Search Playground Professional's Archives

My children are young--three and six, to be exact. They shouldn't know the entire cast of "Ed, Edd, & Eddy" by name, but they do.  They shouldn't know that Thursday night is Must See NBC night, but they do. They shouldn't think about pinning for …

In recent years the desire for aquatic facilities has continued to grow. Families are spending more time together and limiting some of the long-range vacationing so common just a few years ago. With this in mind, and because the majority of municipal …

We all know the story: In September 2002, an unidentified assailant or assailants began the first of apparently random killings in Greater Washington, D.C. As a chilling postscript to a rambling letter left at a shooting site, the unknown serial sniper …

This school year when the kids at Drew Elementary School in West Philadelphia, PA play on their new playground, they’ll recall a day over the summer when some of their sports heroes took a personal interest in them and in their school.  Until recently, …

The city of Pittsburgh, PA, has what almost every community in the United States only wishes they had: a concerned mayor, a committed city council and involved state representatives—all dedicated to investing the dollars, time, and effort necessary to …

Slyde the Playground Hound may not be on the tips of every child’s tongue yet, but the fastest rising star in playground safety education is set to take the world by storm. Slyde, the victim of a nearly fatal playground accident himself, has made it his …

Steve King’s wheels are always turning. No matter where he is or what he’s doing, King sees possibility all around him. The father of continuous play concept never stops looking for new ways to make playgrounds safer, stronger, and more enjoyable for …

As playground equipment ages and weathers, the materials used in its construction increase their potential for deterioration.   Unless carefully monitored and maintained, the physical properties of these materials weaken until the materials become easy to …

Being a kid is one of the greatest gifts we have in life. The joy, frustration, and growth that occur from the ages of two to twelve years old help develop the characteristics that we exercise as adults.  Most people have fond memories of their time spent …

When it comes to watching too much television, my better half gives me a hand-slapping every now and then. And she gave me a big one this past October.  CNN and its partners in crime (er, crime reporting, that is) had decided to open up a buffet of …

When undertaking a new playground project, consider the following four, interconnected steps: funding and project criteria, playground design and equipment selection, playground construction, and playground maintenance. These are vital to the safety, …

Welcome to the premiere edition of the Today’s Playground Buyer’s Guide. We at TP thought that we’d help you make the most of your winter by offering you this useful guide to the playground industry. With Christmas right around the corner, maybe you …

A self-described “whole park” company, GameTime is also a “whole child” company. The “whole park” idea comes from the fact that GameTime prides itself on offering high-quality products and services in every area of the playground. From the play equipment …

Before a spray park is even installed, certain measures can be taken to encourage a long and healthy life for components. Drainage is one consideration that should be evaluated in the early stages of planning. Ample drainage can help prevent the …

The Jonesboro Parks and Recreation Department utilized members from throughout the community to complete its “Hands on Jonesboro” project.  The parks and recreation department for the city of Jonesboro, Ark., had a dilemma not uncommon in other cities …

Bullying, intimidation, and interpersonal conflict have been a part of playground management for generations. Children struggle with being called names, being picked on, being excluded, not knowing how to make friends, or being the ones acting unkindly or …

It’s been an eventful 14 months for Frances Wallach. Her office is located one block away from the site of the World Trade Center attacks in Lower Manhattan. She was out of her office and in a hotel for four months after the attacks—all the while doing …

Loose-fill safety surfacing, such as woodchips, require routine maintenance. It would, however, be a mistake to assume that replacing loose-fill materials with unitary safety surfacing (i.e., poured-in-place surfacing, mats, tile, etc.) will eliminate …

Despite this knowledge, opportunities for free play are decreasing for elementary school children, and have already been eliminated from the curriculum for middle and high school students in the United States. Reasons for this include an emphasis on …

The goal of every playground installation should be to build according to manufacturer’s specifications. These are outlined in an installation manual supplied with each commercial playground sold. The success of a playground installation is directly …