How to Design a Play Area in Your Yard
Children love to run, climb, and swing. In fact, there are lots of possible ways to have fun if you have adequate space outdoors. So learn to create an outside play area without forgetting any details.
If you’re interested in designing a play area in your yard, then keep on reading this article. There’s nothing better than an area so the little ones of the house can have fun and be safe. That’s why these tips are just what you need for your children to enjoy the outdoors.
An outdoor play area motivates children to be active and exercise, which contributes to a healthy life. Because of this, it’s worth the effort to create an area especially for them.
Useful tips for a play area in your yard
Even though the space in your yard is limited, it is possible to construct an area of a few square meters and equip it with play equipment for the little ones. The market offers an endless possibility of items for children to enjoy. These include slides, swings, and playhouses. The following are some points to take into account:
Before beginning
It’s important that adults can easily monitor the area. Therefore, locate it where it’s visible from any place in the house. Do you have an idea where you’d put it?
Also, it would be advisable to have it where there’s shade most of the time so that the children won’t be exposed to the sun while they play.
The type of surface area of this space is essential to reduce injuries from accidents that occur when children fall. Be aware of this!
The material under slides and swings needs to be soft and thick to soften falls. Loose material such as mulch is a good option.
Also, an option may be special paving for children’s play areas. This is elastic tiles made with a polyurethane resin, ground recycled rubber, and dyes. It has the benefit of being permeable and allowing drainage.
Design and maintenance of a play area
The equipment in this area should be designed for two age groups: from 2 to 5 years and from 5 to 12 years, ensuring that the littlest children aren’t playing on the equipment meant for the older children and vice versa.
From time to time, check out the play area to be sure that there are no dangerous objects that protrude from the equipment. Also important is that the equipment needs to function correctly and be clean.
Play areas in your yard – safety above all
Little wooden house/juegosalairelibre.com
The most important point is that all of the children’s equipment meets safety regulations. This is vital in order to guarantee correct and risk-free use for the child.
Some aspects that parents should be aware of when designing and creating the play area are the following. Take note and be careful not to overlook any of these:
1.Separate structures that are more than 30 inches high from other structures by at least 3 feet.
2. Swings should be 2 feet apart and be 30 inches from the structure that supports the swings.
3. Check that there are no openings that could trap a head, an arm, or other body parts of a child. As a rule, all of the openings on equipment should measure less than 3.5 inches or have a width of 9 inches.
4. Slides, swings, and merry-go-rounds should never be used if they are wet because the surfaces will be slippery.
5. Metal equipment should not be rusty and wooden equipment shouldn’t have splinters or cracks.
A play area for very small children
image: School photo created by alexeyzhilkin – www.freepik.com
Slides
It’s best to choose wooden, stainless steel, or plastic equipment for children. They’ll love to use the slide over and over again. So be sure that the surface is in good condition.
Many slides incorporate a covered tower that offers better safety and gives the little ones a refuge that matches their size. There should also be side protection.
Swings
Swinging is one of the main activities in a playground that combines the sensation of flying with control over your own body. Swings come in many varieties.
There are swings with one, two, and even up to four seats that can be wooden or metal. Also, there are ones with ropes and boards. In addition, there are seats that are rubber that have a steel base.
Playhouses
You’ll find playhouses of wood and sturdy plastic on the market. Exclusively designed for children to play on them, they’re available in various sizes. What’s more, you can put them together easily and they are strong.
To avoid little ones getting hurt, there are models with round corners and edges. You can also buy picnic tables that attach.
Play areas for older kids
Sports
Older children can have their own space to do sport. And the possibilities are diverse: from putting hoops up to play basketball to setting up a net for tennis, and even a ping-pong table.
1.Basketball – there are kits with all the parts you need to play. Included are attached hoops, ( embedded in the ground with screws and movable). The backboards can be of fiberglass, methacrylate, or wood)
2. Tennis – there is a wide range of products. These include tennis nets, posts, guides, and cables to adapt the set to any yard. In addition to these components, there is even a net for paddleball as well.
3. Volleyball – posts are aluminum or steel, are movable or fixed. Also, you get the nets, the protective gear, the cases, and the tapes to indicate the boundary lines.
4. Ping-pong – there’s nothing better than to be able to play ping-pong in your leisure time. The best equipment for outdoor use is the tables covered with reinforced polyester with fiberglass and thermally stable plastic.
To do a test run, design a section of games in your yard that’s simple. This can be something that the entire family can participate in. Go for it and let us know how it works out!