also on sports fields, it is indeed very important to have accurate measurements. After all, these measurements are the ones that determine the level of severity when it comes to the injury that one can get as they spend some time there playing. In addition to that, it is a known fact that replacing surfacing systems can be quite expensive, and large lawsuits can also happen, especially when someone becomes severely injured due to the playground’s lack of compliance. On the other hand, it is the job of the measuring device to ensure accurate measurements in order to pass those who actually passed the test and fail those who actually failed it. After all, passing a system that has failed the test can seriously put one’s safety at risk.

Surface maintenance

Apart from passing the test, surface maintenance is also very important in order to reduce the risk of injuries in playgrounds. In addition to that, it is also a great way of ensuring that the surface is ready for action. This includes cleaning the dirt and getting rid of the moss that can make the surface icy and slippery. Not only that, but it can also make the surface last longer.

Author: Austin Stanfel

Obstacle Courses 

Participating on outdoor activities like obstacle courses can be great and fun. The good thing about this fitness trend is that you will enjoy while improving your strength and endurance. Some of the obstacle courses that you can perform are up rope ladders, mucky pits and looking for the best way over walls. Although it is mostly performed in the military, it is also now applicable to people of all ages.
It is beneficial for both children and adults. For children, courses can include plastic trapeze rings and foam-covered hurdles. Definitely, it is also a great way to spend quality time with your family and friends.

Public Fitness Zones

This year, you can be surprised, thus public park is not just for slides. Rather, it can also serve as a place to attain your fitness goals. As a matter of fact, you can now consider it as your outdoor gym that can help you and the people you love to be fit and healthy.
In today’s digital age, there are already public fitness zones that provide equipment for cardio-vascular, strength training, flexibility, and flexibility stretching. You have nothing to worry about since the equipment can withstand in all weather conditions. To have a complete fitness outdoors experience, you can participate in various sports in these public fitness zones.

Make Nightclubs a Morning Thing

If you are a party goer, then stop partying on nightclubs. Instead, party in the morning. With this, you can have a good night’s sleep that can renew your strength for the next day. You can have a dance party around 7 a.m. You can make it as your morning workout. You can participate in sessions that are led by professional dancers.

Getting into the Swing with Miniature Golf

Golf is one of the most popular sports among people today. Well, do you want to level up your golf experience? Then, you can try playing miniature golf. Playing outdoors with your friends can relax your body and mind.
With the above mentioned fitness programs, you now have the chance to improve your physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being. With this, you can have the energy to complete everything that you set out to do. Furthermore, you can now reap success after success.

Author: Austin Stanfel

Dogs are increasingly important members of the human household. As such, we continue to find ways to accommodate their needs and provide for their satisfaction and sensibilities. Dog parks are another addition to community planning, which is a direct result of our effort to encourage the healthy growth and development of our favorite domesticated fur companions. There are several benefits to the inclusion of a dog park in neighborhood development. Several are specific to the dog, and many are direct benefits to the people who also reside in the neighborhood, whether they are dog owners or not.

Advantages of Dog Parks

• Provides a great source of socialization for dogs to interact with other dogs and other people. Well-socialized dogs are less likely to exhibit threatening and disruptive behaviors. In addition, this will encourage dog training amongst the dogs who will use the park.
• The dog park is also a great way for pet guardians to meet and socialize with each other. Dogs are not able to attend the park on their own. As a result, people who take their dogs to the park will inevitably meet others and be able to start conversations about commonalities and shared interests. Through this interaction, dog-play dates can be arranged, training tips can be shared, and community can be fostered.
• Dog parks provide a space and opportunity for dogs to engage in vigorous, physical activity. Most times, dogs are leashed and restrained when they are outside of the home. There may be very few opportunities for dogs to run for extended periods of time in an unrestrained fashion in the event that the dog resides in a large city. Therefore, the dog park may be the only place where dogs are allowed to participate in this physical activity. The more exercise that a dog receives, the more it helps to decrease anxious and destructive behaviors. Therefore, this can be a benefit to the entire community.
• Dog parks also offer a de facto dog training school environment. The pet guardians who are more experienced in training courteous dogs can provide tips and education to the less experienced guardians. Simply by observation, people can learn the best ways to modify the behavior of their dogs.
• The dog park is also a great asset to the community since it provides a specified area for dogs to be dogs. As a result, dogs with access to the park will be less likely to be unleashed and unrestrained outside of the dog park. The park can also serve as a meeting place for pet guardians to host dog activities and interact with other dog lovers. Community-building activities will encourage neighbors to work together to build the amenities and preserve their neighborhood’s prosperity.

Author: Austin Stanfel

Not every playground is created the same. This is especially evident when we observe the design and manufacturing of the slides in our current playgrounds compared to those in recent history. Despite the fact that the idea of the slide has not been revolutionized, drastic changes have developed over time to create new visions.

The standard playground of the past maintained many of the components we are familiar with: the slide, the swings, a see-saw, and others. The typical slide consisted of a stereotypical triangular shape with a ladder to climb up and a metallic slide descending to the ground. Every playground most likely had an exact replica of this design, without exception. However, a series of lawsuits around the 1960s focused on the injuries many children suffered due to playing on playgrounds, forcing designers to rethink many of the models used to create playground components. This led to a revolution in playground design.

The slides are no longer considered standalone objects; many are now incorporated into larger play units. There are also a variety of sizes and shapes of the slide you can choose from. This stems, in large part, from a change in the material used to make the slide. Designers moved away from metal, and many are created using heavy-duty plastic. This material change allows molds in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit the particular needs of the playground design.

If you are interested in keeping the traditional style and shape of the historic slide, you can still acquire that triangular ladder-up, slide-down design. However, there are several variations that you can also choose from. To encourage communal play and integrative learning methods, there has been a prolific production of slides available in a range of elaborate designs.

Slides that make 90- or 360-degree turns on their way down can incorporate some excitement into the lives of older children. Tube slides can also be created with the advent of plastic molds. These slides can also incorporate 90 or 360-degree turns in their descent. Simple wave slides are also great for adding variation to a slide for younger children.

Slides can now be designed with age groups and intended learning skills built into them. Playground artists no longer have to rely on the standard slide design of the past. Instead, slides can be creatively incorporated in unique ways that maximize interactions and social learning.

Numerous ways to ascend a slide, including rope nets, spiral staircases, and pirate ship walkways, allow playground designers to let imagination play a prominent role in creating the playground space. With the advent of plastic materials in slide manufacturing, every playground can have unique slide components that are safer to use and provide more interesting play.

Children of every age and varying abilities now have the opportunity to enjoy the fun of playgrounds. Working with a design expert in playground components can give you the insight you need to provide a stellar experience.

Author: Austin Stanfel

Children deserve to explore and play. They should have more time to play because it is truly beneficial. Why not try buying playground equipment instead of always going to a playground where you spend a more considerable amount of money. Nonetheless, you have to be more careful and wiser so that you can have a great choice in return. When you have a hard time making a decision, below are the things you need to weigh in your mind.

• Appropriate and Safe Surfaces: As a parent, you need to identify playground equipment safety. Since kids are clumsy and playful, they should be safe when using any type of playground tool. Your choice should have an appropriate surface to eliminate significant impacts when they fall. To minimize your risks of getting deceived, you must know acceptable surfaces such as wood chips, engineered wood fiber, synthetic or rubber tiles, poured-in-place rubber and pea gravel. With that, optimal safety can be guaranteed. They will not get hurt or acquire severe injuries.

• Guardrails and Barriers that are designed for any children’s needs – Children really like to climb. That is why playground equipment is tailored for climbing. As they climb onto higher platforms, they have more risk of getting severe injuries. In this case, guardrails and barriers should be specially custom-made to avoid injuries. When you have preschoolers, you have to understand that guardrails should be over 20 inches high. Furthermore, guardrails must be 30 inches high for school-aged kids. Depending on the age of your children, you can select platforms that are over 48 inches high. However, make sure to purchase barriers.

• Durable and long-lasting: Apart from safety features, it is important to have a sturdy and lasting option. In doing so, you can make a worthwhile investment that your future kids and grandchildren can employ. Nonetheless, it would be best if you opted for a reputed service provider trusted in the industry. You will feel assured that your chosen playground equipment is made from materials that are of incredible quality.

• Aesthetic Appeal: Playground equipment should have an aesthetic appeal. Though a lot of parents ignore it, your purchase should have child-friendly designs. Certainly, your children will have more fun and excitement to explore, play, and socialize, among other things. When you have introverted kids, they will feel interested in interacting with other kids near you. Thus, playground equipment with aesthetic appeal truly makes a tremendous difference.

• Resistant to Complex Issues: Aside from aesthetic appeal, your outdoor playground equipment should also be resistant to issues such as corrosion and scratches. Once you choose that feature, your children can have the best playing moment.

When you encounter difficulty making the best decision, Voice of Play comes to your rescue. They provide one-of-a-kind playground equipment that will never frustrate or disappoint you. They are committed to delivering services or products that are of high quality. Contact them today at (916) 638-5375 and see how they can make your kids’ playing time safe and enjoyable!

Author: Austin Stanfel

Do you remember those playgrounds with the metal slides two stories high and the concrete under the monkey bars? There’s a reason those are a sight of the past. The weather is playing a more substantial role in the design of modern-day playgrounds. According to the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s, metal surfaces on playgrounds can cause second-degree burns. These injuries account for a portion of the over 200,000 emergency room visits per year. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) does not recommend metal surfaces anymore; however, that does not mean they do not exist. Parents and guardians must be aware of surfaces that can be too hot.

Surface temperature is not the only risk Mother Nature imposes, though. The heat is a risk by itself even before it hits the surface of the playground. Not all playgrounds are located near shades. The AAA State of Play stresses the importance of shade structures for protecting children and their parents from harmful UV rays. They even explain how important this is during the cloudy and cool months because UV rays can still be detrimental to skin cells.

Mother Nature is relentless because UV Rays aren’t the only danger during the cooler months, either. While it may be easier to play because surfaces are no longer scorching, the ground is also much harder. The CPSC has guidelines regarding surface safety for head impact. According to a study on the dangers of frozen playground surfaces, it is safer to crash in a car going 40 mph than to fall 2 feet onto frozen wood mulch, a common playground surface. They explain how some surfaces which are safe in the summer, like wood mulch, can become dangerous in the winter. If the surface is able to absorb water, that means that when it gets below 32 Fahrenheit, the water can freeze and cause the surface to be like landing on ice.

Now, while most playground injuries are due to falls, the other risks imposed by heat and cold can be eliminated with increasingly popular indoor playgrounds. This is a way to keep Mother Nature from interrupting playtime. There is protection from UV rays, wind, rain, snow, and temperature. The surface may still pose a risk, but there will always be some risk at the playground. Most experts believe the benefits still do outweigh the risks. However, parents and guardians should always use their best judgement when picking a playground. Mother Nature does not always have to be in control.

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