Early Childhood Playgrounds
We are specialists in early childhood landscaping and playground design and creation. We create playgrounds for Childcare Centres and Pre schools, and anywhere children gather to play.
Our outdoor environments encourage active and creative play using natural and man made materials.
A child focused play area is specifically designed for the needs and interests of the children playing in that particular area. It promotes the further enhancement of the developmental domains, which include: social/emotional, cognitive, language and physical aspects.
We provide dynamic concepts that will work in the majority of playgrounds.
Supervision is a priority. Therefore our playgrounds are designed to include high visability and access areas. This in turn allows for higher quality supervision at all times.
Please view our childcare centre/pre school photos below to get an idea of the learning environments that we can plan and create.
See: Before and After Playgrounds photo gallery.
Early Childhood Playground Sandpits
Sandpits are an essential item in many playgrounds and what I would call the number one item in an active playground.
Sandpits have many shapes and sizes and are best built to cater for the number and needs of the age group intended for the sandpit.
Most children using a sand pit will want to build, so it make sense to have a low access designated building area attached or close to the main sandpit.
We have found that it is best to have one side of a sandpit preferably on a fence or barrier to designate as a building platform, usually about 1m wide and the length of the sandpit (approximately 3m). Building areas work well with a rubbered surface since children are on there hands and knees a lot during sand play even though they will adapt to the surface you provide.
I believe sandpits work the best for a number of reasons, when there is only one or two access points.
The accessable edge of a sandpit works well if it is flush to the ground for easy access.
A utility box is a good item to store sandpit toys and the sand pit cover when not in use. It's great to keep things neat and tidy, also a good OH&S practice. The lid of the utility box is a good table for children to build on.
Early Childhood Playground Soft fall Areas
Soft fall Areas are required to support children's safety.
The soft fall needed to satisfy regulatory bodies depends on the equipment to be used on the surface.
The surface required to satisfy you will need to be carefully chosen as all surfaces have there advantages and disadvantages.
The main surfaces to choose from are movable materials such as (Mulch & sand) and Fixed surfaces such as (Rubber & Artificial grass).
Movable materials are high maintenance due to areas continuously needing to be raked, which in my experience isn't raked enough. The areas needing softfall get moved away due to playground use and compromises the safety aspect of the area.
Most movable soft fall has the disadvantage of hiding litter, in some cases glass and needles.
Some movable soft fall is suited to certain areas and if chosen wisely can work. Some think it's good because it's cost effective but it's not in the long term, especially if you decide to change the surface later.
Fixed materials with soft fall work well in most situations because of its low maintenance advantage and the consistant protection of the softfall surface.
Artificial grass has a fantastic range of colours and properties that can meet most requirments. Particually, the new products available that very much look and feel like natural grass with all the advantages of an artificial material.
Rubber comes in a range of colours and types and is very durable, non slip and has a range of applications, it can get very hot in direct sun but can be watered to drop the temperature very quickly.
If you have a rubber surface that is old or worn there are ways to enhance the area utilising it as a base. See: Playground Maintenance and repairs.
Contact us for more information!
