Designing or refurbishing a children’s play area can be a complicated task. From safety surfacing requirements to material durability, to the question of what children will even find exciting, there are so many aspects of playground design to consider!
But don’t worry, PlaySmart is here to guide you through the design, installation, and aftercare process to find the best surface for a children’s play area
The surface design is (literally!) the foundation of your playground project, making the right choice for your needs is vital to a successful site. So, let’s discover the best surface for children’s play areas with PlaySmart!
Child-First Playground Design Ideas
When working on anything intended for children, you have to approach every aspect with their needs in mind. Let’s explore what is most important to consider when considering your playground surface options.
Vibrant Colour
Bright colours are especially attractive to young children, helping them see and recognise shapes in infancy and encouraging energetic play as they get older.
For fully effective use of colour in the long-term, keeping the brightness of the pigment is very important. Therefore, the vibrant colours of RubbaSmart wet pour rubber playground flooring are a very popular choice for children’s playgrounds as it is long-lasting and non-toxic.
RubbaSmart offers over 20 colours available in a range of combinations and patterns, but most importantly is designed to last. The HDI-based, peroxide vulcanized rubber is weather-proof UV resistant for superior long-term stability of colour and surface quality.
You can find more about RubbaSmart in our full brochure here [pdf].
Creative Themes
Creating a cohesive creative playground design can encourage imaginative play and make your playground a notable and memorable site for repeat visits.
For some especially creative play area ideas, take a look at some of our previous playground projects!
Bending Cresent Playground Refurbishment
A combination of RubbaSmart and JungleMulch creates this nature-themed playground surface design. A range of tropical nature designs in RubbaSmart wet pour rubber is installed alongside a range of rubber mulch colours that designate the different sections of the playground.
Nelson Primary School, Twickenham
Although the centre-piece of your play area doesn’t necessarily need to be this grand, the right surfacing can emphasise the best features of any site! Highlighting the unique history and spirit of your area with stylish, themed playground surfacing to match the surrounding site is our specialty.
Are you still looking for the perfect playground design idea? Discover more in our case study blog section here for a whole range of inspiration!
Interactivity and Fun
Beyond the creativity of outdoor flooring design, it is important to consider the playability of your play area and how your surfacing can enhance the way children interact with your space.
Markings can be used to create playground games for a range of ages and abilities, including hopscotch, targets, and even educational playground number games! These are school playground ideas to make the most of your outdoor space to encourage fun learning!
JungleMulch is a Rubber Mulch surfacing solution that can be used to create amazing, creative interactive centre-pieces for your playground that kids will love. The durable, rubber mulch colour range, creative patterns, and adaptability into mounds and other 3D designs make it a customer favourite for a range of purposes!
JungleMulch mimics the look of natural bark while remaining a sustainable flooring option made from shredded recycled tyres, also making it cost-effective and low-maintenance. Therefore, this surface solution is one of the best playground ideas for child-centred play areas which often receive heavy footfall.
Incorporating multiple surface solutions to create a range of textures and more versatile play values in any size space can be a great way to accommodate the many needs young children have for play areas. For another adaptable and easy surfacing idea, read our expert blog on artificial grass ideas for nurseries and primary schools.
Safety Flooring
Kids love to explore and play with playground equipment like swings, slides, and climbing towers, but these can all hold risks of falling and injury. PlaySmart is dedicated to keeping play fun and kids safe.
Therefore, we ensure that all of our playground projects are fitted with the appropriate safety surfacing for the site’s required critical fall height protection, ground conditions, and other hazards, including fire. The SmartPlay shock pad underlay system, a patented design by PlaySmart, integrates seamlessly to boost the protection our other safety flooring options can provide.
Accessibility
Outdoor spaces designed for all children to play and explore need to be fully buggy and wheelchair-accessible, one big step towards this is in your choice of surface cover.
Playground design through surface colour and pattern can help to differentiate playground zones for different ages and ability to keep everyone safe and to meet the range of play interests held by different age groups. These sections of play area can be differently themed playgrounds in their own right and can be made fully connected and integrated for wheel-chair access through ramped edges.
Other purposes of surface design
Accessibility for the visually-impaired
Aesthetics are not the only reason to install vibrant surfacing, they can also improve accessibility in your playground.
You can accommodate for those with limited vision by installing bright, coloured edges and pathways, making the space more understandable and assisting their independence in your outdoor space. Texture can also be used very effectively as pathway markets to highlight the locations of paths and possible hazards for cane users.
At PlaySmart, accessibility in all of our playground projects is very important to us, so we are proud to provide a range of options to ensure all can enjoy the joys of play!
Adapting to geography
In areas with difficult geography, for example, areas prone to flooding, uneven surfaces, or exposed tree roots, finding the right flooring option can be difficult. Therefore our expert installation team is there for you to respond to these issues to provide the best advice and service to achieve your playground project dreams!
JungleMulch is a great option for erosion control on embankments and surrounding trees. Weed suppressant rubber with a minimal sub-base, your natural geographical features will be protected and highlighted!
SmartPave recycled rubber playground granule aggregate with a special polyurethane binder meets Sustainable Urban Drainage System requirements. This means it has effective drainage capabilities to protect from flooding, making it perfect for low-land areas to reduce surface water.
Looking for an update to your Playground Design? Give PlaySmart a Call!
Explore all of our options for your playground project in our extensive product range, or for further advice, check out our new blog: Find your Perfect Surfacing Solution Match with PlaySmart!
If you are interested in our play surface options you can get a free quote or request a call back on our handy contact page, or simply call us today at: 01564 742811