Tag Archives: preschool playground equipment

Author: Austin Stanfel

With the temperatures going below zero and snow, rain, sleet making it impossible to venture outside, indoor play activities is the best option to keep your little ones busy and fit. Weather like this forces kids and adults to stay indoors. But a long time spent inside not only makes kids cranky but also makes you worry about the limited amount of physical exercise they are getting. By engaging them in indoor fun activities will not only make them happy but ensure they remain fit during the cold weather.

Board Games

When it comes to board games, every house has some of them. Either they come as birthday gifts or Christmas gifts; you can find them stuck in some cupboard or the other. This is the right time to bring them out. Games like monopoly, Scotland Yard, picture dictionary help kids to pass couple of hours quietly. These games require less space and are not at all messy.

Makeshift indoor sports

There are a variety of indoor sports games that can be found today in the market. If you do not have one already, you can make one for yourself and kids. A makeshift goalpost can be made from cardboard boxes and kids can play hockey or ball. There are games involving rings and hoops that are not only fun but provide some form of exercise too.

Indoor sports arenas

You can search on the internet for some nearby indoor sports arenas that house games like football, soccer or tennis. You can enjoy these games indoor when the weather is not suitable to play them outside. Some more games that can be played indoors are basketball, volleyball etc. Some indoor sports facilities also provide rock climbing which can be lots of fun.

Indoor swimming pool

If you have a sports center nearby which has an indoor swimming pool then you can take advantage of that. You can have fun with your kids, friends and family members and engage in some water play activities. For toddlers you can improvise and can set up some water games in their bath tub as well. Bathing time can be doubled up as some play and fun time too.

Other activities around the house

Roleplaying and pretend plays are the ideal kind of games for toddlers to play inside the house. By giving them some alone time you can encourage them to play with their stuffed toys. It is fun to watch kids trying to make their toys eat, sleep and talk. Makeshift tent can also be made by some blankets and bed sheets. Kids and their friends can have fun playing in them.

Kids can be engaged in art and craft activities too. Though that can be messy you can involve kids to clean up the mess later.

Playing is an important part of growing up. Kids need to be engaged in physical activities all the year around. Encourage them to participate in couple of sports too. By exploring various options early on helps kids know which areas they are good in and they can pursue that specifically. Do not let the weather dampen your spirits. Explore, recreate, innovate and have fun while keeping warm and safe indoors.

Author: Austin Stanfel

Children need to go outside and having a playground in a park helps build outdoor sensitivity. Swings, slides, and ladders, plus the soft ground below them, is what should be around them outside. With these big playgrounds, a parent should be concerned about how safe they are and if there are any flaws in the design. Accidents are common because a simple mistake that does not stick out initially, such as lack of surfacing or a big gap between the bars or that the slide is too high for young children. To make sure nothing like this happens, extensive planning to built the whole thing correctly must be established.

Keep It Safe But Exciting

Equipment, design, layout, maintenance, and installation are the key factors to the setup of a playground. Groups including the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the National Recreation and Park Association, and International Playground Safety Institute are setting up standards, guidelines, and programs for the entire industry to read and learn from when it comes to modern building and safety of playgrounds. Having a qualified specialist in building playgrounds and having them properly placed is another part of the construction process.

Qualified Installers

For the owners and users, they must do the research for knowing the essentials of a safe playground and picking out a contractor who is qualified with a clean record. Start off by looking for contractors listed by the International Playground Contractors Association. They would be members of the group, be licensed, have insurance, and be certified by the Recreation Installation Specialist Certification. Also, check out a manufacturer’stools and parts used when building the playground. Make sure it has a lifetime warranty so you know the pieces in place are guaranteed to be safe. Finally, when it comes to who is building it, watch them and see if things are going to plan.

Expectations and Preparations

Tell the installer what the community expects out of this project and tell them what their responsibilities are.Installers need to understand completely what the playground construction should be like and ask the owners how they should do the job to their approval. Owners should ask questions, such as dumping the old playground pieces and footings, states of drainage, and access to the area under construction. Owners should ask about how many people are going to work on the project and how the construction process works. Ask about who will inspect it to insure it is safe.

Constructing a playground isn’t just nuts and bolts connected to poles and slides. With everything that is constructed, there is a safety issue, especially with our children who use it. It must be safe for everybody and be built accordingly to safety regulations and standards. Do not go cheap and cut corners, for there are consequences to bare-bones building. The planning is more important than the construction because it’s having the plan laid out with every piece in sight that gets the ball rolling. Once it is over, kids can have their own land to be free.

Author: Austin Stanfel

Halloween is one of the most exciting times of the year and everyone, from young to old, awaits this day. There are some myths and facts about this day that make it even more interesting, and one of them is spirit of dispelling evil. However, the essence of this day is some child-friendly activities such as dressing in interesting costumes, carving a pumpkin into jack-o’-lantern, and tricking-and-treating. How have Americans been celebrating this day since the past few decades and making it interesting? Let’s have a look!

Trick-and-Treat

Millions of kids all over the country have been enjoying tricking and treating, no matter what the age. In the year 2016, more than a hundred million stops were made for this purpose, and another half a million were made in such a way that people had to climb to grab candies. When it came to trusting neighbors, 78.7% American population gave a positive response; however, only 17% of them showed a feeling of distrust towards them.

Delights

Candies and delights enhance the fun of this day. Chocolate products are the most manufactured products because they are loved by young and adults alike. Approximately, 39,815 people employed by U.S. manufacturing establishments produced chocolate and cocoa products in 2015. The value of shipment of this industry was 16 billion in 2014 that increased up to 17.2 billion in the year 2015. However, the non-chocolate confectionery products are also made in large amounts to celebrate this day. According to the reports of 2015, 3,280 U.S. confectionary and nut stores were present to sell candies and other confectionery products, and 23,243 people were employed in manufacturing and selling of these items.

Dressing

Costumes make all the fun! Different people dress in different ways on this day and all are a hell of a fun to wear. The report of 2015 shows Americans love to disguise in registered nurses and more than two-million population dressed up in that way. What is more, a huge population liked to dress up as physicians/surgeons and around 715,361 people obtained that attire. However, a large population also showed interest in dressing up as police/sheriff petrol and 662,619 adopted this attire. Furthermore, disguising as Bailiffs, correctional officers and jailers also seemed like fun as 376,460 did that in the same year. Also, people liked to be firefighters, too, and 254,678 dressed up this way. However, the remaining population dressed up in different ways such as athletes/coaches/umpire, farmers/agricultural managers, and dentists. The numbers of people were 109,943, 478,065, and 95,713, respectively.

Interesting Places in the Country

Some places that will turn on your Halloween mood are Tombstone, Ariz, Sleepy Hollow, N.Y., Kill Devil Hills, N.C., Yellville, Ark., Transylvania County, N.C., Slaughter Beach, Del., Casper, Wyo., Scarville, Iowa, and Truth or Consequences, N.M. The estimated population of these places is 1,300, 10,198, 7,121, 1,171, 33,482, 233, 59,324, 71, and 6,023, respectively.

However, you may also spend quality time at a theatre watching a horror movie. California (497), Texas (330), New York (258) and Florida (199) had the most of such establishments so you may visit any of these places for a horror fun. There were a total of 213 drive-in motion picture theaters in 2015, out of which, Ohio had 21, California had 18 and Pennsylvania had 19. Furthermore, you may also visit a theme park for some frightening fun as the U.S. government has spent $1.93 billion for this purpose in the year 2016.

Some Added Fun

More fun can be added to the Halloween vacation through the ever-famous pumpkin carving and decoration. The value of imports of the pumpkin carving in the year 2016 was $12.4 billion. A huge amount has been spent on costume establishment as 1,026 formal wear and costume rental establishments were made in the United States in the year 2015. This industry hired 6,504 paid employees from all over the country. Moreover, for giving a more authentic witch and vampire attire, 302 broom, brush, and mop, and casket manufacturing establishments were made. Together, these two industries employed 12,627 people and had a total value of shipments of $3.6 billion in 2012.

What is more, Apple is the preferred choice of people in Halloween. Whether dipping in caramel or bobbing, apples can be a hell of a fun. Therefore, the U.S. government exported $935.5 million apples in 2016.

In a Nutshell

Halloween is the most exciting holiday for Americans and the statistical reports of the past few years confirm this fact. The Americans try different ways such as dressing in an interesting way or tricking and treating to fill this holiday with as much fun as possible. The statistical reports show a massive inclination and interest to spend this holiday as the American government spent a huge budget for different things to make the celebration worthwhile.

Author: Austin Stanfel

Historically, Wood and Steel

Playgrounds of the past were created with readily available materials. These mainly included wood and steel. Even though these materials can be durable, they are not without their fair share of disadvantages. Wood can easily splinter, crack and begin to look very weathered. It requires a great deal of maintenance and painting for it to remain stylish. Even though wood can be easily repaired, it requires many repairs, and, on average, does not last as long as other materials. Steel is very durable; however, steel slides can become very hot and pose a danger to playing children. It can also cause injury if you fall on hard, steel surfaces or protrusions. Additionally, the steel components are not very customizable or repairable.

Modern Materials

Plastics and recycled plastics are customizable, durable, and safer for play than the materials of older play sets. Wood and steel components are still included to provide structural strength to the playground. However, several elements of modern play sets usually consist of polyethylene and recycled plastic materials, which are resistant to splintering, rusting, and rotting. Recycled plastics convert our daily plastic containers into durable materials that look very similar to wood. This material can be customized to different shapes and sizes to add a rustic look to playgrounds that will not fade or diminish with time. Polyethylene is used in a variety of ways throughout the playground. In a textured and high-density format, it can be formed into tables, signs, and activity panels. The material can be painted with a UV-resistant color to decrease fading, and extend the life of the playground’s colorful attraction. The low-density polyethylene materials can be formed into several shapes to produce the tubes and turning slides, which children love to explore.

The Advantages of Plastic and Recycled Plastic

Polyethylene has many advantages, especially when compared to the wood and steel materials of older playgrounds. Polyethylene does not get hot under long-term sun exposure. There is also no risk of splinters with the polyethylene material. Additionally, the plastic can be molded and customized into several shapes. This increases the creativity of each play set and encourages imaginative play for children. The shapes can also increase safety for the playing children – tube slides and wave slides for younger playground visitors. The plastic material’s texture is also an advantage, since the polyethylene is smooth to the touch. Even though the paint may fade over several years, the plastic material is more durable than wood. Recycled plastic has the additional benefit of being made from recycled materials, which helps to prevent waste accumulation.

Safety and Structure

Steel remains one of the most structurally sound materials available for use in the creation of playgrounds. However, this material can be coated in plastic or PVC to enhance safety. This plastic coating softens the area in the event of a fall. The plastic also increases the foot traction of the surface, which prevents slips and falls. The plastic coating, which is usually then painted with a UV-resistant polymer, may thoroughly disguise the steel structure of the play set. In this way, the advantages of the historical sets are meshed with modern materials to produce safe, customizable, and durable playgrounds.

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

When designing a playground, it is important to consider the multiple pieces of equipment that will be installed. In choosing the items to be selected, it’s a good idea to take into account the pros and cons of having that item placed in your playground. One way to do this is to calculate the risks, as well as pay attention to the sorts of benefits that can be provided from that one piece. In terms of playground equipment, a trendy selection would be play tunnels. This piece is multi functional and allows for endless fun, along with various other health benefits.

Uses

There is an endless pool of imagination within a child’s mind. What may be a simple play tunnel to adults is not how the child views it. Using a play tunnel will allow you to provide children with a tool to express their more creative side and turn a play tunnel into any object they desire. Aside from this, there are other uses that having this item allows for. When designing the play tunnel, you can customize it to any color or hue of your choosing. This can be fitting to school or community colors, which will then encourage children to play there. You can also change the tunnel structure by connecting it to other playground pieces, making this single item quite diverse in its abilities.

Benefits

Everyone is familiar with the multiple benefits that can be derived from having an active child who goes out a lot versus one who prefers to stay indoors and not participate in that active lifestyle. But when it comes to the benefits offered through the use of a play tunnel, the list goes on and on.

● Exercise: Having this form of equipment in your playground allows a child to exercise separately from all other types of available equipment by enhancing their physical activity.

● Balance and Coordination: By letting the child climb to the top of the slide, find a way to position themselves, and then slide down promotes their overall motor skills and spatial awareness through determining when the right time to slide will be and when to put their feet down in order to land successfully.

● Increase in Flexibility: Climbing to the top of the tunnel and stretching their legs out to stop from sliding more increases muscle and overall flexibility in the child.

● Social Development: Being such a popular commodity to install into a playground and amongst the kids, as lots of children gather to play with the tunnel, knowledge in proper social etiquette will start to develop. It will teach kids lessons in taking turns, patience and tolerance, and playing fairly also.

● Fun: Aside from all the other positive effects, the most important, of course, would be that the kids have a fun way to play. They can hide in the tunnel, move around it, and turn it into anything they desire with the use of a little imagination.