How To Plan & Build A Playground
When you visit a playground with your kids, it’s easy to take for granted all the hard work and planning that went into its construction. If you stop to look around at all the little details that had to come together, you’ll quickly realize the significant challenge that comes along with this project. In this post, we offer a guide on how to plan a playground. If you’re starting your own project, learn more about planning and building a playground.
The Planning Phase
As you might imagine, this is where it all starts. It would be a big mistake to just start buying playground equipment without first planning out what you will need, and where it is going to go.
Some of the important steps in the planning phase include:
- Establish a budget. Obviously, you can’t make any kind of detailed plan until you know exactly how much money you have to work with. The type of playground you can create with $10,000 is very different from what you can create with $50,000 or more.
- Look for grants. While we’re speaking about budget, your project may be eligible for certain grants. Check out our recent blog post on how to get grants for playgrounds to help you fund your project.
- Evaluate the space available. Do you have a large space to work with, or are you going to need to make each square foot count? The space you have available is going to say a lot about what kind of playground you build and what kind of equipment you purchase.
- Identify your target audience. If you are building a playground, you are doing so with kids in mind. But what kind of kids? Are those visiting your playground going to be mostly under the age of 5—or will you have a wider range of ages wanting to play? If your project is going to be successful, you’ll need to select equipment that is a good match for the kids who will be present.
- Remember to be inclusive. At every step along the way, you want to focus on including as many kids as possible in the play space. Those children with physical limitations of one kind or another should still find plenty of ways to have fun at your playground. American Swing offers a wide range of swing products and playground equipment, including ADA Accessible Swings.
Planning a playground can take a significant amount of time and effort, but that’s okay. Taking a shortcut early on is sure to come back to cause problems later in the job.
Sourcing Quality Equipment
Needless to say, the idea of buying “cheap” playground equipment should immediately raise red flags. You want all of the children playing at the playground to remain safe, and cheap equipment might not offer the safety you have in mind. Also, the playground should be designed to hold up over the long run, which means you’ll need quality gear.
At American Swing, we take great pride in producing high-quality playground equipment that still manages to fit in the budget of many organizations. Browse our wide selection today for everything you need:
When you build a playground with equipment from American Swing, you can be confident you are making a choice that will benefit the children who visit the playground for years to come.
Beyond The Play Area
At first, your main focus when planning and building a playground is going to be on the playground equipment itself, and the ground below that equipment. However, the rest of the surrounding area needs to be taken into consideration, as well.
Are you going to be able to include bathrooms and water fountains? What about benches for parents, or picnic tables? A great playground is one that provides entire families a great place to spend an afternoon—or a full day. Be sure to consider the whole area carefully when planning a playground.
The Phase Option
Depending on your budget and the scope of your project, you may find that you can’t do everything you would like to do all at once. And that’s okay. With some careful planning, you may be able to build a playground in phases, starting with a basic play area and adding features in the future as money becomes available. It’s important to consider this possibility right from the start so you don’t do anything from a construction perspective that makes future expansion impossible.
Ongoing Maintenance
If you’re new to playground construction and management, you may not have thought about the ongoing maintenance that’s required. Kids can do a number on the equipment. American Swing offers quality products and warranties, and we also provide a full range of replacement parts when needed. Additionally, we provide the tools you will need to build and maintain your playground. Find what you need today:
- Replacement Swing Seats
- Swing Chains & Cutters
- Fasteners
- Swing Frame Fittings
- Swing Hangers
- Playground Warning Labels
American Swing Can Help!
Thank you for taking the time to stop by our blog. We hope this guide on how to plan a playground has been helpful. Building a playground is certainly a big task, but you can conquer the challenge if you take it one step at a time.
If you have any questions about the process or the playground equipment offered at American Swing, please feel free to contact us right away. Good luck with this exciting project!
