Building a successful play area does not have to be intimidating. By answering the most common playground planning questions, you can avoid the pitfalls associated with design, installation and maintenance issues.

This section of our web site was created to help you make informed decisions about what's right for your play area. By making informed decisions, you will be creating a unique play environment which emphasizes both fun and safety for all children.

BUDGET:
The budget includes several expense categories which need to be considered in the planning stages.

A. Play Equipment and freight to your site.

B. Site Preparation. - This can vary greatly, depending upon the amount of grading, excavation, etc. that is necessary to prepare a level site for your play equipment. Your playground consultant or local contractor will be good sources of advice.

C. Installation. - Determine if you will do your own installation using the detailed instructions provided by Playworld Systems or have the equipment installed by your playground consultant or local contractor. Costs vary greatly by area, but generally from 25% to 40% of the cost of the play equipment.

D. Surfacing. - Every playground must have a resilient surfacing for the safety of your children. These surfaces vary from inexpensive materials like sand or wood mulch, to more costly materials like recycled rubber padding. Certain portions of the play area must be accessible. Your playground consultant can guide you through the entire process and keep costs as reasonable as possible.

NEEDS ASSESSMENT:
A look at the factors affecting the design of the new playground.
How big should our new play area be? The size of any new play area is usually determined by balancing the available space, the number of children who will be using the equipment and the project budget.

To develop a well-planned play area, follow this simple guideline:

The site should be large enough to accomodate both active and quiet play areas.

Have enough activities to keep all children interested and involved.

Be sure the play area is designed for use by the proper age group. Both the CPSC and ASTM have established specific playground safety guidelines for children ages 2-5 and 5-12. Ideally these age groups should be separated.

How do we design a proper playground layout? To take the guesswork out of playground design, many manufacturers offer predesigned play systems that combine a wide range of activities in a safe and fun way for children.

If you are interested in selecting your own equipment and design, equipment manufacturers are an important resource. Most playground equipment companies will help you to custom design a playground for your specific site and budget at no additional cost.

Does the Americans with Disabilities Act apply to play areas? As public areas, playgrounds also fall within the scope of the ADA. Currently, the U.S. Federal Access Board has proposed playground accessibility standards. The "Accessibility Guidelines for Public Play Areas" outlines the ADA Act of 1990 compliance rules.

As currently drafted, these standards are aimed toward playground surfacing and access to play equipment, as well as the design and configuration of the equipment. It is extremely important to plan ahead, even though the new ADA standards are not finalized, they are the latest thinking on playground ADA and can be used as precedent when access claims are made.

How do we handle accessibility? First, make sure your playground designer is familiar with the proposed standards. Second, look for a playground equipment manufacturer that has followed the development of the regulations and who has made a commitment to meeting the intent of the ADA since its inception. And third, learn the general summary of the Accessibility Guidelines. Playground Systems offers a  The worksheet is provided to assist you in checking a playground design for proper layout and accessibility issues.

Does all play equipment come with a warranty? Because children's safety may be at risk, any problems with your play equipment need to be addressed quickly. Consumers should be aware that product warranties vary widely among equipment manufacturers, so your best solution is to review each company's warranty policy with a sales representative before making your purchase.

No matter whose play system you purchase, the best course of action is to set up a schedule of regular maintenance inspections. The fact is that playgrounds which are well maintained, no matter what the age, pose few safety hazards, while poorly maintained playgrounds will almost always present some injury potential.

Many play equipment manufacturers offer maintenance inspection checklists and training for their equipment. Playworld Systems also offers a Playground Safety Audit Kit to evaluate existing equipment .

How do I know my new play equipment is safe? The International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA) was developed in the interest of public playground safety. IPEMA provides a Third Party Certification service whereby Detroit Testing Laboratory, Inc. validates a manufacturer's certification of conformance to the ASTM F1487 (excluding Sections 10 and 12.6.1) Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Playground Equipment for Public Use, Standard.

Playworld Systems is a founding member of IPEMA and offers a full line of certified products. For a complete list of our certified products.

It is important to note that membership in IPEMA does not signify that a manufacturer has certified products.

Another excellent safety resource when planning your play area is the CPSC. The Consumer Product Safety Commission's Handbook for Public Playground Safety is helpful when developing or renovating any playground.

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