Is 2022 the year you’ll transform your school playground into a play haven?
Playgrounds come in all shapes and sizes, but one thing the best ones have in common is they provide children with the opportunity to play both independently and with their peers.
Bright colours are also a fantastic way to make your play area more engaging for pupils – allowing them to let their imaginations run wild and free.
Although every playground should be carefully designed with the needs of the students using it in mind, some school playground equipment can benefit most, if not all, playgrounds.
Let’s take a closer look at what apparatus you should consider adding to your schoolyard in 2022.
Must-have playground equipment
1. Swings
They might be one of the oldest pieces of equipment, but you can’t go wrong with a set of swings on your school playground.
Most parks and play areas incorporate traditional flat seat and cradle seat swings. However, there are several other types to choose from – including tyre swings and Birds Nest Swings that allow multiple kids to use them at once.
2. Slides
A good playground needs to keep youngsters busy, and adding a slide for them to whizz down is a brilliant idea.
Slides haven’t changed much over the years, only more often than not, they’re now made from plastic rather than metal.
You could install a straight or curved slide as a standalone piece of equipment or part of a climbing frame or mound and tunnel. It could be an open slide that lets little ones feel the wind in their hair as they shoot down or a tube slide that’s enclosed – it’s entirely up to you (and your students).
3. Climbers
One of the most thrilling parts of the playground has to be the climbing apparatus. Whilst these are designed to be challenging enough for schoolchildren to set themselves realistic targets and push their own boundaries, they also help them to develop physical and mental strength as they make their way to the top of the structure.
For energetic children, it really doesn’t get much better than play units with rock climbing walls, rung ladders, monkey bars, balancing beams, a fireman’s pole and rope bridge – like the Lumberjack climbing frame (pictured above) from our Elemental range.
4. Sensory play equipment
Sensory play is vital for children, as it engages their senses from a young age. While most schools will incorporate this into the curriculum in the classroom, it’s also something that can be enjoyed in the great outdoors.
The best playgrounds in 2022 are those that are sensory-rich. They consist of play panels that stimulate imagination and musical instruments that produce a host of different sounds, sand trays for kids to scoop the sand and build sandcastles, and water play units that teach them to manipulate water.
5. Seating
Aside from exciting playground equipment, every play area needs some comfy seating for teachers to sit and supervise, students to eat their lunches (when the weather permits, of course) and parents to wait at the end of the school day.
You have a number of choices to choose from – including benches and mushroom seats, both of which will provide a comfy spot to take a seat whilst enhancing the overall look of the playground.
6. Shelters
Canopies and shelters are often overlooked pieces of school playground equipment. However, these provide shade and protection from the sun’s harmful UV rays and heavy downpours.
If you haven’t already got shelters fitted to your building or installed individually on your schoolyard, it’s certainly something you should consider doing. Having somewhere for students to park their bikes and parents to leave their buggies for younger children can also be a real boon.
How will you transform your playground in 2022?
Whether you’re thinking about adding the playground equipment mentioned above or you’ve got your own ideas, the team at Setter Play would love to help you design the perfect play area for your school.
If you’d like to customise your school playground equipment, this is also no problem for us. We can create bespoke projects that take into account your every need – just let us know what it is you want and we’ll manufacture and install it!
To discuss your requirements in more detail, be sure to give us a call on 01462 817 538.
6 Things Every Playground Should Have In 2022 FAQ’s
Installing playground equipment offers numerous benefits for your schoolyard and students, including:
It encourages outdoor play
These days, thanks to the availability of technological devices, children – especially older kids – spend the large majority of their time outside school inside fiddling with their phones and tablets.
This is why it’s so important to encourage as much outdoor activity as possible at school and investing in the right playground equipment can make a world of difference.
Children thrive when they have the opportunity to explore and play outside, and modern school playground equipment will make your outside area much more appealing and encourage this kind of activity.
It can improve mental health
Just like adults, children can suffer from mental health conditions – such as anxiety and depression – and need a way to relax and blow off steam.
Equipment in the school playground can help them to do just that and, as we’ve established, offers a unique opportunity to engage children in play and make them want to be outside – where they’ll also benefit from sunlight and fresh air.
It aids early childhood development
Aside from making your outdoor area more appealing and promoting good mental health, school playground equipment can also help your younger students develop essential skills – including fine and gross motor skills, coordination and balance.
Typically, Setterplay school playground equipment lasts 15 years from installation before it needs to be updated – but this can differ depending on the units you choose.
Because our school playground equipment is manufactured to such a high standard and from some of the highest quality materials, it’s guaranteed to last for many years to come. And there are things you can do to stretch this lifespan further, with regular inspections being one of them.
It’s a good idea to arrange inspections with our team not only to assess the condition of your play units, but to enhance safety and keep maintenance costs down.
We offer both monthly and annual inspections here at setter play, to give you detailed insights into the condition of your school playground equipment.
For details on how to take the best care of your school playground equipment or to book an inspection, get in touch with our experts today. We’re always happy to help with any questions or queries!
Choosing school playground equipment isn’t a task to be taken lightly, and before you dive in , you need to weigh up all your options.
While it’s a good idea to include a couple of playground classics, such as swing sets, zip wires and adventure trails – providing a wider variety of activities will benefit youngsters the most.
Sit down with your children and ask them what they’d like to see out on the playground. After all, they’ll be the ones using the equipment.
Once you’ve gathered some ideas from your students, give our consultants a call to discuss your requirements and available options in more detail and kickstart the design process. With so many years of experience in the industry, we’ll be able to advise you on what’s best for your school and offer top-notch ideas if you’re in need of a little design inspiration.
Here at Setter Play, we pride ourselves on being able to offer the highest quality play equipment at fantastic prices.
As a family-run business with over 20 years of experience in the industry, we’re dedicated to helping you create the perfect playtime environment for your children.
We’ll work with you right through to the installation of your playground equipment and beyond – offering ongoing support if you need it.
Our main aim is to meet each and every one of your recreational requirements, and we’ll always go the extra mile to exceed expectations and ensure you have the most positive customer service experience.
If you have any questions about our range of school playground equipment, or would like to discuss your needs in more detail, please don’t hesitate to contact our team.
Give us a call on 01428 817 538 to chat with us directly, or send us a message via email and we’ll get back to you.
Why not take a look at some of our past school playground projects for inspiration?
