[*A message from NPCAI – Adapt to New Customer Behavior. Meet virtually, wear protective gear, and abide by social distancing protocols. Talk to customers about the health benefits of the value of play.] – The National Playground Contractors Association. 

Playground equipment installers design for the “new normal”

Installers like us – a leading playground contractor in the San Francisco Bay Area our business, Community Playgrounds, Inc., also installs play areas in Los Angeles, California, have implemented new design layouts for customers. Encouraging neighborhood play parks and commercial properties to place playground design-builds emphasize social distancing and installation of disinfectant stations. Those that have been playground industry for a long time like Community Playgrounds are preparing their sales representatives, designers, and playground equipment installers to recommend incorporating materials that are easier to keep clean such as; stainless steel. 

Property playground Owners – now is the time for maintenance

With most of the playgrounds limiting play hours or temporarily closed due to shelter-in-place, now is the perfect time to do a safety inspection. Owners of commercial playgrounds should consider performing repairs and maintenance. Many playground contractors like Community Playgrounds provide this service. A professional playground service person will know each playground equipment piece; it’s vendor and manufacturer. At a glance, they can usually tell what parts need adjusting and which need bearings [modern play equipment uses various movement types, bearing breakdown is the most common seen failure, e.g., swings, merry-go-round ] replaced.

Along with maintenance, do a thorough playground equipment cleaning

The spread of COVID-19 depends on all of us taking action. Properties with playgrounds can ease parent’s minds by having a regularly scheduled cleaning program. Volunteers can do it, that’s always a plus, however, professionals should do the first cleaning with a plan in place scheduling quarterly cleans. Play area property owners might want to consider having the community of volunteers clean in-between the professionals.

A professional cleaning business is recommended. 

They will have a power washer. It is one method used to clean public playgrounds, which is more practical on large outdoor playgrounds than hand-wiping equipment. The professionals will also be able to clean the sandboxes, by using a sifter, then sanitizing is a method that can be used to remove hazards and clean sand, to reduce the risk of illness and injury.

The importance of children’s playtime outdoors at a Playground

Communities with playgrounds in their neighborhoods and on commercial properties are crucial to keeping toddlers and youngsters up to ten years old active and healthy! Today in America, sadly, we have an alarming increase in childhood obesity, leading to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes. Kids need to run, jump, climb, and swing to build a healthy immune system and bone mass. 

Across America and internationally, community playgrounds, nursery play areas, and school play yards are where children learn how to interact with others. Among other “how to’s,” children learn the three c’s: collaboration, compromise, and compassion. Collaboration: helping each other climb and swing, compromise: sharing play equipment and learning patience, and compassion: learning how to listen and show empathy.