Tap to Read ➤

A Guide to Choose Preschool Playground Equipment

Aishwarya Nirmal
Choosing the correct play equipment is essential for all-round development of preschool kids. Read on to find out a few facts about such equipment.
Preschool is the place where children get a glimpse of the real world for the first time. They leave the protective shelter of their parents and experience the proximity of strangers.
Preschools are designed in such a way that they encourage the child to explore the new environment, learn new things, and adjust to the surroundings accordingly.
A preschool is a lively place that is painted with vibrant colors and the playground is filled with cute and varied play equipment. Pupils who get admitted to the preschool need some distractions to take their minds off their parents.
Hence, there has to be a wide variety of such equipment. It has to be joyful and engaging, so that the children remain engrossed in them all the time. Since this is the age for learning and development, the equipment set up should be designed such that they stimulate all their senses and through the senses, their thinking process.

Playground Equipment Specifications

Normally, they should include swings, slides, mazes, play panels, climbers, spinners, and play-structures. Nowadays, playground equipment play panels and play-structures are available, which reduce excess space usage.
The playground can have different free-standing components or can have a play-structure. The difference between the two is that a play-structure has swings, slides, maze, etc., attached to each other.
The whole thing poses as a single unit, to promote continuous play, whereas the free-standing plan includes all the components like slides, swings, etc., located away from each other. Play panels are the larger plastic-board version of the box cardboard games that are played in a group or individually.
These are more beneficial for preschool children, as it minimizes the risk of them swallowing tiny play parts of the cardboard games. A playground should also employ equipment that renders good physical exercises to the children, while they are having fun.
Climbing equipment, like, climbers should be essentially installed to exercise the upper bodies of children, effectively. There should be proper decks, roofs, and bridges for connecting these equipments together. This allows free and effortless movement from one game to another.

Precautions and Tips

Equipment should be selected with extra care, as the individuals who handle them are innocent and carefree. The child safety tips to be kept in mind before selecting the equipment are:
  • The playground or playroom should be spacious and airy, but if enough space is not available, the layout should be planned to let in maximum fresh air and sunlight.
  • The equipment should not be very high, as the individuals handling them are 'tiny'.
  • Care should be taken to avoid equipment with sharp edges. Any equipment that has sharp edges should be covered with some suitable material to avoid injuries to the children while playing.
  • A temporary awning should be provided to the playground area; it is required the most during the rainy season or during summers.
  • The quantity of toys should be adequate so that all the pupils get an equal chance to enjoy them.
  • The toys in the playground should preferably be of rubber or plastic, to avoid any accidental injuries or mishaps.
  • If the toys consist of dolls, puzzles, etc., care should be taken that none of them have small parts that can be accidentally swallowed by the children. Toys that dismantle into smaller parts should be avoided, instead play panels should be preferred.
  • Educational toys can be included. Setting a theme for the playground enhances its look and value.  
  • Protective gates should be placed wherever necessary, so that the children do not leave the premises on their own.
  • Avoid having any water bodies or pits around the playground area.
Wood and plastic equipment are safer as compared to any metal equipment, as metal tends to rust easily due to moisture in the air. Also, the probability and extent of getting hurt with plastic equipment is less.
Each and every playground fulfills the task of exercising the kids' body and mind in some way or the other. Playhouse instruments can be easily set-up in the backyard of your house. They are available in kits and can be installed without any professional help.