School playgrounds are an integral part of any child’s day. They are what all students look forward to to break up the day, reconnect with friends and the outdoors and let off steam. Time spent in the playground plays a fundamental role in all children’s development providing a great way to decompress any built up energy and emotions helping to increase focus when they return to the classroom lessons.
A school playground is also a place where children learn to communicate with others, encouraging social development which goes hand in hand with expanding their emotional skills, speech and language and even cognitive and intellectual skills. Not only this, but a school playground can be a great tool to stretch a child’s imagination, help with learning organisation and also time management.
At PlayEquip we have acknowledged the great importance of school playgrounds which is why we have been working with schools throughout the UK to help enhance and improve their spaces, working alongside each one, understanding their needs and delivering exactly what they need.
Open ended play
More often than not we have councils, schools and private clients coming to us with great ideas for how they would like to use the space that they have, this is where our bespoke playground service is a perfect option. We are able to work alongside the client to tailor make layouts and structures that are site specific and make the most out of the space and budget that they have.
One of the many great advantages of our bespoke structures, and in fact our off-the-shelf products, is that we like to design and build pieces that help inspire imagination and promote open ended play.
Open ended play has a multitude of important factors:
- Helps to encourage and teach independent play, freedom without rules
- Challenges the child to use their imagination, including investigation and problem-solving.
- Establishes confidence, patience and resilience, skills that feed into all forms throughout life.
- Increases the play value of equipment – one day it could be a ‘pirate ship’, the next it could be a ‘rocket’.
Test their skills
We understand that it may seem hard to cater to all ages within a school, making sure not to exclude any pupils whilst also staying within a budget. Trim Trails are the perfect answer for this, and a great way to get children having fun whilst also including an element of exercise and fitness.
Exploring the varying pieces of equipment and environment sparks excitement and challenge as they tackle the series of obstacles, helping them build on motor skills, cognitive development and social skills.
With trim trails you are able to tailor your course to become an age-appropriate playground. Whether that be crossing a balance beam for EYFS, traversing swinging steps for KS1 or swinging across tricky monkey bars for KS2 pupils, our Trim Trail range has something that will push children of all ages to test their skills and build on their self-esteem as a result.
Another great option is to choose from our selection of monkey bars, all of which can be adapted to a child’s needs and appropriate skill set. It has been found that the use of monkey bars has positive effects on the attainment of children during lesson time. Monkey bars help strengthen upper body muscles from fingers to back, improving posture allowing children to engage more effectively during lessons.
A lot of our products, including monkey bars, have been the result of working alongside teachers who have recognised areas of exercise and play that can be optimised.
Get musical
When space is at a premium, opting for a smaller piece of play equipment like our playground instruments may be a smart choice. Although playground instruments may not be an obvious choice when thinking about enhancing your playground, it is an incredible option with many advantages.
When a child has musical experiences, this brain activity can lead to a boost in cognitive development and in particular help to encourage the learning of reading and language skills. Not only that, learning an instrument helps to improve mathematical learning and aids academic ability.
Much like open ended play, introducing musical instruments into a child’s play helps children to explore and create on their terms, building their self-esteem and independence.
Offer a place to sit and recoup
As we all know, every child is different and has their own likes and dislikes so it makes sense to cater for the child that isn’t inclined to run around the playground during their break.
Offering a shelter with seating is a great way to provide solace from the hustle and bustle or even to simply cool down on a hot sunny day.
Our Playground Shelter is the perfect option for a hide-out, relaxing area or quiet outdoor space for school playgrounds, pairing it with a couple of sleeper benches makes for a great spot for all children. It could even be used during lesson time for outdoor learning.
Get in touch
At PlayEquip we understand that childhood should involve both time to explore, play and learn in order to build strengths, interests and skills. Get in touch today to discuss what you may be interested in or perhaps we could help suggest what may work for you.
(+44) 0177 383 0069
