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Outdoor Play UK

You need some outdoor play equipment – what happens next ?

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We thought it might be helpful to publish a post on how easy it is to get some new outdoor play equipment installed in your school play area or play park. We receive many enquiries both by email and by telephone from schools and other establishments who are looking to replace or renew their play ground equipment. Below, we show you how easy it can be to progress from the initial enquiry to the completed installation.

Stage 1 – Play area enquiry

Most enquiries are received via the web site in the form of an email or by phone call to our office here in South Devon. We then make every effort to get back in touch by telephone within 48 hours so that we can followup on your play equipment enquiry. During the initial phone call we try to collect as much information about your play requirements, what you might have in the way of play equipment already and what it is that you would like building and installing.

Stage 2 – Playground site visit

Once we have established what type of outdoor play equipment you require for your school or other play area, we arrange a suitable time to make a visit to further discuss your needs and to see the area that you wish to use and survey and measure up. This allows us to better understand your requirements and to visualise the best use of the space available.

Stage 3 – Play area proposal

Once we have listened to your requirements and seen the play area we can then create a detailed proposal. Depending on the scale of the play equipment installation we will often suggest that we come and see you with the proposal so that we can further discuss the features and benefits of the play equipment that we plan to supply and install.

See an example proposal below:

Outdoor play equipment installation

School play area installation proposal

 

Our proposals include both the technical and financial detail but also illustrations that allow you to clearly see how the new play equipment would look once installed in your play area. The three dimensional artists impressions give clear detail of the materials used and the appearance of the finished product. So you can see the swings, climbing frames, bridges, play houses or play boats and all the wooden play equipment in great detail.

You can see all of these outdoor play products by clicking here.

Outdoor play equipment installation

Outdoor play equipment clearly shown in the proposal for the installation at the school

 

The play equipment is illustrated exactly how it will appear once it has been installed at your school or park play area. You can get a clear idea of the flow and how the children will play and move from one piece to the next. This helps to contextualise things and helps with a successful installation.

As you can see from these plans that were drawn up for a primary school you can get a real feel for the finished product. The individual pieces of play equipment can be seen, including the clatter bridge, the swinging log steps, the play houses and other detail of the install including the coloured safety surfacing and the fence that encloses it all. When we create a proposal we ensure that all aspects of a succuseful play area are catered for so that it is a total success for both the school and the children.

Play area proposal for schools

Wooden play equipment for schools and parks

 

Once you have had time to consider the proposal we ask for your feedback and any questions that you may have about the proposed installation. If everything is to your liking and the budget is agreeable then we work together to agree dates for the play equipment installation so that it minimises any disruption.

Outdoor play area design and installation

Outdoor play area design and installation

By play-equipment-installation No Comments

When it comes to children’s play areas there are two real aims that we need to crack each time the first is safety and the second is FUN. Where we are in Devon we have no shortage of accessible green space where kids can run free and explore in their free time with the supervision of their families and friends but for many children outdoor play is not always so easy.

In bigger cities green space comes at a premium so when designing and installing a play area for children the offer of accessible green space in an urban environment is paramount. Kids playgrounds provide an opportunity for stimulating and inclusive play in a closed secure site where children can freely choose their play in a setting which supports their requirements based on age etc.

Outdoor play area design

When we design an outdoor children’s play area we aim to provide the children using the playground with equal access to all of the activities. The idea of the adventure trails that we install is that they are child led and child-centred, this means that play is personally directed by the children so they choose when, how and what they play with which is all part of the play itself and provides great experience in playing with other kids.

A wooden play ramp and net climber on a safety surface

The ramp & net climber provides great active play for kids

This type of experience means that the children have a sense of ownership which then enables them to make choices on which play equipment to use, helps them to develop friendships and most importantly have great fun.

Playground installation considerations

So when it comes down to replacing your playground or outdoor play area or starting from scratch there are many considerations on what will work best which will depend on the space you have available and the age of the children who will use the play equipment. We make this process easy by visiting you and listening to your needs and then advising on what will work best.

Canada Hill Climber 3

Adventure trails encourage stimulating and inclusive play

We can then come up with a plan to work within your playground budget. Our play area designs vary in size and combine a wide range of play equipment including soft play, sensory areas, climbing frames, tree houses, nest swings and many other activities that encourage clambering and active exercise. All the play equipment that we install is within a safe environment and on safety surfacing helping to minimise the chance of any injury and encourage children to have fun and explore freely.

Childrens play house boat in a playground

Wooden play houses and play ships

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All aboard the play boat !

When it comes to imaginative play for children we’re not short of ideas. One of the most popular pieces of play equipment that we are asked for frequently is the wooden play boat which can come in a number of guises, including a pirate galleon or a naval ship.

Built by hand in our Devon workshop, all of the play equipment we supply is made from sustainable European redwood timber which has been kiln dried. This means that the life of the play equipment is extended and comes with a 10 year guarantee and conforms to EN1176 standard. This means that when you buy from us your playground or park looks better for longer.

Wooden play equipment made by hand

Hand made wooden play house boats for kids

Custom made play equipment

Each outdoor playhouse that we make and install is custom made to suit your exact requirements. This means that it will fit your play area and compliment other play equipment that you may already have. Outdoor play houses are ideal environments for kids to enjoy their school breaks and we make sure there are lots of fun features to keep those imaginations running wild. See more imaginative play equipment here.

Natrual wooden play equipment

Choose from a pirate play boat or naval play boat

Play equipment installation throughout the UK including Devon, Cornwall Dorset and Wiltshire

All the wood we use when hand making children’s play houses has smooth rounded edges to ensure safe play. We are able to arrange installation of new play equipment anywhere in the UK and can advise on other products such as safety surfacing or wooden playground fencing to ensure your play ground is a safe place to be.

Wooden play boat in school play ground

Complete and installed the wooden play boat

Wooden play ships have a number of features including wooden mast and port hole windows. Inside the boat you can opt for a sand pit or sea coloured safety flooring to give it that authentic look.
Remember we install playground equipment throughout the UK and can provide competitive pricing for all manner of kit for your play zone whether its a school play ground local park or nursery. Please call us or use the contact form to request a quotation.

Great New Childrens Play Area Installation

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Ann Edwards C of E Primary School

There’s nothing like having a refresh of old play equipment updated with new with a bespoke design to suit the schools needs and this is where we come in as playground and play equipment suppliers and installers.

Play equipment for kids of all ages

Ann Edwards Primary School in Gloucestershire were looking for an update to their adventure trail so we installed a brand new bespoke adventure trail consisting of wooden play equipment including Zig Zag climbers, Swinging Log Steps, Web Walk, Trapeze Swings, Ramp & Net play equipment, Forest Traverse, Rolling Log and a Cob Web Walk.

Children playing on the forest traverse play equipment

Forest traverse wooden climbing equipment

 

3 children playing on the rolling Log

Rolling log – a favourite with all kids

 

A cobweb walk rope climber with four children playing

Cobweb walk climbing frame

 

 

Girls and boys playing on the ramp & net play equipment

Wooden ramp & net climber

 

We also installed a new wooden tower play house

Wooden play towers connected by bridges and rope nets with slides

Play tower with rope ladders and slides

Wooden Play Towers Made to Measure

The wooden tower play houses are fun places to be and allow children to climb ramps with grips, use plastic slides, come down fireman’s poles, across the clatter bridge, rope bridge and the popular V bridge.

We provide play equipment installations in South West UK including Devon, Cornwall Dorset and Wiltshire

Around the children’s play area we also installed safety play surfaces including a rubber bonded mulch pathway making the play tower safe whatever the weather come rain or shine.

 

Ramp with Grips

Wooden play ramp with grips

 

 

Having fun on the tower unit

Children play scambling about the wooden play equipment and rope walks

 

A wooden archway with engravings at the playspace entrance

All finished off with a Bespoke Archway with the school’s name

If you would like to start planning your dream playground for your school contact us today and let us help you on a journey to let the children have fun and interact in the beautiful outdoors.

Outdoor play area essentials

What to look for in the perfect outdoor play area

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What to look for in the perfect play area

When designing an outdoor play area for a public park, within a school grounds or a private play area such as a hotel, theme park or family entertainment, there are a number of considerations that will make all the difference to making the play zone a success.

We have looked at factors that make for a successful children’s play area and broken these down to give you a rough guide of what we do when designing a playground for kids. Here are our golden rules of children’s playground design

Creating the right Atmosphere for children’s play

When considering installing a new play area for children one of the first things that we try to create is an atmosphere that invites and encourages people to linger. By doing this we can help to ensure that the play facility is popular and used by children and a place when their parents are happy to congregate.

Exploration for children’s play areas

We like to make sure that any playground or play area provides room for exploration as we believe that this is key to children’s play. In some ways this can work like a theatre stage so by changing the scenery in different areas you can create different play themes so that there is something to attract all the kids. This might be as simple as adding a slide behind a grassy slope or installing children’s toys with some function which is not immediately obvious. This causes curiosity which enhances the quality of childrens play.

A challenge for children leads to happier play which encourages longer play periods and more return visits . An example of this is the wooden toys that we have installed in play areas for smaller children including wooden motorbikes and wooden ponies. Kids explore in many ways but imaginative play is a great way to develop their skills. See our outdoor wooden wooden play products here.

Challenges in play areas

Popular children’s play will often include some aspect of adventure, whether it is a themed adventure with a Pirates boat at the centre or some physical adventure for the kids to enjoy. Children’s play is all about testing limits and learning new skills. As an example a wooden climbing frame may offer two routes back down to ground, these may include a slide and a rope bridge. This choice gives children options and makes their play time more exciting. Our bespoke wooden play products are ideal to inspire play of this sort.

How to achieve segregation in play zones

When a children’s play area is intended to offer space for large numbers it is often a good idea to include separate areas for different groups of kids to play. You will often see in a playground distinct groups of children often doing quite different things. So catering for this by offering play areas with different moods is essential.

There will always be groups of children, typically boys, who want to prove their power and others who are content enjoying less challenging environments. So by designing and installing an outdoor play area which has more than one central attraction like the wooden pirates boat it is easier to satisfy both groups of children’s play. Why not consider out selection of adventure trails for kids here.

We provide play equipment installations in South West UK including Devon, Cornwall Dorset and Wiltshire

In the old days we used to see signs up which prevented and deterred types of play in certain areas. However with good play ground design this segregation can occur naturally in most cases by making play zones for younger and older kids as well as meeting points for mums and dads. Remember many parents will attend public play areas to meet fellow parents and have a chat.

Call us for a chat about your outdoor play requirements

These are some of the basics that we consider when designing a new play area for children of all ages. Why not call us for a chat and we can arrange to visit your site to discuss your plans for installation of a new play are or the renovation of an existing playground, whether it’s for a park, school or theme park of other private location.

The benefits of outdoor play for kids

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As we all know, outdoor play is an essential for kids of all ages as it provides an exciting sensory experience for children in their early years and as they get older it also helps to develop their gross motor skills and overall fitness levels as they grow.

For children, the opportunity to freedom to shout, jump, run and generally scramble about helps their development and has a positive impact on their overall health. In fact, The Play Strategy for Scotland states: ‘Open space allows children to be physically active and challenge themselves so they sleep and eat well and form healthy habits that will stay with them for life.’

It has also been proven recently that kids who play outside regularly tend to have better distance vision than those who play inside most of the time. Fresh air also plays a major part as it helps promote a healthy body and mind as outdoor play helps to give more clairty in thinking.

In this post we are reviewing 3 of the most popular outdoor play products that we supply and install in play grounds, parks and school play areas in the UK.

One of the most popular pieces of outdoor play equipment is the Pole Climber. The pole climber is made from FSC sourced redwood timber and rope and creates a great way for children to move about using all four limbs to get where they want to go.

A wooden pole climber with rope supports installed in safety surfacing

The wooden pole climber is a must have in the school play area or park

These have proven a great success in both school play areas and parks where children of all ages enjoy the challenge. We recently installed a range of pole climbers at a school in Devon where it is proving very popular.

Next we feature an old classic the parallel bars. Made using wooden uprights and stainless steel bars the parallel bars are an irresistible challenge for children of all ages. For more bespoke play area equipment please see here.

Parallel bars for kids outdoor play time

Parallel bars are popular for kids outdoor play time

Generally associated with gymnastics, the parallel bars help kids to develop both strength and balancing skills. We make these parallel bars in a wide range of lengths and heights and will often install a set for younger children and a larger set for older kids.

Finally in this article we review the rolling log that is always a favourite in any children’s play area. The rolling log is simply a round section wooden beam supported by two timber uprights and is generally just a few inches from the ground.

A rooling log installed on safety surfacing

A fun challenge for kids of all ages is the rolling log

Towards the top of the wood posts there is a guide rope for children to hold on to as they walk along the trolling log. This is a great outdoor pursuit for kids as it engages both their core body muscles and their balance and concentration. To view more wooden play equipment please click here

All of the above beautiful wooden play equipment is installed over safety surfacing which comes in a range of colours, helping to brighten up the play area plus we offer various designs to add interest to the play ground.

Liquid pur coloured safety surfacing

Bright coloured safety surfacing for school play areas

Other forms of safety surface for play areas is bonded rubber mulch which looks great in woodland settings with its a bark effect that gives a rustic feel. Made largely from recycled materials, this safety surfacing is available in a wide range of colours and can be laid in all manner of park and school play areas.

Please call us on 01626 335158 so we can help you plan the design and installation of your next outdoor play project whether it be for a school, a park or anywhere that kids want to have fun ! We are based in the UK and install playground equipment all over the UK at very competitive rates.

A wooden play boat in the school play area

A busy Spring for Outdoor Play Installing Play Equipment

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At Outdoor Play UK we have had a busy spring installing playground equipment all over Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and beyond. Schools and parks have been busy with children enjoying the nice sunny weather and will be soon saying goodbye to the cold mornings of springtime.

Our wooden play equipment is proving very popular this year and we are constantly inventing new children’s play equipment so that we can continue to install new and exciting challenges for children of all ages.

Although traditional favourites like wooden swings are still very popular we are being asked to supply more and more adventure trails which are proving popular for council parks, school playgrounds and other play areas across the south west and beyond.

All types of wooden playground equipment

Many of our playground play products are made from wood including our popular timber swings, play pods and adventure trail items including rope walks, wooden bridges, rope traverses and log steps. All the timber play equipment that we install is made from quality play grade FSC sourced redwood timbers and all play equipment comes with our 10 year guarantee and conforms to EN1176 standard.

children's wooden monkey bars in a play area

A wooden monkey ladder on safety surfacing in this school playground

Net and rope play products

Other playground classics include tyre walks, monkey ladders and our favourite the net wall. Net play products are very popular and are often the most-used play products in the parks. Children love to climb and the net playground climbing frames give kids the opportunity to climb to their hearts content. See our range of adventure trails here

Wood ramp with play net installed on safety surfacing

A wood ramp with play net return keeps kids busy scrambling for hours

Our net play products for play parks are made using rope that is kind on children’s hands. This durable play rope allows us to create new designs of timber playground climbing frames which incorporate net walls, play webs, rope walks and bridges and tunnel nets.

Safety surfacing in many colours

All of the playground equipment that we supply can be installed over a choice of safety surfaces to ensure that children’s play areas are safe and that fun is guaranteed ! In addition to the fun factor, our play areas also allow children to engage their natural instincts and enjoy games that involve crawling, climbing and generally scrambling about. All of this children’s play is beneficial for kids and helps to improve their coordination, balance, motor skills and of course their overall fitness. See our range of safety surfacing here

We provide play equipment installations in South West UK including Devon, Cornwall Dorset and Wiltshire

Children’s play is very important to us here at Outdoor Play UK and we strive to supply and install the best children’s play equipment possible and at favourable prices that make playgrounds affordable to schools, parks and council play areas.

If you are looking to install a new play area, or have an existing playground that needs a makeover then please call us and we will come and see you and provide you with a competitive quotation that will make your park or playground a favourite for the kids !

Giveaway Play Pod Installed at South Petherwin CP School in Cornwall

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South Petherwin are the brand new owners of the Woodland Play Pod they won in our ‘Giveaway’

The children are delighted with their new imaginative play space and have named it ‘Tubby House’ which has been installed in their playground

The Play Pod features an artificial grass roof and porthole windows that not only add fun to the pod

but also lets the light flood in.

A childrens playpod installed in a play area

Porthole windows are such a fun feature

 

Children outside a playpod on safety surfacing

‘Tubby House’ as named by the children

 

Thumb up from the children

Thumbs up from the children in the play pod

Well done from us all at Outdoor Play and we hope you have lots of fun

A BIG ‘THANK YOU’

By play-equipment-installation No Comments

We would like to say a BIG THANK YOU

to the wonderful children at Appledore Foundation Unit

for sending us their letters and drawings of their new play space.

We are going to put all of your drawings up in the office for everyone to see what lovely work you have created.

The team hope you will enjoy your new HMS Appledore sand pit boat, your musical chimes, congas, your new ‘look out’ lighthouse and we hope the scooter garage is very busy.

We can’t wait to see what you grow in your new planters.

From Fiona and The Team

 

Childrens drawings of the new play equipment installed at their school

Beautiful drawings from the children

Thank you letters written by the children at the play park

Hand written letters from the children

Transformation of space at Appledore Primary Foundation Unit

By play-equipment-installation No Comments
A play area before the equipment was installed

Before

A wooden scooter garage built in to the school play area

After…Scooter Garage

Wooden Play Equipment for Children

We moved the original shed to the left and created a new Scooter Garage lean to. On the platform we created a new look out lighthouse complete with binoculars.

In front we installed new planters at different heights for the school to plant as they wish.

 

The HMS Appledore wooden play boat installed in a childrens playground

‘HMS Appledore’

We designed a bespoke boat shaped double sand pit with covers, pulley, sand bucket and chute topped off with HMS Appledore on the mast.

To the left we installed Congas and to the right there is a colourful set of Chimes.

A large wooden play boat installed in the primary school playground

Complete

The whole area was finished with artificial grass with rubber mulch around the boat area. We painted the wall and added different coloured paint to the design to create waves and add effect to the lighthouse design.