Constructing a Modern Playground

Whether it is a community asset or a backyard space, modern playgrounds are nothing like those parents provided for their children years ago. A swing set and sandbox are still standard fare, but modern playgrounds at home, school and in communities have come a long way past a few items to keep children busy. They are now specifically designed for children to physically improve as well as enjoy their play time.

Start with Swing Sets

When playgrounds used to be set up, most parents simply assembled a swing set and placed it in the yard where they could see their children. Their main concern was monitoring them, and there were few fears of anything else. Schools and park officials would anchor their sets in concrete, but it was mainly to keep a group of children from overturning them if they all swung at the same pace. There was little thought to the danger of them falling off and causing head trauma that would affect them in later life. They were not neglecting child safety, and they had no information about the damage that could be caused. Today’s swing sets must be placed with sand to cushion a child’s fall.

Activity Centres

Access to the internet provides children with knowledge about the world outside their home, so children these days are no longer restricted to knowing only about their local area. When it comes to toys and activities, they are much more sophisticated than children growing up just a few decades ago. They want more than just a swing set and sand box, and the adults in their lives are willing to provide them with activity centres. These are a combination of climbing walls, slide tunnels, rope walks and even mazes to navigate.

Beneath the Surface

Constructing a modern play area at home, school or the local park begins beneath the surface. Digging down to place silica sand as a bed for the area is the first step, and it is done to help stabilize the footings needed to support the apparatus of play. While it can be mined in many places around the world, the best sand for the job can be found at Minerals Marketing. They have a reputation for providing quality goods at a fair price, and they support their product to make it easy to acquire and use.

Laying the Groundwork

Modern playgrounds do not rely on a hard surface of cement or concrete, and cushioning any fall is a major consideration. Most play areas are constructed with soft mulch or mat surface to ensure child safety, and this has become nearly standard throughout the world. The goal is to keep children safe as they play, and it also lessens the insurance costs.

There are many ways in which the world has changed, and playgrounds are only the beginning. Children have changed as well, and they want something more than a simple swing, slide or even bars to climb. They want to use their imaginations in new ways, and it requires a whole new set of play pieces for them to be happy.