Search Playground Professional's Archives

Annette Cottle, the director of Parks and Recreation for the city of Ogden, Utah, first was presented with the challenge of building a skatepark in her town at the request of the city council. Downtown businesses had been complaining about skateboarders …

Over the last several years a variety of products have become available for playground safety surfacing. These include poured-in-place rubber , tiles, mats, rubber mulch and the like. Though all of these products are well suited for their intended use, …

A play structure, properly maintained, should last for many years. A set routine of maintenance procedures must be established and carried out by staff qualified to inspect playgrounds. A maintenance program should be customized to fit each individual …

In 1988, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) conducted an in-depth study of playground-related injuries. Published in 1990, it provided the authoritative basis for safety guidelines in the Handbook for Public Playground Safety …

“Play" in many contexts has become a four-letter-word, particularly in educational settings. As a part of school life, which gives priority to academic development, the role of free movement and expression (a.k.a., "play") is increasingly neglected. …

In my travels, I often talk with people who have recently purchased a new playground and are confused as to their responsibility in maintaining their play equipment and play area. Sometimes I'm told they bought "maintenance-free equipment" and therefore …

As a small guy, I rarely have seen things from a big guy's perspective. Take dodgeball, for instance. When I look back upon my days of hucking and ducking big, red rubber balls, all I can see is Jimmy Peterson. Bigger and stronger than any other two kids …

Before 1995, there was little assurance to the consumer as to whether a playground equipment manufacturer was adhering to the safety guidelines and standards put in place by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the American Society for …

Bennett Jackson has the place all to himself and he's making the most of it. The 3-year-old rushes from Captain Hook's ship to Old King Cole's castle then dashes off for a trip down the dragon slide. With his tiny tongue piercing his lips, an extremely …

Over 30 years ago, Tom Lindhardt Wils and Hans Mogens Frederiksen started a company taken from an idea given to Lindhardt while engaging in a separate project. Lindhardt, an artist, was commissioned to construct colorful sculptures to break up the …

An activity that is governed by a professional organization enjoys the benefit of corporate sponsors and even has a hall of fame full of past participants may not seem to be a new market. However, in the world of parks and recreation disc golf is still a …

The formal history of playground safety in the United States goes back to 1974. The first efforts to do something about playground safety were initiated by the U.S. government through the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. It motivated the entire …

Over the past few years, a new trend has emerged in the playground world. Spraygrounds are becoming more and more popular. The idea of combining playground equipment and water is a great idea, but I don't think it's a new concept. I remember when I was …

We've all enjoyed a nice glass of milk first thing in the morning. It's especially enjoyable after the plastic milk carton has spent all night in the back of the refrigerator the coldest part. But what happens to that plastic container after the last of …

We've discussed in many forums over the past 10 years the problems with injuries and fatalities on public playgrounds in venues throughout the country, and indeed, the world. We should be well aware by now that there are guidelines from the Consumer …

Rubber is a product that has withstood the test of time as a surfacing material and has proven itself in many applications. Although there are several different types of rubber surfacing available, poured-in-place is a core product in rubber playground …

There's a reason we're wrapped in skin, with all systems waiting to be awakened, the cortex does not work alone. Children need a multi-sensory, enriched environment. Children need to run, and hop, and jump, and do all the other things that kids do to …

“ Honey, the kids want to go outside and play. Should I send them to the playground?” What is the link between child 's play and a playground? Play is actually an activity that is not limited to a specific setting. While tennis takes place at a tennis …

Construction and installation of modern playgrounds require a certain level of responsibility. Today's guidelines, standards, and laws that govern safe play environments require contractor expertise and liability accountability. Playground owners should …

T.J. Croft and Kayleigh Huntsman don't always see eye-to-eye. Like most boys and girls of elementary school age, there are a few conflicts. “Soccer!” T.J. proclaims when asked what he likes to do in his spare time. “It's the greatest sport in the world!" …

Florida's share of the Gulf Coast has always been a tourist's recreational playground. But now more than ever, the Sunshine State has lived up to its name for locals and tourists alike-thanks in part to the completion of a charming new playground project …