Our first articles in our new blog series introduced the importance of age-appropriate play. We demonstrated that as a child grows, their play styles and needs will change drastically. There are many different considerations to look at when designing an age-appropriate playground, and it is important to ensure the playground meets the needs of the intended age group. In this blog post, we will explore what elements are important to consider when designing a play space for preschool aged children (2-5 years old).

Pre-school aged children are typically quite new to the playground experience. Because of this, they may like an area of their own with space to explore. This age group will usually also have a limited attention span. To keep a child’s interest, it can help to engage more than one of their senses at a time during play.

Between 2 to 5 years old, children are developing social skills, and will start to play more socially – therefore it is important that the playground design includes equipment that promotes socialisation and cooperative play. As they begin to become more social, this age group can start the desire to be like the “big kids” and can seek to mimic older children, and their play activities by attempting to climb equipment that is beyond their size or ability. This can lead to conflicts with other children, or they can become exposed to physical risk, and consequently it is still important to supervise them carefully. Preschool aged children are usually also developing their fine motor skills at this stage, so equipment should reflect this and aid development.

Children of this age generally enjoy participating in dramatic, fantasy, and active play, as well as imitating others in make believe and role play. This type of play can be facilitated with themed units or equipment, such as animal, nature, or fantasy themes. Children also enjoy equipment that incorporates bright, vivid colours, and fun sounds, that excites and engages them while further stimulating their senses.

Some of the best playground elements for pre-schoolers include crawl tunnels, slides, swings, and units that are scaled to accommodate this age group, plus activity panels and sensory items to engage them and help develop their creativity and fine motor skills. Multi-seated spring toys and rockers can help to promote socialisation, and sand boxes can also be a good idea to help facilitate manipulative play. You can see some of our equipment that fits these criteria below:

Hags Crawling Tubes

View on our website here

Garden Flower Spring Toy

View on our website here

Flower Explorer Play Panel

View on our website here

When designing a play space for preschool aged children, there should be adequate space to allow for adult supervision. As with the infants and toddlers age group, supervision is still essential and must be considered when designing the space.

Similarly, shade structures are still important to consider, as they can help to protect skin from the harsh Australian sun, while improving the comfort levels for anyone at the playground.

If you’re interested in learning more about age-appropriate play or want help starting your playground design for infants and toddlers, contact us to talk to one of our playground specialists who can help you with your project.

Infants and toddlers up to 2 years old will be highly interested in exploring their environment and will rely heavily on sensory development, using their eyes, hands, feet, noses, and mouths. It can be beneficial to include opportunities for children to use their tactile, auditory, and visual sensory systems by adding many different textures, sounds, and things to look at. These might include freestanding musical equipment, interactive play panels, or fidget toys integrated onto a traditional modular play unit.

Infants and toddlers have varying levels of mobility, and will crawl, scoot, push, pull-up and walk around the play space. At this age, infants and toddlers can struggle with balance. Falls and tumbles will be inevitable, so it is important that the play elements are low to the ground, and that there is soft surfacing installed to cushion any stumbles. Loose fill surfacing may not be as suitable as rubber softfall for infants and toddlers, as it can shift under unsteady feet. It might also pose a hazard, as young children may try to eat or throw the loose particles.

Infants and toddlers don’t have a lot of reach, so it’s important that any equipment is accessible to their height level, and that anything they will grab, push, and pull themselves up with is within easy reach. The space between pieces of equipment should also be smooth and safe for young children to crawl and walk.

Some of the best playground elements for infants and toddlers include activity panels, small slides, infant swings, springers, and sand play equipment. You can see some of the equipment that we supply that is suitable for this age range below:

Intergenerational Tango Swing Seat

Phyton Spring Toy

Eldrax Slide

There are some other aspects to consider when designing a play space for infants and toddlers. While it’s important for them to be given space and freedom to play and explore, they must still be watched very closely to ensure their safety. Therefore, it is important for the space to cater for parents and supervisors, with the addition of seats, tables, and other similar equipment.

The use of shade structures is also an important consideration if the play space receives a lot of sun. Infants and toddlers can be especially susceptible to the danger of prolonged sun exposure and can also easily hurt themselves on play equipment that has become too hot from sitting in the sun. Providing shade can make the playground experience more comfortable for everyone involved, by providing a cool spot and shelter from the sun and weather.

If you’re interested in learning more about age-appropriate play or want help starting your playground design for infants and toddlers, contact us to talk to one of our playground specialists who can help you with your project.

It is widely known that play is an essential part of childhood. Not only is it a source of entertainment and enjoyment for children, but play can be an important part of a child’s development. There are many things to consider when designing a playground, one important factor being the age range of the children who will use the playground.

When designing a playground, it’s crucial to ensure the playground is not only appealing to different age groups, but developmentally and age appropriate. This is important because age-appropriate play equipment can help children develop further physically, intellectually, and socially. Despite the vast differences needed for a fulfilling and appropriate play space for children of all ages, it is possible to design a playground offering equipment and fun for all ages to enjoy.

While schools and childcare centres can easily target their playground designs towards a specific age group, council parks and other community areas may need to include opportunities for multiple age groups in their playground designs.

There are two different approaches to designing for a large age range – the first includes creating separate play units for different age groups. This allows the individual structures to cater to the needs of each age group, ensuring that all children have equipment accommodating their age, size, and development level. Separating the playground units also reduces the safety risk of an older child accidentally knocking down a younger child playing on the same equipment.

The second approach is a better approach if there is a smaller budget or play space – combining the different equipment into one unit. While this approach may seem easier, it is important that it’s thoughtfully designed to appeal to all ages, abilities, and developmental levels. Making the structure suitable for all age groups affords it the benefit of being more convenient for families with children of different ages to access and supervise while within the park. This approach can also help promote family and community bonding.

A perfect example of a park that caters to all ages is Hanover Drive Park. We completed this project in August last year, and it contains play activities for both junior and senior kids, with plenty of opportunities for intergenerational play.

Hanover Drive park includes a large climbing structure aimed at more adventurous, older kids.

The park also includes a smaller unit, dedicated to toddlers and younger children.

A playground that can appeal to all ages is a fantastic way to bring kids and families together, while an age-group specific playground is a sure-fire way to ensure the developmental needs of the children using it are met.

Get in touch or request a quote from us to help you design your new playground, and keep checking back for further posts about age-appropriate playgrounds. Next up – playgrounds and equipment for infants and toddlers!