What Is a Residential Playground Set?
A residential playground set is a piece of equipment installed at a private home to provide kids with outdoor fun. Also known as home play settings, they help children develop problem-solving skills and socialization.
The best playground sets feature multiple play components to generate different opportunities for play, socialization and learning. A seesaw is a popular example. These elements may stand alone or be used to create composite structures.
Safety
A great playset should be designed to provide hours of fun for kids. It should also be able to hold their weight, stand up to heavy winds and other weather conditions, and not easily tip over as children climb and swing. Wooden playsets are a good choice for this reason because they can resist corrosion and will not break or bend under these conditions.
It is important to always supervise children on a playground set, regardless of their age. Some adults can become lulled into a sense of complacency and forget to check on their kids, leading to accidents. Children should be encouraged to wear clothing that won’t get caught on equipment (flowing skirts, drawstrings, hoods), and to avoid pushing and shoving each other while playing.
One of the most common causes of playground injuries is falls from swings, so it’s crucial to have a safe landing surface. Ideally, there should be soft surfacing material under and around all swings that is at least 9 inches deep and made of materials like shredded rubber, mulch, wood chips, safety-tested mats or sand.
Another factor that affects safety is the design of the equipment itself, such as a deck or a designated play surface for standing, walking, crawling and sitting. It should not be more than 10 feet away from the highest point of a piece of equipment and be surrounded by a fenced area to prevent jumping off of the equipment.
Materials
A well-constructed playset made with quality materials can be more than just a source of fun and exercise for children. The equipment can also help children develop cognitive, social and emotional skills by offering them a variety of play experiences. However, a playground set that is built with unreliable lumber, has rough spots or protruding bolts can take the fun out of outdoor play and put your kids at risk.
The most common type of playground-related injury is falls, but a fall from high can be even more dangerous than one from lower heights. The surface a child contacts upon impact is also important, and certain materials are more effective at absorbing the shock of a fall than others.
Loose-fill playground surfacing materials include wood mulch, pea gravel and sand. Each has its own benefits and drawbacks, but rubber surfacing is one of the most safe. Poured rubber surfacing has interconnecting tiles that are designed to protect an entire play area. It can be expensive, playground set but it requires little to no maintenance and is one of the most effective impact absorbers for playgrounds.
Other safety features to look for in a playset are good grips on swing chains, steps and bars. Make sure they are coated in a material that is easy to hold onto and will not get too hot during the summer. Also, look for metal bolt fasteners that are galvanized to prevent rusting and sharp edges.
Design
Home playground sets are a great way for kids to spend more time outside. They often include swings, slides, commercial indoor playground equipment manufacturers see-saws and climbers. These playsets can also include merry-go-rounds and playhouses. Some are designed to be expanded, allowing children to grow with the equipment. Unlike other toys, playsets are usually designed to last years. They should be durable, safe and easy to clean.
When selecting a playset, it’s important to consider the size of your backyard and the available space for the equipment. It’s also important to determine the age range of your children and the maximum weight limit of the equipment. There is also a need to have a buffer zone around the set, which should be covered with wood playground mulch, rubber mulch or sand. This buffer zone should be a minimum of three to six feet.
In addition to the physical aspects of a playset, it’s also necessary to take into account the flow of movement and the surfacing options. The flow of space is important to ensure that kids can move throughout the equipment and try new things without bumping into each other or disturbing one another. The surfacing should be durable and absorb the shock of kids jumping off the equipment.
There are many options for surfacing, including wood chips, shredded rubber, modular tiles and engineered wood fiber. However, a natural grass surface is the best option for residential playsets. It’s more appealing, easy to maintain and provides a cushion for falls and dives.
Maintenance
As with all outdoor equipment, wood and plastic parts of a playground set will weather and wear over time. It’s important to inspect the playset regularly and clean it when needed. This can help prevent dirt, mildew and mold from making a home on the equipment. It can also keep the wood from becoming rotten over time and ensure that children will be safe while playing on the equipment.
It’s also a good idea to inspect the structure for signs of splintering. Splinters are not only dangerous for kids, but they can also irritate the skin and cause other injuries. Wood putty is a great solution for this problem and can be applied to the rough spots to smooth them out. If your playground set is made from wooden materials, it will need to be stained or sealed every two years, which will help protect the wood and prolong its life.
Wooden and rubber surfacing should be replaced at least twice a year to avoid compaction, decomposition, and bacterial growth. It’s a good idea to replace loose mulch periodically, too.
It’s important to maintain a safe playground by following the manufacturer’s guidelines for how many kids or how much weight can be on the equipment at once. Overloading the structures can cause them to break or deteriorate faster than they would otherwise.