Playgrounds of the Future, Today
By: Rob Lockhart

Professionals today in the recreation industry face unique challenges. People are concerned about safety issues, sometimes to the point of paralysis. The games that used to be the most popular are all being replaced by structures that have no movement.

In the electronic age, childhood obesity is a growing concern, and motivating children to be active is harder than ever. This is even truer of older children in the playground target ages, between the ages of 9 to 12.

Rising equipment, installation and maintenance costs, and lack of available space make it more difficult to meet the needs of growing populations.

The most challenging aspect of choosing new and attractive playgrounds is the lack of uniqueness and innovation found in the product choices available to designers.

Everyone knows that children have the most fun when they're moving. They're always running, jumping, swinging, bouncing, and climbing; therefore, it follows that playground equipment lacking in its ability to provide these attractions will lack attention from this same group.

So, shouldn't playground games be designed with motion in mind? Didn't you have the most fun on the merry-go-round? Most of our fondest memories of childhood play involve motion.

Motion can be scary to adults watching over children, though, and allowances have to be made for safety; however, taking away motion isn't the best solution. This is an age of amazing materials and design technology. Manufacturers can find ways to give the children what they want and keep them safer than ever before.

For example, the newest generation of merry-go-rounds no longer spin out of control, yet can be 10 feet tall or more, and have room for dozens of riders. They can also allow users of all abilities to participate, which is important with the growing awareness of special needs children. Better offerings of safety-conscious swings for multiple riders can get the kids "into the swing of things," too.

By using motion-focused playground equipment with plenty of room for community play, interesting dynamics evolve, creating cooperative play among the children. Without even realizing it, they're being active and exercising.

Even better is the way that the older children, ages 9 to 12 or older, are drawn away from their sedentary habits in front of television or computer screens to get outside and play. All ages and abilities can play together, learn to share and help. There aren't many solitary players in that type of a playground.

Other futuristic playground games that are available today are fabricated climbing boulders and rope-based net climbers. These products are all designed to keep the children moving, while aiding the development of motor skills, problem-solving, and muscle tone.

Healthier bodies have healthier minds that can learn more and go further in life. Every tool we can give the children to grow and succeed will pay off huge dividends when they make their contribution to the world.

As space runs out, and the cost for each square foot of usage zone increases, playground equipment needs to maximize its play value to give school leaders the most for their money.

By using this new technology and out-of-the-box thinking, playgrounds can maximize space usage, and school leaders can spend their money on compact structures that children actually use, instead of large sprawling structures that only see sporadic play.

Initial "sticker shock" can be scary to some, but once all of the factors are calculated, there can be a significant benefit to your playground project.

At the end of the day, you want your school playground to be unique and to challenge the children. You want your playground games to be exciting and full of motion so that the children will use the equipment. It's hard to find unique games that will help you achieve your goals, but if you look in the right place, you can.

Rob Lockhart, CPSI, is U.S. sales director for Dynamo Industries, www.dynamoindustries.com.

Product Roundup

SofTILE from SofSURFACES
SofTILE is a highly durable playground safety surfacing system that locks in place, is vandal resistant, and is class A fire rated. SofTILE provides fall protection ratings that exceed national guidelines by more than 40 percent. The success of the SofTILE brand has been rooted in the ability to offer lower total cost of ownership, while creating durable, colorful play areas that require little maintenance. SofTILE carries a 10-year warranty for structural integrity and guaranteed compliance with fall protection guidelines. With one of the largest distribution channels in the country, SofSURFACES guarantees prompt regional service.
www.sofsurfaces.com

Play Mart's Nature At Play
Play Mart's ground-breaking Nature At Play line introduces products that allow school leaders to easily provide young children with the opportunity to have authentic experiences with nature, water, sand, dirt, insects, butterflies, birds, vegetable gardening, plants, flowers, and music. Musical instrument play components, gardening beds and bowls, and vine-covered arch hideaways represent products that are developmentally and anatomically designed for the very young child and meet ASTM/ CPSC guidelines. Furthermore, the products are made from recycled, non-toxic, heavy-duty, low-maintenance materials and are modular in design.
www.playmart.com

EcoPlay Playgrounds from Safeplay Systems
Custom-designed to meet each customer's unique requirements, EcoPlay Playgrounds from Safeplay Systems enhance Environmental Stewardship efforts – being manufactured from post-consumer, recycled HDPE plastic (milk jugs). The average play structure keeps 30,000 milk jugs out of landfill. EcoPlay is impermeable to water, cannot be eaten by insects, never needs painting or sealing, and won't splinter, crack, swell, or rust – making it virtually maintenance free. EcoPlay Playgrounds are PVC/Phthalate-Free. All EcoPlay Playgrounds come with a 50-year warranty and they meet/exceed ASTM, CPSC and ADA guidelines for safety and accessibility. www.safeplaysystems.com

RockCraft Designs
RockCraft Designs offers playground climbing boulders, which feature a full range of natural climbing holds of various sizes to provide fun and adventure for climbers of all ages and abilities. The multitude of holds allows climbers to fully traverse the boulder both vertically and horizontally. The Selkirk Boulder features a variety of holds that will entice and challenge climbers. Each hold has been meticulously formed to enhance both the safety and authentic climbing experience. It sits at approximately 9 feet high, overhanging on three sides with friendly ledges on the fourth allowing an easy exit.
www.playwalls.com

Unity Surfacing Systems
Unity Surfacing Systems has developed a resilient product made from 100% recycled tires that is clean and safe to use in any outdoor environment. The maintenance-free safety surfacing, flooring, and paver products are a double tile-mat-block with an authentic, quadruple, interlocking design built directly into the product, thus eliminating the need for fasteners, pins, and clips. This patented tongue and groove technology is designed to snap and hook into place, allowing a monolithic step and repeat pattern that staggers the seams and interlocks. This provides a strong locking mechanism along various parts of the product, which keeps the products from separating, curling, or pealing.
www.surfacingsystems.com

Hill Slide from Progressive Design
Progressive Design Playgrounds Hill Slide is the perfect centerpiece for any school playground.  This mini-version of the Interactive Grass Hill Slide is built right into the earth so kids can safely slide down the hill without the need for costly safety surfacing. Finished with either natural or artificial grass, this slide offers hours of play possibilities and also provides a nice atheistic to any playground.  This slide is custom designed and built to suit the environment and facility. The Hill Slide is just one of many innovative natural playground products in the company's Outdoor Learning Environments product line.
www.outdoorlearningenvironments.com

Challengers by Playworld Systems
Challengers by Playworld Systems are budget-friendly, smaller-scale modular play systems specially designed to help school-age children learn lifelong lessons though the benefits of play. These customizable structures are designed to develop the whole child: cognitively, physically, and socially. Playworld has recently taken its personal commitment to the community one step further through its efforts to tangibly reduce its carbon footprint. The company was the first major U.S. manufacturer to remove 99.999 percent of PVC from its products, including the entire Challenger line.
www.PlayworldSystems.com

Grounds For Play
For decades, Grounds For Play has been a worldwide leader in providing safe outdoor play environments and services. Their turn-key solutions include designing, site planning, manufacturing, and installing of playgrounds, outdoor classrooms, safety surfacing, shades, shelters, and site amenities, as well as providing concrete work and services related to outdoor environments and playgrounds. Grounds For Play is dedicated to creating "whole" environments for the "whole" child. From master plan to project completion, they can help you turn your vision into a great playground environment. 
www.groundsforplay.com

Poly Playsystems by Pacific Outdoor Products
Poly Playsystems recycled playground equipment and site furnishings set the standard for the recycled playground industry. Poly Playsystems recycled beams and welded steel components are guaranteed for life. The savings are in the longevity, ease of maintenance, resistance to vandalism, and being engineered to last a lifetime. The lifetime poly beams, decks, and custom-fabricated steel support systems all make it a strong poly product. Parks, schools, builders/developers, daycares, apartments, and a multitude of other users are finding that it is the perfect choice for their needs, as it will always look great and never need to be replaced.
www.pacificoutdoor.com