Rating Your Outdoor Play Space
20th April, 2011 - Posted by - 6 Comments
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When planning enhancements to an outdoor playspace or playground, it’s important to start with one question: What do the children need to be able to do here?
Run, Jump. Skip. Spin. Balance. Climb. Hide. Gather. Dig. Build.
DREAM. PLAY. LEARN.
Often, adults get excited about a catalog or seeing a piece of equipment at another playground and they are off and purchasing. But stop and think. You may already have something in place that serves the same purpose as what you see…so start with the doing.
And don’t forget to get the kids’ input! What do they want to be able to do? What does their dream playspace include?
We want playspaces that encourage motor development, active play, creativity, imagination, and socialization. We also keep educators and parents in mind. After all, if it’s not a welcoming space for adults, they are less likely to spend adequate time there to allow children to truly benefit.
Here are some additional questions to ponder:
- Does your play space include a variety of developmentally appropriate play areas/learning settings and materials made of manufactured and natural materials to promote a diverse range of experiences for children?
- How many of these areas are part of your play space? Multipurpose, openspace; anchored play equipment ; wheeled toys; manipulative equipment; water play features; music and movement/acoustic play area; sand play area; balance beam/stepping stones; playhouse; flower or vegetable garden; loose parts for building; climbing tree; climbing/rolling mound; raised deck/stage
- What types of physical activity and movement are promoted by the key features of your play space?
- Does the play space offer a wide range of experiences for children? Are a variety of features present that can be changed and/or played with in many different ways? Do you see children being spontaneous, innovative, flexible, and creative?
- Are children adequately protected from the sun? Do natural or artificial shade structures provide enough shade to accommodate the total number of children in the classroom?
- Does your play space incorporate a variety of natural elements for children’s play such as such as trees, stumps, boulders, long grass, water, and pebbles?
- How friendly and inviting is your play space atmosphere? Is it clean, free of litter and kept in good repair. Are outdoor toys, loose parts and supplies appropriately stored and organized? Has visual and/or auditory interest and appeal been added to the play space?
- Are a variety of sensory experiences (i.e. touch/textures, smell, listening, looking, vestibular and proprioceptive input) incorporated in the play space?
- Are all children are able to get to everything they want? Are children across ages and abilities able to access and enjoy the play space and the opportunities it creates to participate with peers?
- Does the play space provide children with opportunities to do things that are exciting and adventurous? Are components of the play space characteristically open-ended, challenging children’s physical, social and cognitive abilities by having the potential for engaging in increasingly more difficult and complex activities?
- Does the play space meet local regulations for safety?
Really, there are a lot of things to consider. So, why not go out and assess your playspace? Download our HSBS Playspace Assessment. This simple, user-friendly tool will help you identify areas where you can improve and help you plan for the future.
Need more inspiration? Check out this great video from one of our grantees that used the Play Space Assessment to help them plan playground improvements.
Play on! ~ Bethe
Bethe Almeras, MS, is the HSBS Education & Outreach Director. A long time educator and play advocate, she is passionate about outdoor play and connecting children with nature. In her free time Bethe writes a blog, The Grass Stain Guru, and can often be found playing outside. She is particularly fond of squirrels. And turtles. And sandpipers. And…
photo credit: stevendepolo
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Tags: activity, childhood, development, ECE, exercise, fun, motor skill development, movement, outdoors, Parent, preschool
Posted on: April 20, 2011
Filed under: Nature & Outdoors, Physical Activity, Play
6 Comments
Michele
April 20th, 2011 at 2:41 pm
Out of the 180+ playspaces I’ve journaled over the past 3 years, I’d say 98% are lacking in #6 (natural elements) and #8 (sensory elements). In the few spaces where there are stumps or rocks to climb, the kids always choose this activity over a slide or manufactured play equipment. As a parent, I’m not seeing the sensory experiences built into the play equipment. The only one that the kids really like is the steering wheel – for driving their pirate ships or airplanes or race cars, etc. The other educational boards are generally wasted. Too boring for an outdoor space.
I’m a firm believer that kids under 5 and their parents in the community should be quizzed before cities purchase play equipment. They should be involved in the design process!! Just having an open meeting and expecting parents to come isn’t enough. Maybe sending out a special e-mail to the mailing list of those who have signed up their children for community classes would encourage their participation???
The payoff would be a playground that fits their community and the kids and parents who want to play. Your assessment form is a great start in the process! Thanks!
hsbs
April 20th, 2011 at 2:48 pm
Great points, Michele! If anyone can rally parents around playspaces in your area — it’s you!
Keep up the great work! – Bethe
Marjorie Moss
April 20th, 2011 at 7:35 pm
I could not agree more with Michele. I have been blessed with the opportunity to live in Germany for a number of years. The playspaces in Europe always incorporate natural elements, with very little if any plastic manufactured equipment.
Now that I live in the US, I do a little happy dance whenever I see a playspace that involves natural elements. One I highly recommend in Nebraska is at Fontenelle Forest just south of Omaha. Fantastic opportunities for children to build, crawl, climb, feel, haul, dig, dance, make music, see, hear, and experience in and around a beautiful forest.
Thanks for posting this, Blethe. I would love to see more people post their favorite playspaces.
Vicki
April 21st, 2011 at 3:12 am
Yes, the outdoor play space needs to consider if the space is “welcoming” to adults, too! An outdoor play space that nurtures the heart, mind, and spirit of children and their cherished adults is truly a place of inspiration!
hsbs
April 21st, 2011 at 12:52 pm
Thanks, ladies. We’re excited to see the playground/playspace movement lean more toward naturalized spaces. Watching kids (and adults!) connect with the nature is magic.
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