Ultimate guide: How to choose and install playground equipment

1: Explore the needs of your students, equipment, spaces, and budget

You have identified a need for your institution and now have at least preliminary approval to research and develop a vision, timeline, and costs. This is the exploration and imagination phase, where everything is possible, but nothing is certain. The goal is to understand all the main factors so that you can start to finalize your vision for success. Start with five basic questions:  

• What are the ages, numbers, and special needs of the kids who will use the space?  

• What equipment will need to be age and need-appropriate for our students?  

• What can my space accommodate?  

• What is it all going to cost, and what kind of budget are we working with?  

• When does this project need to be completed?  

While you don’t have to finalize your answers yet, getting into a ballpark lets you explore solutions without boiling the ocean and keeps the project on task. Consider each question:  

The kids: Who are they, how many, and what are their characteristics?  

Ask yourself first which kids will use these spaces. You can group them into three ages:  

Playgrounds are grouped into three sizes:  

Playgrounds are costly. They will also need to withstand decades of tough play and exposure to the elements. General budgets fall into these ranges:  

• 1,000 square feet or less: $10,000 to 25,000  

• 1,000-2,000 square feet: $25,000 to 60,000  

• 2,500-5,000: 60,000 to $150,000+  

Typical factors that affect cost include the following:  

• Play equipment: 45-55% of the cost of the project.  

• Site preparation: 5-10% of the project. Playgrounds need level surfaces, good drainage, and no utilities in the way. This sometimes requires the demolition of existing surfaces or structures.  

• Surfacing: 15-25% of the cost. You can go with lower-cost engineered wood fiber or invest in poured-in-place rubber, with options in between.  

• Shipping: It will cost 5-10% to ship most equipment, although you can get that incorporated into the product cost if you choose.  

• Installation: 25-30% of the cost. Skilled volunteers can save you here, but the bigger the project, the more difficult it can be to coordinate. We recommend professional installers.  

When does the playground open?  

Playground projects are installed over the spring and summer. A best practice we like to use is one month for planning, one month for manufacturing, and one month for installation. This means if you start planning on March 1 and cut a purchase order by April 1, you can get delivery of the equipment by the start of May and full installation by early June. This is a schedule with extra time to account for delays in the process. 

You can get a project done on a much faster timetable, as manufacturers have options that can ship supplies and playground equipment in seven business days. Four to five weeks from start to finish is the fastest possible.  

2: What are our goals for the new playground? Who are our champions?

Finalizing your objectives comes next. It's often essential for you to know how life will improve for these kids once they have a new playground. Chief among the benefits is the development of “fundamental movement skills,” as described in this Danish study published on the National Institute of Health website. The study details the importance of Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS) in child development: sitting, standing, balancing, running, jumping, climbing, and object control, among others. The study also points out that kids in the developed world get less time to do these activities than they should.  

Here is a list of proven benefits of play and playgrounds:  

• Physical development: Improve strength, balance, coordination, body awareness, spatial recognition, fine and gross motor skills, agility, hand-eye coordination, and cardiovascular health.  

• Cognitive development: Enhance creativity, problem-solving, decision-making, focus, memory, and attention.   

• Social and emotional development: Cooperation, conflict resolution, sharing, taking turns, self-confidence, and self-esteem.  

• Sensory development: Improving the vestibular system controls balance and coordination, multi-sensory engagement works toward brain development.   

• Language and communication: Encourages communication, sharing, vocabulary, conversation skills, and collaboration when doing creative play.  

• Integration with classroom lessons: If you choose, you can reinforce classroom learning objectives with play.  

Molly Sokolis PT, DPT, a Doctor of Physical Therapy at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, shares additional benefits. These include health advantages from vestibular input (swinging and sliding) to whole-body workouts (climbing walls.) 

Stakeholders: How to gain their support 

People support what they help to create. Whether public or private, you want your school stakeholders to feel invested in the solution you’re proposing. The best way to do that is to involve them in planning.  

Consider these groups:  

• Your board or controlling government and your supervisor  

• Your colleagues who will send kids to the playground  

• Parents and community members who will use or at least endorse the project  

• Community groups and local elected officials  

• Most importantly, your students themselves!  

The question to ask: “What would you need to see on opening day to be able to tell your friends and colleagues that this playground project was a success?” Prepare for a wide range of answers from the specific to the general (and helpful to obvious) like:  

• My kids should want to go there often  

• It has to last forever  

• The community should love it  

• Don’t overspend the budget  

• Incorporate this play area into our school or after-school curriculum  

• See improvement in after-lunch behavior issues in the classrooms  

Take these answers and gain agreement with your team about the measurements of success. A good practice is to turn feedback into a “project summary” that states the goals of the project before you commit budget dollars. You can send that out to stakeholders and ask for their support. It will help you gain agreement when you come back with a final project plan.  

3: What playground equipment is right?

Start to choose the playground equipment next. You don’t have to select every element of your playground, just yet. Most manufacturers have pre-assembled offerings that include a mix of equipment and zones for different activities for inspiration. They can also explain how their solutions engage kids and maintain student interest. These packages typically meet all standards. However, different playground equipment provides different benefits. For example: 

• Swings: balance, coordination, and fine and gross motor skills  

• Climbing structures: upper- and lower-body strength, coordination, risk assessment, problem solving 

• Open playground areas: imaginative play, games with balls, running games, sports  

• Under equipment areas: opportunities for small groups, solitary play  

• Straight, spiral, and wavy slides:?balance, coordination, motor skills  

• Seesaws: balance, spatial awareness, communication, understanding cause and effect.  

• Merry-go-rounds: communal play, balance, working together to create motion  

• Interactive/sensory/music play elements: General learning, experimentation, tactile exploration, self-led exploration, cooperative play  

• Sandboxes: imaginative play, tactile exploration  

• Shade structures: provide protection from the sun  

Evaluate the standard packages that manufacturers create to see if they include the elements you want. Then, interchange elements or ask for custom options. When choosing play equipment, always consider how each piece can contribute to the physical, cognitive, and social growth of your students.   

4: Planning your school's playground layout

You’ll want a playground layout that engages your young learners every day. Your greatest feedback will come from how they use it.  

Here is an easy checklist that covers issues you might consider:  

• Do we have zones for different ages and activities?  

• Do we have a mix of active play areas and passive?  

• Is there a flow to the zones and activities?  

• Do we have space for both structured and imaginative play?  

• Are there quiet areas and hideaway elements?  

• Will this space accommodate the ball play/sports our older kids will want to do?  

• Will this delight all our age and ability groups?  

• Is it challenging but not overwhelming?  

• Is the space fun and inviting?  

• What is the theme of the playground area?  

• Are we integrating with the surrounding area?  

• Are we incorporating trees and other natural landmarks?  

• Do we have all safety and ADA issues accounted for?  

• Will this layout handle all kids at full capacity?  

• Does this have the outdoor storage we need?  

• Do we have benches and tables for adults to sit and observe?  

• Who is landscaping around the playground?  

• Do we have adequate shade and protection from the weather?  

• What ongoing maintenance is needed, and can we do it easily with current staff?  

• Are all drainage issues considered?  

• Are the access points to the playground controlled?  

As for actual layouts and 3D renderings of outdoor learning spaces, your playground partner (we hope it's us!) coordinates all that with the manufacturer. Multiple rounds of layout and budgeting can happen free of charge if you need to revise the plan and present it to stakeholders.

5: Safety and compliance standards to know

Beyond local building codes, the main safety and compliance issues you must be aware of come from the following four entities. The good news is that all playground equipment manufacturers know all the necessary standards to ensure safety, the absence of harmful materials, and a long, useful life. You can look at the details of these standards in the links that follow:  

ADA requirement: The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 does require that all new play structures be accessible to those with disabilities.
ASTM considerations: The American Society for Testing and Materials provides standards for all playground equipment worldwide, with over 160 countries participating.  
CPSC compliance: The Consumer Product Safety Commission publishes safety standards for playgrounds in this handbook: Public Playground Safety.  
IPEMA certifications: The International Play Equipment Manufacturer’s Association creates certifications for products that meet the ASTM standards for product safety.   

Compliant playgrounds will all have these required elements:  

• Surfaces made of impact-absorbing materials to prevent head injuries 

• Surfaces that extend six feet beyond the playground equipment itself 

• Wheelchair maneuverability in and around the structures, with sixty inches minimum 

• Ramps for access 

• Equipment for those with special needs 

• Equipment that must be at least nine feet apart if more than thirty inches high 

• Student ages are separated by a buffer zone to protect younger children under five and two 

• Guardrails on elevated surfaces  

• No protruding bolts or hooks or potential head entrapments  

• Sight lines that allow caregivers and parents to observe the children  

• Signage to guide visitors  

• An absence of certain, more hazardous equipment, like trampolines, swinging gates, and climbing ropes not secured at both ends  

A Day in Our Shoes offers additional insights into how you can design a safe and inclusive play area for your students.  

6: Funding options your school can explore

When your budget is set, you will need to confirm the funding for it. Financing and monthly payments are two options that most partners can arrange. If that is not feasible, you need to look for grants and donations. If you apply for grants, it will increase the planning time you need. Applications are usually annual and require waiting if you miss the window.  

Here are the main sources of grants and donations:  

• Government: Federal, state, local, and municipal governments often have programs to build playgrounds, particularly in low-income areas. Check with your local governments.  

• Foundations: Many foundations, like the Aegon Transamerica Foundation, have been created over the last 100 years to give grants for kids and playgrounds.  

• Industry groups and businesses: Local sports teams often have grants for fields and equipment. Industry groups and businesses offer grants. For instance, the American Academy of Dermatologists offers shade structure grants to prevent sun damage.   

• Individuals: You can conduct a local campaign in your community through churches, schools, clubs, and others. You can manage a campaign through a platform like GoFundMe.  

Our playground partner BigToys has a comprehensive list of grant options for schools here: Grants for your Elementary School Playground! | BigToys  

7: What to expect when it's time to install playground equipment

Contact us for help!  

Thanks for reading! Now, you can begin your outdoor playground project with confidence. School Outfitters would love to help. We are particularly adept at school playgrounds from our 27-year history outfitting all aspects of school campuses. But all institutions are welcome. We would love to earn your trust. Start by scheduling a call with our Experience Positive classroom furniture and playground planning experts. Or contact our team here. Together, we can build those engaging and memorable outdoor learning experiences for your students.