Understanding the Design Process for Outdoor Play and Learning Environments
By: Vicki L. Stoecklin
Designing school outdoor play and learning environments can be a complex process. This article discusses the steps involved in the design process and should help you to better understand your role in the process.
Values Clarification
Identifying values and goals is the first step every program should take. It is important to look at the outdoor play and learning environment as one piece of the curriculum approach you are using to help educate children about nature and allow them opportunities to develop through play. Before approaching your renovation or construction project, you should look at what the goals are for your program for nature education both inside and outside and how teachers are trained and supported in reaching those goals. You can build a naturalized outdoor play environment, but if teachers are not trained in how to model an interest and concern for the environment or prepared to build a curriculum around it, much of the opportunity will be lost to teach children an appreciation for nature.
Money Doesn't Talk
One of the first issues that surfaces when I talk with people about outdoor play space renovation or construction is how much will all this cost? Although a valid concern, the question cannot be answered over the telephone or at the beginning of the design process. Determining the cost is based on many different variables, which will be discussed further in this article.
The only way to get an accurate cost estimate is for an expert to view the potential site, make a site analysis, gather information, evaluate the site design criteria and give you a projected design fee proposal. If you do not have an overall budget figure in mind for the construction or renovation, the expert should be able to assist you in creating one. Preparing a design fee proposal is a lengthy and complex process. The expert will expect to be compensated for all the work in this phase of the process.
Actually, rather than being one expert, the design team should be composed of several members whose collective experience includes expertise in early childhood, nature education, landscape architecture, plant selection for children, gardening for children, construction supervision, code and licensing requirements, the Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines, selection of equipment for young children and safety issues. The entire design team will have input into the design proposal, which is coordinated by the expert you have chosen.
Site Visitation and Analysis
In order to prepare the design fee proposal, a visit to your potential site will be necessary to determine its suitability as a children's naturalized play area. Every site has unique characteristics that can influence site development and play opportunities. The expert may be evaluating an existing site for renovation, a pre-selected site for new construction or looking at several sites for future development. In each case, the process of evaluation is the same.
A thorough inventory will need to be made of the location, site function, infrastructure such as drainage, existing land features and natural features. A list will be created and pictures will be taken of existing plants, trees and shrubs. Drainage issues on the existing property will need to be evaluated through a topography and drainage plan.
Play areas that ignore drainage and grading issues in their design often end up with pooling water and muddy areas, making them unusable for extended periods of time. Notation should be made of how much sunlight and shade your play area receives, how the site relates to the indoor classrooms and how the site fits into the existing neighborhood. Attention should also be given to how effectively the space provides a sense of enclosure and intimacy for children.
Information Gathering
This aspect of the design process is ongoing throughout all phases of a project. Design cannot be created in a vacuum and requires an ongoing dialogue between all members of the design team. School leaders will need to understand the concurrent nature of the participatory design and be willing to invest both time and energy into the production process. Ongoing dialogue will enable the collaborative efforts.
Evaluation of Site Design Criteria
After the site has been analyzed, there are still many elements to consider in creating a proposal for designing outdoor play spaces.
The first is looking at the most basic dimensions of spatial design such as scale, proportion, balance, rhythm, focal point and enclosure. Many elements have to be considered in the design fee proposal phase because these very elements can affect the amount of time and work necessary to actually create a final design. Since a play space for children is a complicated design task, the following criteria will also need to be evaluated in the design fee proposal phase:
- Outdoor users: What are the ages and numbers of children using the space? Are parents and staff going to use the space?
- Use of nature and equipment: What are the goals you wish to achieve in your outdoor space? What natural elements exist? What manufactured equipment is also needed?
- Accessibility: Are the playground and equipment accessible to children or adults with disabilities?
- Equipment: If you are using older equipment in a renovation, does it meet the Consumer Product Safety Commission's Guidelines for Public Playground Safety and the American Society for Testing Materials' Safety Standards? Is it more appropriate to use wooden or metal playground equipment?
- Supervision: Who will be supervising the children for outdoor experiences?
- Storage: How will you be storing your loose outdoor play equipment? Is vandalism a problem in the neighborhood?
- Diversity: How will the play space offer a safe challenge to meet the diverse developmental needs of children?
- Shade: How should the play areas be positioned to utilize shade from buildings and vegetation? Will there be adequate shade or is additional shade needed?
- Compliance issues: Can this play space meet the state licensing requirements, fire codes that relate to the evacuation of children and the Americans with Disabilities Act's guidelines for children's outdoor play spaces.
Pulling It All Together
Once all of the above information has been considered, the expert can present you with a design fee proposal. The proposal will include fees for both schematic drawings and final construction documents.
Schematic drawings are drafts of the visual representation of the outdoor space and a method for you to provide feedback before the final construction documents are prepared. The proposal should also include time for phone consultation and construction coordination and monitoring in addition to a final site visit to verify that the outdoor space was constructed according to the prepared documents.
Many schools unknowingly create safety problems when they try to oversee the construction of the site or installation of the equipment without an expert involved. I have personally visited many unsafe playgrounds both old and new.
Once work has started on your project, the design team will continue to evaluate the site to create a design that includes additional criteria. These criteria will provide the framework for the design team's skill and creativity. Some of the additional design criteria that the design team will use to create an outdoor play and learning space are:
- Safety
- Safe challenge
- Diversity
- Range of challenges
- Seasonal changes
- Flexibility
- Permanence
- Change
- Open-endedness
- Year-round use
- Social interaction
- Balance of passive and active play
- Variety of socialization spots
- Variety of spatial experiences
- Variety of sensual experiences
- Undefined spaces
- Private areas
- Child-parent interaction
- Separation of activities
- Wildlife habitat
- Child-staff interaction
- Indoor/outdoor relationships
- Ease of economy and construction
- Maintenance
Research on children's preferences shows that if children had the design skills to do so, their creations would be completely different from the areas called playgrounds that most adults design for them.
Children's designed outdoor environments would not only be fully naturalized with plants, trees, flowers, water, dirt, sand, mud, animals and insects, but they would also be rich with a wide variety of play opportunities of every imaginable type. Your design team can create that unique environment for children.
Vicki L. Stoecklin is the Education and Child Development Director with White Hutchinson Leisure & Learning Group, www.whitehutchinson.com , which specializes in design and consulting for children's environments.
Top 10 Mistakes Made in the Design of Playgrounds
1. Not following the ADA guidelines for outdoor spaces, which applies to all new construction and renovations
2. Using a playground manufacturer rather than choosing an unbiased designer or consultant for your outdoor space
3. Choosing equipment that does not meet the developmental needs of children
4. Not putting trees, bushes and plants in the outdoor spaces
5. Creating spaces that only meet children's gross motor skills outdoors
6. Creating large, flat open spaces rather than areas for different types of play
7. Putting too much money into climbing equipment while ignoring other types of play
8. Not considering storage for the outdoor area
9. Not involving teachers, parents and children in the design process
10. Under budgeting for your outdoor space
Product Roundup
Star Chute Series from Play Mart
Play Mart has introduced the "Star Chute Series" boasting nine-foot slides that slalom, veer, curve and elicit enormous smiles and ecstatic screams. The Moon and constellations appear through spy holes in Galaxy Roofs and Panels. They offer play equipment made from 100% Recycled Structural Plastic (RSP). RSP is virtually maintenance-free--no splinters, splitting, staining, painting or sanding. They offer play systems perfect for private schools and churches serving a wide range of age groups: Mini Systems, Mega Systems, Fitness Systems for older children and adults, swings, park amenities and ADA-accessible components.
www.playmart.com
SofSURFACES
SofSURFACES is recognized as a leader in the design and manufacture of unique, interlocking safety surfacing systems. They have more than eight million square feet of installations across North America , The company focuses on the four key indicators that define a quality system: fall protection, durability, long-term value and the necessity to have a system that can be effectively and easily secured on site to eliminate the potential for vandalism. Their five-year drop height performance warranty and KrosLOCK joining system make SofTILE a good choice for maintenance-free, year-round performance.
www.sofsurfaces.com
WOW's Big Idea in Playgrounds
VeggieTales playgrounds offer a unique look for your school playground with the characters your children know and love. For more than 10 years, children have been learning timeless values with Bob and Larry; now they can join them in play, on the playground. Custom designs with themed VeggieTales characters in music, sports, western and traditional character designs provides great street appeal. VeggieTales are the creation of Big Idea, Inc., a family media company committed to providing entertaining stories that help parents teach today's children important life lessons. Now with Bob and Larry and all their friends taking the lessons to the playground, what could be better?
www.wowplaygrounds.com
Dynamo Playgrounds
Dynamo Playgrounds has been pioneering unique playground games for more than 15 years and are revolutionizing the playground industry with their roping games. From the rotating climbers to the swings to their extensive line of playnets, Dynamo has something to bring kids of all ages running to the playground. Combining the fun of climbing with the thrill of motion, their dynamic games incorporate elements of movement, balance, exercise and teamwork while exceeding the requirements of today's heightened safety concerns. No playground is complete without their unique games that will leave you hooked on the feeling.
www.dynamoplaygrounds.com
Grounds For Play
Grounds For Play is a full-service provider of great children's playground environments. This begins with their local Design Consultants who provide complete project consultation, site master plans and safety evaluations. The then manufacture, install and service a full range of playground equipment, including play structures, safety surfacing, outdoor music gardens, shade components, and science and nature elements. What makes them different? They are built on an understanding of children. They are owned and operated by educators. Both Dr. Eric Strickland and Dr. Jim Dempsey have completed extensive research and writing on children's play and play environments.
www.groundsforplay.com
PermaLife Pour & Play
For long-lasting ADA ASTM-compliant, IPEMA-certified, commercial playground applications, PermaLife offers its Pour & Play. You're looking at a ground-breaking way of protecting our most important natural resources--our kids. Pour & Play protects them from playground bumps and bruises by cushioning their falls with an environmentally friendly safety surface that is a colorful, clean alternative to sand and wood mulch. PermaLife Pour & Play comes from tires that have been granulated, cleaned and recycled especially for playground use; it acts like sand, but feels much softer on little knees. And, unlike other safety surfaces, PermaLife Pour & Play holds its vibrant color and lasts for years. So for greater safety for your kids, pour it on with PermaLife Pour & Play.
www.permalife.com
International Play Company
International Play Company designs, installs and manufactures indoor and outdoor play structures for schools. IPC is dedicated to creating customized play systems to meet your space and budget requirements. Create a play environment in a style to suit your school. If you can dream it, they can design and install it. They adhere to ASTM, CPRA, IPEMA safety guidelines and have in-house playground safety inspectors. They offer interactive and creative play solutions at very reasonable prices. New products include the New Wizard Quest Interactive Game, Ballistic Ball Arenas, Obstacle Courses and Sport Courts.
www.iplayco.com
No Fault Safety Tile
No Fault Safety Tile is another option in the many quality surface applications No Fault makes available for playground surfacing. Widely regarded as an industry leader, No Fault has been the innovator within the safety surface industry for more than 19 years. They possess a dedication to service and quality and a commitment to safety, while maintaining a uniqueness that sets them apart from other surface companies. The playground pictured serves as a creative play area and demonstrates how this facility stands apart from others with its emphasis on safety and originality.
www.4nofault.com
Star Seeker from Landscape Structures
Landscape Structures has introduced the Star Seeker, a towering, three-sided climber constructed out of SpaceCable Climbing Cable. The Star Seeker challenges children with three separate climbing routes supported by a mast-like central steel post. It can accommodate many children at one time, and can be used as an independent play event or linked directly to a PlayBooster playsystem. The Star Seeker stands 11 feet tall and each SpaceCable climbing route is 10 feet in length. Its unique shape presents many climbing routes and more play variety. SpaceCable is an extremely durable nylon-wrapped, six-stranded galvanized steel cable that is flexible and easy to grip. The polyamide nylon covering is UV stable, and does not get hot in the summer or cold in the winter. SpaceCable is virtually maintenance-free and extremely vandal-resistant.
www.playlsi.com
