5 ways to make the best possible outdoor play area

It could be argued that any sort of play area would attract at least some children to play on it, however there are many ways to maximise your appeal to the youngsters and, therefore to make your play area gain more visitors. Here are 5 ways to create a play area that would get flocks of children pestering their parents to go and play on.

1) Add More Colour
Everyone knows that the eyes of children light up with the sight of vibrant, bright colours. You should definitely try to incorporate this into your commercial play areas, especially if you are trying to appeal to children of key stage 1 or key stage 2. If your climbing frame is lacking a lick of paint, or you’re thinking about installing one, an array of colours definitely should be a big priority.

2) A Variety of Equipment
If you are looking for your play structure to appeal to a wider audience of children, then you should think about installing a variety of equipment that is suitable for children of both key stage 1 and key stage 2. This could be a play tower that is suitable for key stage 1, which is not very high but still incorporates a slide and a rock wall so they can still have bundles of fun, but have more safety than the older children. Whereas if you include this as well as a play tower for key stage 2 children, you have the ability to appeal to these children as well without losing the interest of the younger kids.

3) Suitable Seating
As well as the enjoyment of the children, parents also want to relax whilst watching their children play. This means that they are going to need some sort of comfort, as standing up all the time won’t convince them to stay and let their child play! A form of seating is vital in all good play structures for this exact reason, as well as this, children may want a drink, something to eat, socialise or just a rest after a long time playing at your play area, so seating is convenient for all.

4) Keep an Eye on Equipment!
Children can get too giddy and excited from time to time, this can result in damage to your equipment sooner than you think. This means that you will have to keep your climbing frames maintained more frequently and may need more paintjobs or repairs than your usual object! By maintaining your equipment to a high standard, this will continue its visual appeal to children and parents alike. The parents are more likely to let their child play on a well maintained play area than one that is run down and potentially dangerous!

5) Location, Location, Location
The final way to make the best possible play area would be to make sure that the location of this area is in an accessible and convenient place. For example, having a random play area in the middle of a woods wouldn’t be a good idea, neither would be putting one near a main road. If possible, the play area should be in touch with its natural surroundings to allow children to experience a different environment than that near their homes. However, children in key stage 1 and key stage 2 are more themselves when they feel like no one is watching, so a more private play area may be suitable for children of this age.