Playground Surface Design Ideas and Options

Use Colors, Textures, Routes, Themes, Mounds & Games to add interest and clarity to your Playground Surface Design

o   Color- Using an assortment of colors can help visually organize a play environment so that it is easier to understand and navigate. Color often is used to create visible pathways or landscapes throughout the environment, enhancing the overall aesthetic appeal.

o   Texture & Design- Surfacing design can be maximized by utilizing several types of surfacing within a play or recreational area. In addition to color, the varying textures can enhance the overall design, promote sensory rich play experiences, enhance imaginative play, and encourage movement and exploration.

Colorful playground surfacing

Using several types of surfacing in a playground adds texture and color, promoting sensory rich play experiences.

o   Loose parts- Portable materials or “loose parts” support and stimulate spontaneous and creative play, and are critical components of playgrounds, outdoor fitness areas, or multipurpose environments. Sand, gravel, or EWF used around PIP can provide a multisensory experience as children use tools to construct and experiment with the material.

o   Themes- Themes can be dramatically carried out through surfacing designs, transforming the play and recreational environment into practically anything from a life size board game to a baseball field, or even an ocean surrounding a ship. Creative theming can make a play and recreational environment special and unique and often becomes the identifying factor of the location. Playground themes can promote dramatic play, encourage physical activity, prompt spontaneous games, and bringing learning outdoors. Communities can apply themes through custom surface designs that relate to their local history, environment, and culture, or utilize contrasting color inlays to add logos that recognize a donor or sponsor.

o   Games & Activities- Children need opportunities to learn how to cooperate, understand sportsmanship, and to follow rules of a simple game or activity. PIP and tile surfacing can offer exciting ways to incorporate favorite childhood games, and it can help designate areas for activities that encourage physical activity.

Portable materials or loose parts provides a multisensory experience.

Unique playground surface themes often becomes the identifying factor of the location.

Incorporate favorite childhood games in your playground surface encourages physical activity.

o   Hills & Mounds- Elements such as hills and mounds can increase the play value of an environment by providing new points of view for discovery, physical activity opportunities for both children and adults, and changes of topography to enhance the overall design of the space. Children will be able to climb the hills and use the inclination to roll down the surface, increasing physical activity. In addition, slides can be built in to the hillside, taking advantage of the existent topography. Surfacing manufacturers will be able to recommend the best type of surfacing for the space and slope.

o   Accessibility & Routes of Travel- Creating interesting experiences along accessible routes of travel is another strategy for encouraging both children and adults to be more active in the recreation environment, increase connectivity of the site to the surrounding neighborhood, and expand the appeal of a park and location. The primary routes of travel should meet the accessibility standards and be properly maintained to ensure individuals with mobility impairments can traverse the surface. Designing interesting routes with sinuous curves, color enhancements, and texture can help bring additional interest as users are encouraged to move and explore.

Hills and mounds provide new points of view for exploration, encourage physical activity, adds topography to your playground design and much more.

Design interesting routes with color, texture and curves that meet accessibility standards.

Premier Park & Play offers a variety of playground surfacing options, as well as assistance in playground surface design. Contact us for more information!