Ultimate Guide to Planning Your Playground

Group of children playing on accessible playground equipment

Designing playgrounds that are inclusive and engaging is invaluable for creating vibrant and functional public places. They benefit children of all ages by boosting the amount of physical activity kids’ receive. Families are also more likely to visit a park with new or renovated playground equipment for children or outdoor fitness equipment for those who like to exercise.

These days, playgrounds are everywhere. There are almost 6,000 playgrounds located in 15 major U.S. cities. This figure excludes the many playgrounds found in schoolyards. Having a playground on your property increases engagement within the community, no matter what size town you’re in.

Playgrounds have certainly evolved since their earliest days. According to the National Trust for Historical Preservation, playgrounds were uncommon at the beginning of the 20th century. People that did build them didn’t design them for independent play. Instead, trained instructors used them as exercise centers or outdoor gymnasiums for children. These teachers were on hand to help organize the way kids played and to show them how to use the equipment.

This ultimate guide to planning your playground covers essential considerations, budgeting advice and design tips that would greatly benefit your project. Our planning resources will ensure your playground contributes positively to the well-being and enjoyment of surrounding communities.

Essential Considerations for New Playground Plans

At the beginning of the playground planning process, it helps to clearly outline what your goals are for the project, as well as whether your city or school has any restrictions that need to be taken into consideration. If you’re wondering how to plan a playground and where to start, having a general idea of the following factors will help you decide what direction to take your playground.

1. Who Will Use the Playground?

Knowing who the playground is intended for will help you decide what type of equipment to install. Children play differently and are at various levels of development at different ages. To tailor a space designed for specific user groups, consider the following:

Age: A playground designed for a 5-year-old won’t appeal to a 12-year-old and might not be the appropriate size for them. Likewise, toddlers will have difficulty using playground equipment designed for 5- or 7-year-olds.
Accessibility: Consider the abilities of the people who will be using the playground equipment. All public playground facilities need to comply with the guidelines set forth under the 2010 Standards for Accessible Design. These guidelines require a playground to have equipment that is accessible to and usable by people of all abilities. This includes ground-level play equipment, elevated structures and the playground’s surface.
Numbers: How many kids will use the equipment at a time? Will there be entire classrooms full of children using the playground during recess or after school or do you expect a smaller crowd to be on the equipment at a time?
Theme: Knowing who will use the playground the most can help you choose a potential theme or color scheme for playground equipment. A playground for a school could include the school’s colors, and a playground in a park might have more natural elements or represent a single theme for imaginative play.

2. How Much Space Do You Have?

When planning a playground for your city or town, consider the space allotted for the playground. Do you have a lot of room or just a small area that can be dedicated to the playground? Will your playground consist of multiple zones or areas designated for specific age groups?

One thing to keep in mind when building a community playground is that the playground area extends beyond the equipment itself. You’ll also want to provide a cushioned surface that goes beyond the bounds of the playground structures. Make sure to provide protective surfacing that extends at least 6 feet in all directions beyond the edge of the equipment. In the case of slides and swings, surfacing a larger area is usually recommended.

3. Are You Building From Scratch or Adding on to an Existing Playground?

Another thing worth considering before you begin a project is whether you’re starting completely from scratch, renovating existing equipment or adding features to a play area and leaving the older equipment intact.

If you’re renovating an older playground, are there any elements you’d like to keep or would you like a complete revamping of all equipment? If you’re adding on to an existing playground, calculate how much space you have between and around structures.

4. What Is Your Timeline?

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither were most playgrounds. If you’re planning a park playground for your neighborhood, think about when an ideal time to open it might be. Starting the planning process in the late summer or early fall might make sense if your goal is to have a new playground up and ready by spring. If you’re planning a playground for a school, starting the process in the early spring would give you enough time to have it ready by the beginning of the next school year.

Above all, see that you’re setting realistic goals to complete your project.

5. What Is Your Budget?

Your budget will influence what you can and can’t do. One of the most important things to consider is where your money will come from for the project. Do you have a set amount of funding or can you arrange fundraising projects to raise more? If it’s the latter, you might be able to set a budget based on what type of equipment you want and the size of the playground.

If you have a specific budget going into the project, you’ll need to tailor your vision to fit that budget. That might mean giving up some components of the playground or limiting its overall size and scope.

Take a big-picture look at the project when you’re putting together your budget. Costs involved in the playground planning process go beyond paying for the equipment and installers. You might also need to consider the cost of:

Permits
Site preparation, such as improving its drainage or slope
Ancillary equipment and features, such as new lighting or sidewalks
Surfacing equipment
Shipping all equipment to your site
Storage of materials, surfacing or tools off-site
Surfacing and installation of playground

Analyzing the Playground Site and Determining Your Needs

Your playground location influences many factors of your project. For example, depending on the slope and soil quality of the playground site, you may need to do a considerable amount of prep work before the area is ready for equipment. The location also influences the ease of use of the playground and how easily people can get to it. Here’s what to examine when analyzing the playground site:

Slope: Most parents and teachers don’t want their kids playing somewhere that’s muddy or full of puddles. The slope of your site, or the shape of the surface, determines whether water pools in the area or drains away easily. Ideally, the slope of the site will allow water to easily flow away.
Soil type: Some types of soil are more likely to retain water than others, affecting the drainage in the area. On the other hand, some soil types, such as sandy soil, don’t hold water well at all. While sandy soil might be ideal for drainage, its looseness can also affect the stability of the area.
Nearby vegetation: Trees near the playground can provide natural shade on a hot summer’s day. However, the location of their roots could provide landscaping and surfacing challenges. While vegetation can improve a playground’s appearance, consider whether the plants in the area will attract pests or need pesticides. If you’re going to add plants to the area, it’s best to stick with drought-resistant native varieties, which tend to require little maintenance.
Weather conditions: Pay attention to the weather around the playground site throughout the day. Does the sun beat down on it in during the afternoon? If so, it could be unbearably hot in the middle of summer. Is the area particularly windy? If so, children might not enjoy playing on the playground.
What’s underneath: Be careful of power or gas lines when digging up the ground. Contact utility companies in your city and confirm that there aren’t any lines or cables running directly under your potential playground site.
What’s nearby: A playground that’s near certain features, such as restrooms, picnic tables or parking, is going to be more appealing and easy to access than a playground that’s in a far-flung corner of the park. It also helps to examine how close the playground will be to major roads or highways and whether there will be any fencing or barriers installed to keep children safe from traffic.

Fundraising for the Playground

Depending on where you are building the new playground, you may need to fundraise to get the money you need to cover the costs of the new equipment and installation. Fortunately, you have a couple of options to help fund buying and installing a playground.

Fundraisers

Fundraising can take many forms, including:

School fundraisers: Ask parents at your school to chip in to cover the costs of the playground.
Community events: Put together a bake sale, car wash, fun run, auction, carnival or concert to raise money for your playground project and foster community engagement.
Crowdfunding campaigns: Use online crowdfunding platforms to reach a broader audience and gather donations from individuals who support the cause.
Sponsorship programs: Partner with local businesses, corporations or community organizations for sponsorships in exchange for advertising opportunities on playground equipment.
Naming rights: Offer naming rights for playground features or personalized bricks that donors can purchase to be displayed in a designated area of the playground and leave a lasting mark on the project.

Grants

Grants are another way to get funding for a playground. Finding grants can be a bit like digging for a needle in a haystack. There are many possibilities out there, but you might not know where they are or if your project qualifies for them. A few places to look for grants include:

Local, state or federal government
Large businesses
Non-profit organizations

If you are going to apply for grants, the sooner you start looking, the better. Since grants are essentially free money, the competition for them tends to be fierce. Taking the time to put together a stand-out application and to explain why your group or organization deserves funding will help your grant stand out from the rest.

Leases

Another way to manage the costs of a new playground is to consider leasing equipment instead of purchasing it outright. When you lease playground equipment, you make monthly payments instead of a single upfront payment. Leasing can eliminate the need for extensive fundraising, help your organization better manage its cash flow and offer tax deductions over several years.

Choosing Equipment for Your Playground

Today’s playground equipment includes much more than just swings and slides. You can choose equipment based on age range, accessibility and theme. Different playground structures can include bridges, climbing towers and play panels. You could also consider freestanding equipment, such as spring riders and geodesic climbers.

When you’re picking out equipment for a playground, it’s important to keep in mind the people who will be using it — the kids. If you’re not sure what type of equipment children will want to use, the best thing you can do is ask them. You can let children design their dream playgrounds and use those models to guide your decision-making.

Another option is to hold focus groups with kids and parents and show them different playground layouts and themes. Ask the kids and their guardians what they think of each design, what stands out to them and if they’d like to see any elements included in the design samples in the playground.

Types of Playground Equipment

The different types of playground equipment include:

Structural equipment: Think of this as the equipment that makes up the larger structure of a playground. It can include one or more slides, towers, ramps, decks, and bridges.
Freestanding equipment: This includes any equipment that’s not attached to the primary structure. It can include freestanding swings and slides, spring rockers, climbers and accessories.
Fitness equipment: Fitness equipment includes structures that encourage everyone, including adults, to work out while playing.
Site amenities: Site amenities aren’t necessarily part of the playground, but help to improve the playground experience for all involved. They include things like bike locking racks, benches and trash bins.
Inclusive equipment: Inclusive equipment makes a playground inclusive and accessible to children of all abilities. Examples of inclusive equipment include buddy rockers and roller slides.
Shade structures: Offering some shade, such as a large umbrella that stretches over a playground structure, will help keep the playground comfortable even in the heat of summer.

Developing Playground Project Plans

The next step is to figure out how to put that equipment together in a way that makes sense for your particular needs and that works with your budget. Usually, it’s a good idea to enlist the help of a playground design expert at this stage to help you decide which options are best for you.

A design expert can help bring your playground to life, by taking your sketch or idea and transforming it into a full-fledged playground. When putting together a children’s playground plan, there are a few components your design expert might consider during the planning process:

Type of materials to use: Usually, wood isn’t used at all, since wood cracks and wears quickly. ~~Metal is also often avoided.~~ The type of material that is best for your playground might depend on where you live and the conditions of your climate.
Style of the playground: Some playgrounds are bright and eye-catching, while others blend in with the landscaping around them. Some have distinct themes, such as fire trucks or outer space, while others are meant to appeal to a modern aesthetic. Your design expert can help you determine the best overall style to use.
Number and layout of components: Part of planning the playground will involve choosing the equipment and deciding on the size of certain areas. For example, if more 2- to 5-year-olds will use the playground than 7- to 10-year-olds, it might make more sense to have a larger tot lot and a smaller area designated for school-aged kids.

Preparing the Site for Installation

Once you have a plan ready to go, the next step is to prepare the playground site for installation. How much preparation your site needs depends on the condition it’s in before you begin your project.

If there’s existing playground equipment on the site, you’ll need to remove it if you’re completely redoing the area. You might be able to donate it to another organization, as long as it’s in good condition. If not, you might have to recycle it or sell it as scrap.

You may need to level the site if the slope or grade is too steep. You might also need to improve the soil to fix any drainage issues or make the ground more stable. This is also the time to call the utility companies and have them come out and mark any underground lines or give you the all-clear.

Once the soil is ready and the utility lines are marked, you can stake out the area for the playground and start digging.

Installing the Playground

You have a few options for physically installing the playground. One option is to hand the reins over to a team of professionals and have them install the playground themselves.

Another option, one that’s becoming more popular, is to have a community build. During a community build, a team of volunteers handles the heavy lifting and installation of the playground under the direct supervision of a professional who has experience in the steps involved in playground building.

Community builds have a few benefits over professional installation. For one thing, they help people feel more invested in the playground since they’ve built it themselves. They also help community organizations or local governments bond with the people they are serving. Community builds also cost less than professional installation, since you aren’t paying for labor.

Maintaining the Playground

After so much planning and effort has gone into making a playground a reality, knowing how to care for and maintain the playground can help ensure that it lasts for many years to come.

Follow a repair and maintenance schedule: Maintaining the playground equipment means following the recommendations for care and repairs. Equipment should also be inspected for any signs of wear or damage on a regular basis to make sure it’s performing as it should.
Hold community cleanup days: Beyond maintaining the equipment itself, it can be helpful to have regular events to care for the playground and the park around it. Community days will help people continue to feel connected to their park and the playground you’ve built.
Manage vegetation: Keep the area around the playground clear and well-maintained. Trim trees, bushes and vegetation nearby to prevent overgrowth that can obstruct visibility, create tripping hazards or attract pests.

Go From Planning to Playtime With Miracle® Recreation

If this playground planning guide has inspired you to take the next step and get a playground project underway, Miracle Recreation is here to help. Our team uses cutting-edge design principles and innovative craftsmanship to build custom playgrounds for your community around your needs. We can help tailor playground designs to specific site requirements or thematic preferences that are accessible to all individuals, regardless of age or ability.