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Why Community Playgrounds are important

Why Community Playgrounds are important

Community Playgrounds equipment installers design for the “new normal”

As playground equipment installers, we can tell you community playgrounds are not going to disappear. If we’ve all learned anything from the pandemic [*COVID-19], it’s we need playgrounds. They’re a part of children’s social learning and growth, and a place for parents to whine down.

 [*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”

Yerba Buena Gardens playground and park

Yerba Buena Gardens playground

Installers like San Francisco Bay Area’s Community Playgrounds, Inc., whose company 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 on social distancing and installation of disinfectant stations. Those that have been playground industry 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. 

Pressure washing playground equipment is the best way to clean it

Pressure washing uses safe cleaning chemicals and cleans large playground areas faster.

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 neighborhood play area

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.

Children thrive on challenges and being independent. Playgrounds allow children time (moments) away [within sight] from their parents or those supervising them while being in the same place. Each is learning trust.

Community Playgrounds can enhance surrounding property values

Having a beautiful community playground in a residential neighborhood, within a homeowner association, or on a multifamily property can increase home and business property values. People are willing to pay a significant amount more for a property near a park than for a house across town that isn’t within walking distance, according to “The Park Catalog” homes near a park have an 8% to 20% higher valuation than other properties.” 

Playgrounds Trends – Why keeping up with them is necessary

Willie Woo Woo Dragon Play Equipment Custom built by Earthscape Play in Collaboration with CLW Builders and Community Playgrounds Installation team

Chinatown Playground, San Francisco, CA

Watch for playground trends. A playground that responds to its community is a playground that will be occupant for years down the road. Playgrounds need to evolve within their community. Having playground equipment that is unsafe, old, and coming apart doesn’t add to the curbside appeal. Playground owners and organizations, contributors, and their supporters who follow trends in real estate and property development understand upgrading and keeping playgrounds maintain with trendy playground equipment make for a prosperous community.

Designers who specialize in playground design are including innovative technology. Such as security cameras and drones for monitoring safety, geofences [GPS technology] senses when visitors enter the area, and communicate via an opt-in mobile app. Designers are implementing cell towers and “beacons” so that parents and children stay connected. Using smart technology, along with sustainability materials, keeps children safe.

A few years back, a trend taught us to design and build with materials and new play equipment for children with special needs and differently-abled children, without separating them from others. This particular trend was needed and helped revive playgrounds drawing attention to community playgrounds that provided these play tool resources. Today, playground designers include age-appropriate equipment for all children with all abilities. While play area park themes still incorporate traditional play structures, slides, and swings – new sensory play equipment, including musical features, bells, and drums, textures for discovery, are popular. The latest trends designers are including bouncing spaces and challenging climbing walls made from recycled plastics.

Being outdoors on a playground will never go out of style

Play parks are often where you meet lifelong friends

Playgrounds are often where you meet lifelong friends

We’ve learned the importance of community playgrounds this year in 2020, more than any other in our past. Many families became closer due to shelter-in-place. From the experience of being together 24-7, family members learned that’s staying home without being active and getting outside can lead to depression, lack of sleep, and mounting stress. Children learn by observation. When the adults in their life bring them to a Community Playground or park, these places are where they learn the importance of making new friends and meeting up with their best friends. Life-long relationships often start on the playground.