Themed Playgrounds For Kids

By Author: Bill Dunbar
Total Articles: 4762
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Playgrounds have come a long way in the last few decades. As an adult aged 30 or above, thinking of a playground from your own childhood probably conjures up some very predictable images, such as slides, monkey bars, swings, a merry-go-round, and maybe a maypole. It's likely that the most unique image you can come up with would be the twisty-slide, if the playground in your childhood even had one of those.

The playground experience for children today shines with variety and uniqueness. It's likely that today's kids, if asked later on in life to think of a playground from childhood, would have very specific images come to mind. In the sharing of those memories, there might not be very similarities from one experience to another.

Playgrounds have blossomed into theme-driven experiences in the last few decades, with today's playgrounds resembling vacation theme park destinations, only on a miniature scale. Playgrounds have emerged as encapsulated fantasy worlds, providing children a trip to fairytale realms, dinosaur lands, pirate ships, and even outer space.

Advancements in material composition and building ...
... technologies have allowed the construction of more intricate play equipment, as well as safer play spaces for small children. Multiple national, state and global committees exist to monitor, advance and ensure the safety of playground equipment materials, construction methods, and usage. Any contractor or company one might hire to construct or install an indoor or outdoor themed playground should be an active member of numerous committees, hold membership in business and safety organizations, and be capable of providing information on their compliance with established construction, installation, and materials safety standards and regulations. These standards and regulations will vary dependent upon the installation or construction site, whether the playground is indoors or outdoors, and if it is for public or private usage.

When deciding on the right themed playground for a particular location, there are a few items to keep in mind. The number one concern should always be safety; however, beyond safety concerns, one will need to determine the type of environment for the playground, whether it be an outdoor site or an indoor area, as well as the theme for the playground itself.

In the past, playgrounds were an outdoor-only experience, with a trip to the local park or school required, with limitations of weather conditions and temperature often preventing children from taking advantage of these locations. The flexibility of materials used in the construction of themed playgrounds today has opened up playground options, with areas now available as both indoor and outdoor adventures.

Indoor themed playgrounds have become commonplace for childcare facilities, gaming and recreation centers, youth centers, churches, and even individual residential homes. Themes can vary significantly from one location to the next, based on the needs and desires of individual clients.

Themes and construction of playgrounds will vary dependent upon the age group of the intended users. Childcare and daycare facilities, for instance, may focus their themes and construction plans to fit the toddler age group, with much softer materials utilized in the building of the playground equipment and brighter, more vibrant colors appearing in the decoration of the playground itself. Toddler themes may emphasize the development of hand-eye coordination and dexterity skills, to add a degree of learning to play for the kids visiting the site.

Themed playgrounds for older children at youth centers or gaming and recreation facilities may focus more on a particular fantasy theme, with children climbing mountains, exploring jungles, and encountering dinosaurs. Others might allow children to pilot a rocket ship and walk on another planet.

Themed playgrounds in residential homes may be constructed to withstand a particular child's growing admiration for sea exploration, with seaweed, fish, ocean waves, or coral reefs. Still others may be based around fairytale fantasies of knights, princesses, and dragons, with a castle motif.

The market options for builders and developers of customized themed indoor and outdoor playgrounds are growing in number; however, the selection of the right developer is essential to the success of any project. The best developer, and the right one for completing a particular project, will always be determined by three factors: paramount concern with safety and regulatory compliance in the construction, installation and material usage in the project; creativity in the design and development of a customized theme particular to the project and client; and the quality of previous projects, including on-time completion of previous work without sacrifice to the end product.
About Author:
Orca Coast Playgrounds builds the best soft-playgrounds available. Safety, quality, durability, creativity, value; all key components that make Orca Coast a trusted name in commercial playground equipment manufacturing and installation around the world.