Playground Guide - 2023 - 17

two fun options. Go right, and they can swing across the
monkey bars. Go left, and they can cross a bridge and
get to a slide and fire pole. Today's playgrounds even use
several paths to give kids of different ages and abilities
a range of options for getting up, down and around the
equipment.
But more playground spaces are evolving to support
non-prescriptive or abstract play - where kids get to
direct their own play. These spaces use open and nonlinear
designs to encourage kids to move around and play
however they want. Fewer confined spaces, for example,
allow kids to skip the slide or fire pole and instead jump
or climb down from a structure. Open structures also encourage
more kinds of play. Because kids aren't confined
to a linear path, they enjoy more opportunities for game
play on and off the play structure. Plus, simple features
like seek-and-finds incorporated into the playground design
can encourage kids to learn while making up their
own games.
More Communal Spaces
More than ever before, playgrounds are being designed to
meet the needs of more kids and more communities. A
good example is inclusivity. Today, playgrounds are more
intentionally designed for people with a wide range of disabilities.
Sometimes, small and subtle design changes can
make big differences. For instance, color can be used to
support kids with vision disabilities. Contrasting colors can
help kids with depth-perception difficulties better identify
different playground structures, giving them greater confidence
to play on those structures. Color cues can help
kids with low vision know how far they need to stretch
to climb steps. Thoughtful design choices - like avoiding
the use of red and green together - can help children
with color blindness better perceive different structures.
Incorporating Natural Features
and Sustainable Materials
Today, community members and local governments want
their parks and playgrounds to be more eco-friendly. Playground
designs are evolving to meet this goal in multiple
Playground spaces are evolving to
support non-prescriptive or abstract
play - where kids get to direct their
own play.
ways. For starters, playground designers are addressing
environmental impacts. Some park environments,
for
instance, are created with integrated stormwater management
features to help manage water runoff. In some
cases, designers are finding ways to weave playground
designs into the local environment. Sometimes, they
design playgrounds around trees and other natural elements
to preserve them. Designers even are integrating
play structures right into the existing topography. This allows
kids to have fun on structures, like hillside slides and
climbers, while also enjoying the hills that naturally occur
around them. Playground manufacturers also are putting
a greater focus on making their product lines more sustainable.
They're using materials like engineered bamboo,
a sustainable resource that can add a warm aesthetic to
a playground, as well as creating playground furnishings
from recycled materials.
Fun for All
There's no telling what playgrounds will look like when
today's kids visit them as adults. But as long as designers,
landscape architects and planners continue to focus on
the needs of all kids, one thing is for sure - the play that's
happening on those playgrounds only will continue to be
more diverse, accessible and beneficial for all.
Scott Roschi is Creative Director at Landscape Structures, Inc.
PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G | 2 0 2 3 PL A Y GROUND GUIDE | Parks & Recreation
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Playground Guide - 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Playground Guide - 2023
