Playground equipment is a term used for describing a number of outdoor equipment for recreational activities for children.

Playground equipment not only plays a crucial role in the development of children but helps them to use their time and childhood in a more active and healthy way. The playground equipment comes in different types and for different ages. According to the age of the children these equipment will help them to develop cognitive skills and to enhance their motor, social, and emotional responsiveness.

However, there is such a variety of these playground equipment available in the market that sometimes one becomes confused in what and what not to buy. This article will offer you a complete guide on what would be more suitable for your children and where you can buy. Some of the features you need to consider when you are purchasing playground equipment are stated below:

Space Needed – one of the major things to consider is where you need to place your equipment and how much space is available for the said equipment. Various places you can put this equipment on include your backyards, a school playground or a park.  For instance, if you want to purchase a swing you need to know its dimensions and the area you have to place it in.

Age – another major factor is whether you are buying equipment for elementary school children or adolescents. Some products that might be suitable for adolescent might not be suitable for children of lesser ages. They may even be dangerous for them. For example, for younger children swings might not be appropriate as there is a risk of falling from them. Similarly bars can be good for children in growing ages as they help to coordinate your muscles and increase strength. The Junior Playground Slides are more appropriate for children of ages 2 to 5 years.

Special Considerations: some other special needs to consider before buying playground products include the limitation in mobility or if the children have no physical limitations. Some of the children with special needs require the accessibility for wheelchairs or extra safety harnesses. There is specialized equipment available for special young patients such as a Wheelchair Swing Platform which is great for wheelchair users.

Personal Preferences – playground equipment cover a large variety of different types of products and every child has different preferences depending on what they enjoy the most. So you need to know what the children enjoy and prefer so that the playground equipment you purchase would be utilized and appreciated by the children.

Health Benefits – you should also consider the health benefits and individual product outcomes before you purchase them. As already said they are vital for encouraging the skill development in children.

Cost – cost considerations are also one of the major factors to be focused on when buying these equipment. You need to decide whether you want to make investment or if you want to purchase the equipment economically.

Playground Equipment Options

Some of the options to be considered for purchasing playground equipment include:

Slides,

Swing sets,

Hand-over-hand bars,

Play forts,

Spring rides, and

See-saws.

Brands for Playground Equipment

Some of the brands that manufacture best types of playground products are stated below:

Playcraft Systems – this is a popular manufacturer of playground equipment worldwide. It is operating in the United States from about 25 years. They design innovative equipment for children to have fun. They manufacture high quality equipment incorporating modern tech and designs focusing on the environment friendly equipment. Most commercial recreational centers utilized their playground equipment.

GameTime – GameTime is a playground equipment manufacturing company operating since 1929. They are focused more towards customized theme parks and playgrounds. They are known to manufacture quality playground equipment for kids. Their equipment is made after vast research and utilization of unique structure. Their playground equipment is long lasting and suitable for almost all types of children. They also offer customized play equipment according to the preference of the customer.

Eibe Play Limited – this company is located in Germany and working since 5 decades. They make creative and fun filled playground equipment that makes children’s life more enjoyable as well as healthy. They are known to manufacture playground equipment, furniture items, as well as sports equipment. They aim to make equipment that is of highest quality and can be utilized by kids and even teenagers.

Timberplay – Timberplay is a highly reputed company throughout the United Kingdoms, Middle East as well as India. They specialize in making high quality indoor and outdoor playground equipment. They have a wide range of durable and high performance products. Their playground equipment offers health benefits for children such as improving their motor reflexes, enhancing physical skills and help in developing cognitive skills.

Kidzlet – another popular and well reputed manufacturer of the playground equipment is the Kidzlet company which is based in India. Their playground equipment is designed by the assistance of highly trained professionals. They have been highly rated by the customers for their quality products. They specialize in making equipment for school playgrounds and recreational areas.

Wacky World Solutions – this company is best known for their wacky designs. They produce imaginative and impressive playground equipment. They have an experience of about forty years in designing playground products. They incorporate 2D and 3D elements in their equipment. So this is an excellent choice for people looking for unique equipment for their children.  [i]

Where to buy playground equipment

Rehabmart is one of the best places to look for versatile and fun playground equipment. They offer a variety of products and reliable brands for buying the equipment. Some of the brands available in Rehabmart include SportsPlay, THF, Future Play and Jensen Swing.

TFH – TFH is a brand well known for its Swing Frames that you can buy for your playground. They provide most cost-effective playground equipment. Their swing sets are known among customers for supporting weights of almost any age group.

Future Play, Inc’s – this company’s Fort Nelson Playground Set is a play fort having fun features like a 10-foot slide, swing arms, bars, climbing ladder, and even a tic-tac-toe board. This playground set can also be customized according to your likes in relatively low costs.[ii]

Prices of Playground equipment

The price of the playground equipment generally is dependent on the size of your equipment, the number of equipment to be installed and the location where it should be installed. Typically, the playground equipment may cost you around $8000 to $50000. High end equipment will naturally cost you more about $5000 to $150000.

[i]   https://ownplayground.com/7-biggest-playground-equipment-manufacturers/

[ii] https://www.rehabmart.com/post/how-to-choose-the-best-playground-equipment