Share12 WAYS TO SPRUCE UP YOUR SCHOOL’S PLAYGROUND (PART 2)
(Part 1 – Please click here)
- Focus on Offering Variety
Not every kid has the same preferences or needs when it comes to playground use. By only offering one type of stimulation, you’re only cater
- Add Natural Elements
While some schools are located in a more natural area, other playgrounds are centered in a more urban space. Adding small features like a colorful planter or permanent logs gives the space a more natural feel. Having the ability to spend time in natural spaces is integral to a child’s development.
Trees bring another source of shade for kids taking a break from playing. If you don’t have space for trees, adding bushes and various shrubbery could add the greenery elements you’re looking for.
While more creativity is required for adding natural elements into urban spaces, it’s arguably more important to incorporate nature into those spaces.
- Offer Sporting and Yard Game Equipment
Giving kids more playtime options doesn’t have to involve installing a new slide. Buying more footballs, hula hoops, jump ropes, or soccer balls could go a long way in giving kids more opportunities to make use of space.
Low-cost games to offer the kids include:
- Giant Jenga: This game can be purchased or made by a handy parent. Several students can play at once, and it provides a unique take on the tabletop game.
- Tetherball: While this requires minimal installation, a tetherball pole allows students to play a unique one-on-one game that helps teach sharing and the process of taking turns.
- Cornhole: This game could be purchased or built by a parent volunteer. It could be a one-on-one or a partner game and also helps students practice taking turns. For added structure and excitement, a monitor could orchestrate a tournament spread across a week of recess.
Investing in a simple storage shed for all the yard games makes dispersing the equipment more manageable. This way, teachers don’t need to carry all of it to the playground every day. By instituting a check-out system, you teach the kids added responsibility while keeping all the materials accounted for.
- Include the Artistically Inclined Kids
Not every kid loves sports. If a kid prefers artistic activities, they may feel bored and unrepresented on the playground.
Consider installing a weather-resistant chalkboard or turning the side of a building into one with chalkboard paint. For younger kids, you could outline letters on the building and have them practice tracing them. You could even make spaces for them to practice addition and subtraction. Consider having sidewalk chalk competitions to structure and validate artistic expression.
Set up a permanent easel with an erasable, clear art panel. Kids can channel the energy they usually invest in painting on their parents’ walls and furniture into this play space. For a more sensory experience, have a sand or water table for kids to express themselves with natural elements.
For the kids who love to express themselves musically, consider adding different materials for makeshift drums. If installed with inspiration, a wall of pots and pans with ladles and spoons could be a collaborative drum set.
Ready to Get Started?
Start Improving Your Playground Today
Do you want to start imagining a better place for your students to grow, learn, and play? Ready to get started improving your playground today? Have questions on what the building process would look like? Are you looking for more inspiration?
Our representatives are excited to talk with you about ways the New Play can make your studentstudent’s experience more exciting, inclusive, and cognitively stimulating. Contact New Play representative today!
(Part 3 – Please click here)
NEW PLAY
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