subject: School Playground For All Children [print this page] When designing a school playground there may be quite a number of things that will have to be decided before the actual playground becomes a reality. The first things to decide will be where is the best place for it to be situated, should it be central to the school area, or would it be better placed at one end.
Quite a number of things need to be taken into consideration, these can be looking at how damp it gets after wet weather and would it have a drainage problem, are there large trees which could drop branches and other similar problems.
Another thing that needs consideration is a separate play area for the younger and older children. This is often a very good idea as some of the older children may sometimes bully the younger ones in a play situation. This might bring in the necessity for several playground areas in a school situation.
Another thing to be looked at is the size of the playground which may be needed. If it is a school with quite a number of children, then the play area may have to be much larger than that of a smaller school. If the younger children have their own playground away from the older children, then making a decision on what type of equipment will be needed for these youngsters to play on will be another factor. When deciding on any equipment, safety should be one of the main priorities with any aged child.
Having things without sharp edges, or not having objects too high, will prevent quite a number of accidents, as this type of child can get quite excited when playing. Deciding on equipment which can be lots of fun but has a challenge to it, and can help with building fitness, coordination, motivation and many other positive attributes, as well as giving enjoyment should have a relaxing effect on the child.
When looking at the older children in the range from mid primary to late primary there may be a need to have separate playgrounds for these years, as there is often a range in ages from about eight years old to the older twelve year olds. It may also be more convenient in having separate areas on the playground for the different age groupings. As there is normally a teacher on playground duty during the lunch hour, or other break times, this will help keep bullying down.
The playground areas for the older children needs to be designed for enjoyment and a challenge, as well as having those ideas of building fitness and coordination, motivation and the many other positive features. The equipment also needs to be of a safe structure and of a strength which will support the older children's weight, and have a design which will not cause serious injury.
As a child needs relaxation and enjoyment just as much as an adult to perform properly, then designing a playground where the children can enjoy their break time may go a long way to their performance during class hours.
