Ideas for creating a playground for private land

Children’s playgrounds are usually brightly colored and do not add charm to the garden if you put a little thought into the design. However, standard lighted playgrounds are not necessarily the best solution for children either. Responsible for the landscape project Tautvydas Gurskas he advised which part of the land to dedicate to the children’s area, how to separate it from the other areas of the courtyard, how to prepare a safe base, what to make the tools for children’s games from and how to choose colors to make the image harmonious.

The location of the playground on the ground

Choosing the right space for children’s games in the garden is extremely important. And here you should consider some moments:

• Visibility. You want to see the children playing at least out of the corner of your eye, so you will feel calmer. Think about where you spend most of your time and from there look at potential spaces for a children’s area. Maybe you spend a lot of time in the kitchen – a playground under the kitchen window would be a great choice for you. This way you can do your usual activities and observe what the children do.
• Age of children. Consider the age of the children. The younger they are, the more they need your help: set up a playground for the little ones as close to home as possible. As children grow, they become more independent and want more privacy, so you can separate their area with plants, but always try to maintain at least some visibility.
• Safety factor. Avoid high-risk areas where children could be injured. Don’t set up a playground near the road: both kids who kick balls and daydreamers love to run around in it.
• If you have a body of water with open banks in your yard, evaluate your little ones’ body depth and knowledge. Tautvyd’s children strictly follow the house rules and play with water only where it is shallow. However, for safety, fence or hedge deeper bodies of water.
• Holy peace. If you have the possibility, after considering all other factors, do not build a children’s playground very close to the terrace. Children like to make noise and you too will want to talk to family and guests or go out quietly.

If you’re wondering where the best place is for a playground in your backyard, you’re not alone. Therefore, we invited Tautvydas to the conference on environmental design “Garden style”to share their experience. Being the president of the Kaunas Waldorf kindergarten community, he always tries to balance the needs of children and the intelligent layout of the land so as not to spoil the harmonious design. The conference will be held in 2021. on September 25 read the programwelcome to participate.

Prepare the right base

When considering the base of the playground it must be taken into account that over time the play space will be walked on. So don’t expect a perfect lawn. Furthermore, children are happy to go out immediately after the rain. Therefore the base must be well drained to avoid puddles and sticky soil. With this in mind, there are definitely several options to choose from:

• Special rubber coating: excellent cushioning, also suitable for play structures, where there is a greater possibility of falling from a height (swings, swings);
• High quality fake lawn: will not need to be cut or otherwise maintained, will look natural for many years, will even work under fences, where grass is usually trampled.

If you want more naturalness you can choose:

• Lawn: Obviously it will be trampled over time, so it will need to be sown from time to time. Mowing will be necessary, including more time-consuming careful cutting around the foundations of structures where the mower cannot reach;
• Sand – absorbs well and can also be used as an additional element in games – you will not need a separate sandbox;

• Mulch is another natural and perfectly absorbent covering. If children have the ability to climb high, the mulch layer should be thick. If your children’s toys are scattered on the ground, a thick layer of covering is not necessary.

Which toys to choose?

Various slides and swings have always been at the peak of popularity, and in many courtyards you will see just such children’s areas. According to Tautvydas Gurskas, these playgrounds do not harm children, but they do not do any good either. The main disadvantage of such throws is their rigidity: the action on slides or swings can be performed only one way. Children soon get bored and start experimenting: they skate backwards, they try to climb onto the skating part. This only proves that children are creative personalities and such space is not enough for them.

Children want a space where they can create, move and act. Expensive, ready-made toys are not needed – you can find many of them in nature or at home. Natural colors and materials stimulate children’s imagination:

• Simple sticks have endless uses: you can build castles and learn to count;
• Logs and stumps can be like an amusement park: rolling, jumping, climbing, jumping off, balancing;

• The stones will be used for various constructions and will develop the child’s sense of touch;
• Soil and water – and the children are already “baking” mud sandwiches;

• If children like cooking and eating, let them play with old but real pots. Children prefer simple enamelled containers rather than colored plastic ones. Also, the metallic ones look more interesting.

When you can, always choose tools in which the function is clear and in which the child has to invent the game.

Colors in children’s playgrounds

You’ve probably noticed that children’s playgrounds are usually in bright colors: yellow, red, blue. It is assumed that these are the colors that children want. However, Tautvydas Gurskas quickly objects: children are overcrowded with visual and bright screens, so when going out, you should try not to irritate your eyes, let them rest. In the courtyard of the Waldorf kindergarten in Kaunas you won’t find a single bright color, but there’s certainly no shortage of fun here, he says. Non-bright colors make children’s playground fun.

Tautvydas advises how to choose colors for the plot of private land:

• Choose pastel colors: they calm children. Plus, it looks much nicer in texture. The offer of these toys is not wide, but you can find solutions here too. Buy houses made of natural materials and paint them yourself: you will choose the color you like and carry out joint activities with the little ones.
• If you want an even more neutral image, plant some plants in children’s play areas. Imagine how the swaying branches of the willow would conveniently hide such a house.
• If you don’t have the opportunity to plant trees, choose herbaceous ornamental plants.
• Planting the playground with edible bushes will encourage children to snack on berries between games.
• If you purchased brightly colored structures, you can repaint or hide them. For example, line the walls of the house with a bamboo fence and cover the roof with tree bark. Such a structure will not only look more natural, but will also encourage children’s creativity, as it will resemble a jungle hut.

• If kids still want screaming colors, let them be, but not the center of attention. For example, a child wants bright pink – paint the interior of the children’s house, not the facade. This way you will realize the children’s personal vision and will not spoil the design of the entire plot. And don’t forget that you can grow bright flowers together near the house: perhaps the pink one would be enough for the children.
• You can turn an existing plastic slide into a piece of landscaping. It is only necessary to form a small mound of earth and install the slide in it. With the help of plants you will create a secret corner that only your children will know.

According to Tautvydas Gurskas, the most important thing is not to overdo it: to observe children from the side, create together with children and not interfere in any way with their childhood dreams.

We spoke with Tautvydus in the program «Plant Enthusiasts» of «Žiniai Radio» – you can watch our entire conversation listen here.

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