Listen

Listening to the Community 02

Taking an Inventory of Community 05
Assets

Plan
Bringing it all together 08
Playground Planning checklist 09
Fundraising advice 10
Main Types of Funding 11
Reaching out to Raise Funds 13

Design
Guidelines for Designing a Playground 16
Playground Materials / Tools 21
Factors in Choosing Materials 22
Tips on Specific Materials 23
Sample Budget and Price List 25

Build
Process for Building a Playground 28
Tools for Playground Construction 30

Maintain
Maintenance Schedule 31
Playground Roster Advice 33
Playground Rules 34
Playground Guidelines for Teacher 35
Acknowledgements:
This book would not have been possible without the careful and diligent work of so many.
In the very early days I would specifically like to thank Saw Wa Do and all the amazing
school principals, teachers and builders who helped in the entire process, Robert Tate, Kat
Kominarski, Liz Kee, Marjeta Hribar, Silvan Silleran who’s energy really brought this project
to life. Also, thanks to so many others who helped with research, copy writing, and advice.
Jon Racek, Mary Jeavons , Rani Kellock - Wordplay copywriting, Claire Roman, Penny Thame,
Lejla Kebic, Heath Gledhill, Alex Haynes and Amy Church and most importantly, Elizabeth
Moreno. And to my wife, Willow who had the courage and compassion to lead us to work in
Thailand in the first place. Thankyou.

Please note:
These Materials are offered as concepts
only, to be used in close conjunction with
1 Your local playground safety
standards/guidelines (as some of
these ideas may not be suitable in
your location).
2 Your local experienced builders,
engineers, and/or NGO’s (as materials,
construction styles and cultural norms
will be unique in your location). It is
your responsibility to ensure that the
playground equipment you construct
complies with the relevant laws,
regulations or standards in your
Important: Read Terms and
location.
Conditions
Lastly, maintenance of equipment is (http://playgroundideas.org/terms-
extremely important; any material will of-use) for use of these materials
degrade over time, especially with heavy before commencing construction
use from children, so maintenance over - they contain, among other things,
time is as important to children’s safety important information about the
as the initial construction to reduce the risks involved in construction of
inherent risks of a playground. playground equipment and the limits
of Playground Idea’s liability. Designs
In locations where no standard applies,
and equipment made based on
please refer to our safety manual at www.
this website do not conform to any
playgroundideas.org and the Public
standard, law or regulation.
Playground Safety Handbook prepared
by the US Consumer Product Safety
Commission (http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/
pubs/325.pdf) and the United States
technical performance standards that relate
to playgrounds.
 Playground Ideas Manual
A guide for the community playground building process.

Introduction
We are so glad that you decided to enrich
the lives of the children in your community!
This manual has been been written from the
collected knowledge of hundreds of amazing
volunteers and the advice of lawyers,
playground safety professionals, teachers
and parents. It is the culmination of years
of hard work, sweat, sucesses and failures
and we hope it empowers you to go out
and create an amazing playspace with your
community that nourishes the hearts, minds
and bodies of your local children for years to
come. This Manual goes hand in hand with our
safety Manual and our website, www.
PlaygroundIDEAS.org. The safety manual will
“Children have the right to relax and play,
arm you with a knowledge of all the major
and to join in a wide range of cultural, artistic
hazards in an easy to follow pictorial style
and other recreational activities.”
and the website will open your mind to a
UN Convention of the Rights of a Child (Article 31) whole range of play-based resources that
will make your space really light up a child’s
imagination.
PlaygroundIDEAS specialises in community-
The website also has the worlds largest design
built, low cost playgrounds. We dont believe
library of playground elements that you can
in one size fits all spaces for children
build by hand.
but places that reflect the local customs,
It allows you to add your project and share
games and individuality of that place. Each
it with your friends to get support and other
project is unique and handcrafted with
volunteers involved.
local materials, tools and people to fit the
communities needs and the space provided. Please keep in touch, add your project and
help us grow this community resource for
those in the future.
If you have found this document useful, please consider making a
donation to www.playgroundideas.org

i.
Overview
5 Step Community Playground Process
Design
The following are the 5 main steps to This stage is where all the research
building a community playground but you you have done with the community
will need to prepare for these steps right comes together with our design
from the start so make sure you read this advice and the design section of
manual right through before you begin. www.playgroundideas.org. You can
select designs and even create a
design by using our design tool on
the website.
Listen
This is also a good time to review
First, try to understand your own
our safety guidelines to ensure your
drives, needs and ideas for this
design is safe.
project and try to put them aside for
the moment.
Build
Go out and talk to the community
about what they are already This is where it all comes together.
doing well with their children and The team, the design, the materials,
understand what they are planning the tools and the lunch to make
to do. your dreams real.

List these things and workout if a

playspace is a good project for the Maintain
community. It may be the last section but
If so, use the checklist to make sure maintenance is a huge priority to
everyone is onboard and clear on get right from the start. There must
what is being planned. be someone responsible for this
and enough funds and/or materials
to replace parts over time otherwise
Plan the project could potentially cause
Planning includes everything before more harm than good.
the build. The more preparation you
do with the community the easier the
project will go.
In this stage you will be organising a
tight, happy team, finding materials,
tools and builders and creating an
amazing design. You may also need
to be looking for funds or running a
local event as a fundraiser.
All through this process you will be
working with your community to ii.
 Listen
Listening to the Community
Deep Listening
Playgrounds do not bring play to children or
communities. In every corner of the globe
and across all cultures, children are at play.

Children are born with an unstoppable

drive to foster their own growth and
development: to explore, discover, create,
and delight. In every community there are
also adults nurturing and encouraging
these children, equipping the next
generation with the tools to address the
challenges tomorrow will bring.

Playgrounds are spaces and structures built

to validate and enrich this work already in
motion.
“listening is not
Listen
talking, listening is Find out what the community is already
listening” doing (and planning to do) before you do
anything else.
The focus of this Listen section is to
temporarily set aside whatever “playground
Make sure you listen to a range of people
agenda” you might have and focus on
including children, mothers, and the elderly
the community and the children with
to get the whole story. This will help to gain
an open mind. Now is the time to listen
a deeper perspective of what to do.
carefully to the dreams and aspirations
of these nurturing adults. Listen to how
Revisit
the community is already supporting their
Go back to the community regularly
children and how they are encouraging the
throughout the process and refine your
learning and development of these young
lives. Pay attention to the special games ideas.
and activities the children in the community
have created to fuel their imaginations and Think
develop the skills necessary to thrive in Throw out your preconceived ideas and
their community. By designing a playground really consider the culture you’re in.
deeply informed by this knowledge, you Consider the answers you are getting and
are not simply building a physical structure make sure that your work embodies the
for play. You are molding a space that will spirit of the place it is in.
enrich and support children in a manner
that fully respects how local culture and
customs address the physical, emotional,
and cognitive needs of their young
members.
02
 Listen

Introduction to the art of listening

This community consultation manual What’s in this section?

follows an Assets Based Community The contents of the “Listen section” will
Development (ABCD) approach, which is assist you in determining whether or
founded on the principle of building on not a play space is a community priority
community strengths instead of starting at this time, and if so, will provide you
from an agenda of fixing problems. To with activities aimed at gathering the
follow this model, it is essential to assume information necessary to create a
an appropriate attitude towards the space that is unique and relevant to the
community you are working with: patience, community.
a willingness to set aside your own
negativity and assumptions of the issues, a
high degree of respect for the community,
and most importantly, the belief that they
have the tools to improve their own lives.

Starting from the vantage point of strength

as opposed to weakness is a paradigm-
shifting way of changing the conversation
from seeing all the problems to instead
seeing the strengths and existing solutions.
Focusing on trust, respect, and faith in
a person or community will yield more
confident, positive and creative ideas in the
design process. Furthermore, engaging the
community in this way will foster strong
ownership and maintenance of the play
space in the future.

After exploring community assets, this

manual will guide you through activities
aimed at tapping into the array of games,
sports, and play materials unique to
individual communities. Different physical
environments and cultural contexts have
given birth to an incredible variance of
play expressions. There is great danger
in building play spaces that are globally
homogeneous and do not reflect local
ways of play, as we risk building spaces
that replace and destroy diversity instead
of preserving and encouraging it. If local
expressions of play are not treasured,
we will soon lose this wealth of children’s
cultures forever.

03
 Listen

The consultation activities are divided into

four components:

Taking an Inventory of Community

Assets

What is the current community situation?

What is working?
Where it has come from and what is it
working toward?
What are the priorities of the community as it
looks towards the future?
How is the community caring for it’s children?

Learning About Local Play

What does play look like in this context?

How, where, and with what do the children
play? How does this community foster play?
What historical ways of play do the adults
want to preserve?
What would the children like their space for
play to include?

Learning About Children’s Lives

What do the daily lives of children in this

community look like?
How do they currently spend their free time?
What do they love?
What do they fear?
What do they see adults doing?

Listing Resources and Materials

Where are the un-utilized spaces in the

community?
What are potential funding sources?
What materials are available?
Who can help?

04
 Listen

Taking an Inventory of Community Assets

Assemble a discussion group of community What is worth cherishing and
members. The group should include preserving?
community leaders, school directors, local
government officials, etc., but be sure to
also involve a diversity of members with • What common culture or identity do
respect to gender, age, ability, and economic the children in this place share? (could
standing. Pay particular attention to be people group/tribe/country/region/
including and encouraging participation from shared experience, etc.)
those whose may not typically carry weight in • What are the positive characteristics of
community decisions. this culture/identity?
• What parts of the community’s past do
you hope the children will carry on and
Community Mapping
preserve?
Ask the group to imagine they are a bird
flying above their community. Draw a What do you see looking forward?
simple map of the community from a bird’s • Envision your community in 5 years.
eye view. Mark the major features – roads, What do you see?
schools, markets, etc. Emphasize that scale, • What are community members doing to
detail, or drawing ability is not important. make this place better for themselves,
their families, and their neighbors?
Referring back to their maps, lead the group • What are your key priorities for your
in a conversation about their community, community?
focusing on the strengths of the community
and using the questions and categories
below to guide the discussion and mark What is the community doing to
where these positive things are happening care for the children?
on their maps. These maps will be used in
many of the “Listen” activities, so be sure to • What are the children in your
collect them, or encourage participants to community experiencing and learning in
bring them back to further meetings. their childhood?
• What do you want the children in your
What is working in your community community to experience and learn?
right now? • Imagine your children at your age now.
What do you see?
• What are your key priorities for your
• What are the good things in it?
children?
• What do you love about this place?
• What in your community makes you
proud? Who is working to improve the
• Where were you at 5 years ago, and what community and where?
has change since then, for the better?
• Who is involved in bringing about good
things in your community? Who are the
key people who drive improvement in
the community?
• In which places are these good things
happening?
• What are the places of potential in the
community? Where are the under-utilized
spaces?
05
 Listen

OK, I have listened , now what?

To build or not to build ? Learning About Local Play

At this point you should have a good idea of Gathering authentic descriptions of how
whether or not a space for play is a priority children play and what they would like their
for the community at this time. play space to include is no easy task. If you
ask directly, the answers you receive will
If it is not and there are more pressing likely revolve around their knowledge of a
priorities for the needs of the children, you limited variety of playground equipment
may want to think about how you could – swings, slides, see-saws and merry-go-
support the community in utilizing their rounds. Custom designed play spaces that
assets to address these priorities, and reflect a respect for local ways of play and
revisiting the idea of a play space at a later encourage creative, imaginative play and
date. problem solving are very rare throughout
the world. For someone who has never
If a play space is identified as a priority, take seen one, imagining what this might look
some time to introduce the idea of working like can be difficult.
with the community to design and build a
unique space for play, using designs and Adults have trouble “getting in the shoes”
guidance from Playground Ideas website of children and remembering what it was
www.playgroundideas.org. like to be their age. Young children have
not yet developed the cognitive abilities to
You can then move ahead with the next accurately reflect on and articulate their
activities: “Learning About Local Play,” actions. Both adults and children may
“Learning About Children’s Lives,” and associate play simply with organized games
“Mapping Resources and Materials.” or built structures (i.e. football or swing
sets), rather than open ended activities and
materials, (i.e. “playing house” or squishing
mud between their toes.)

To address these obstacles to gathering

creative ideas for design, it is best to use a
variety of approaches. Below are examples
of activities you could carry out. You can
show them pictures of Playground Ideas
designs and ask them which ones they
like best, but only do this after they have
offered their own ideas.

06
 Listen

Learning about Local Play Playing Local Games:

Mapping Play Activities and Spaces: Ask children to teach you some of the
games unique to their country, culture, or
Ask adults to draw a map of their community (ask adults what local games
communities when they were growing up or they remember playing as children.) It can
add to map from previous exercise. Ask the be helpful to start by teaching them a game
children to draw a map of their community you played as a child that was unique to
now. Ask both adults and children to identify your own culture (hopscotch, skipping rope,
all the places in which they played in their singing games, etc.)
drawn map and illustrate/label these on
the map. (Ask them which are/were their
Walking Tour:
favorite places to play and why they like/liked
playing there - what is/was special about
them and what kinds of games they played Ask a small group of 3 or 4 children of
there (get them to demonstrate if possible, different ages to walk you around their
have fun with it). Ask the children what kinds community and point out all the places they
of games they play now. N.B. Some games, play and tell you what they do there. You’ll
like chasing games, may not have a particular get to know which places are really special
place associated with them, but will still need and why, and you can incorporate what you
to be taken into account when planning a learn from the children into the community
play environment.) map. It will also tell you what’s missing.
You can talk and ask questions as you walk
along, and the answers will tell you a lot
Identifying Play “Ingredients”: about play in the community. Make sure
you include both boys and girls, children
Ask both children and adults to identify from from different backgrounds and children
their maps the key “ingredients” that should with a disability as each will have different
be included in their “Play Recipe” (e.g. trees, ways of using the same space. If possible,
rocks, cars, grandfather’s shed, cooking etc.) visit schools or existing play spaces and
Write each ingredient down on a small piece observe their activities and ask them what
of paper. Collect the paper into a pile and is happening. (Do not do this alone or in
get the community to organize them into places out of view of the general public)
groups or areas. The community may have
their own categories or you could organize
them into different play types like: sports “Playground Reporter Exercise”
play, physical movement play, nature play,
imaginative, pretend play, social play and (See Appendix A): This exercise gives
place/ cultural play/games. From this list older children (12-14 yrs.) responsibility
get the community to identify the priorities in gathering information from their
of what is needed in this playground as younger peers about how and where they
opposed to things that already exist in the like to play. Children of this age can be
community. Carefully document this list. a great resource because they walk the
line between child and adult. They have
spent many years playing in the spaces of
Drawing and Modeling: their communities throughout different
developmental stages and are young
Ask children and adults to draw a picture enough to have clear memories of play
of what they would like their playground throughout their childhood. They are also
to include. Encourage imaginative ideas! mature enough to be able to accurately
Elephants, airplanes, dinosaurs, and reflect on and describe these memories.
birthday cakes are all “acceptable” answers. Unlike adults, younger children do not yet
Alternatively, provide loose materials (sticks, see them as authority figures and are more
clay, fabric, etc.) and participants can model likely to share honestly with them.
designs. 07
 Listen

Learning about Childrens Lives

A good playground includes both fanciful Trauma and Play
elements that inspire children to dream and
imagine and realistic elements that connect No child experiences a purely positive
to children’s lived experiences and allow childhood and play can be a powerful
them to develop and practice relevant skills tool for children to understand and deal
through play. with emotions, trauma, and confusing
situations. If children identify playing games
Below are a few sample questions for associated with negative experiences (war,
children and adults, aimed at getting a good violence, sickness, etc.), do not ignore these
snapshot of children’s lived experiences in things. List them down and work with the
their community: community to brainstorm places for play
• What are some important parts of the that could encourage them to positively
history of this community? work through their questions in play.
• What do you know about the history of Examples:
this school/centre/space?
• What is the main occupation of the • For children who experience illness
parents of the children in this community? and fear of doctors, injections, or
• What is special and unique to this medications, their playground could
community? What sets it apart from include a mini hospital shop front with
surrounding communities? patient bed and pharmacy.
• How do your children spend their free
time? At school? At home? • For children in a community that has
• What do the children say they need? experienced war or political upheaval,
• Do they have time and space to play their playground could include mini
outdoors? Does anything prevent this? round table for peace talks or a pretend
• Compete this sentence: “My child is radio station for them to broadcast the
happiest when…” news they are observing and discuss
their ideas and opinions about the
• Complete this sentence: “What my child
events taking place around them.
fears most is…”

• For children who live in chaotic or

Social Responsibility and Play violent home environments, their
playground could include peaceful
Role-play is an important way of learning spaces or enclosed nooks to feel safe
skills and responsibilities they see exhibited and protected.
by adults. Ask parent and teachers to map
places in the community where children are • For young children in a daycare who
observing adults modeling responsibility struggle with separating from their
and positive community activities that mothers, their playground could include
children need to learn (i.e. saving money adult seating or interactive elements
at the bank, shopping at the market, caring that would encourage mothers to play
for children, cooking meals, going to the with their children on site before they
doctor, etc.) How can these elements be leave.
encouraged in the play space? Really focus
on the cultural specifics here to create and
authentic experience. How are houses built
in this community? What do the kitchens
look like? What are the names/logos of local
businesses? (Maybe thay might sponsor you
too?)

08
 Listen

Mapping Materials and Resources

Map available space, resources, People
people and time. Who are the local skilled workers, artisans,
If you do not already have a space this and DIY creatives? Who would be willing to
will help to identity the space available volunteer? How often and when? What skill-
in the community. This can be done on a gaps does the community have that need to
community scale or simply within the walls of be filled?
a school ground.
Tools
Space Make a list of all the tools and transport
On the community maps, ask the community (trucks, earth moving machinery, etc.) you
members to add or circle any under- can access through community networks.
utilized spaces in their community and Consider:
any play areas that need improvement or
maintenance. Ask the community to cross- • Electric Circular Saw
reference the maps of they made of play • Electric Grinder/Metal Cutter
activities with their current community
• Electric Drill
maps. Where are the gaps? Ask them to
identify spaces that will best serve their play • Hammers
priorities. • Chisels
• Machete
When a space has been identified, measure • Screwdrivers
its dimensions accurately. Mark any trees, • Bolt Cutters
rocks, or natural features. Take time to do • Hand Saw
this carefully to save time redoing it later. • Pliers /Ratchet Spanner Set
• Shovel / hoe /Pick Axe
Materials • Measuring Tools
Explore the best materials to use based on • Utility Knives (and plenty of new blades)
availability, price and safety (remember: • Protective Eye Cover, Dust Masks &
you will need to find these materials again Gloves
for future maintenance). Don’t forget scrap • Paintbrushes
yards, clean industrial waste, fallen trees, • Trucks and other transport
recycled steel and timber, trees and plants • Earth moving equipment
from the forest. Think creatively here. Ask
• Generators (if Power is unreliable)
the group to identify the other resources
they have available, there are always unused
• Other ____________________________
resources in communities that can be
utilized. Do we have any cheap/free/recycled/ Map where these tools can be found. Local
donated materials? businesses, factories, workshops, and
Funding artisans will all have tools you may be able
to borrow or rent for the project.
Map out potential funding/sponsorship
sources. Map possible local business
donations of materials (like tires, soil, sand Time
etc.). Brainstorm potential funding sources When will the project start? How long is it
like non-profit organizations, businesses, going to take? Are there any activities in
banks, or wealthy individuals. Discuss the calendars that will hinder the timeline
fundraising ideas like dinners, auctions, or of the project? (i.e. public holidays, rainy
bakes sales. season, etc.)

09
 Listen
Once you have gathered all this information you should have a very clear idea of all
the aspects of the project. Please use the Community Agreement overleaf to check you
have covered all the parts of this “Listen” section and communicated this clearly with the
community. Now you can move on to the “Plan” and “Design” sections of this manual to
start making this play space a reality!

Creating a Community Agreement

Once the community has decided to go
ahead with the playground, below is a Ask how old the children at the school
checklist designed to help you make sure are. You want to build a playground
you have covered everything and hav all the that is age-appropriate.
information you need. Under 5 :
Check the boxes for each of item Between 5-10:
as you complete the tasks. All Over 10:
boxes should be checked and ths
agreement signed before you begin Total= _____
your project. Ask who currently funds the school.
There will be future maintenance
costs and they may need to assist with
the project. You also don’t want to
Community Engagement Checklist/ duplicate or get in the way of other
funders’ plans. If possible Call them
Agreement and let them know your plans; they
may be able to help.
Do you have a clear, well -defined Name:
list of the communities priorities in
general? Phone Number:

Do you have a clear, well -defined list Name:

of the communities priorities for the Phone Number:
children?
Do you have a Clear list of:
Tools: Have you identified all the tools,
Materials generators, Trucks/ transport available
Tools to the community.

Potential Funders
Ask about when is the best time to
Volunteers/ Artisans / Labourers
start building the playground would
be (consider public holidays, harvest
Have you taken a tour of the School/ times etc)
community? Walked around Around this date:
the entire grounds and found a space
for the playground site? Continued on next page...
Some important elements to consider:
• Shade from trees
• Trees for use in the design
• Fenced off from roads
• Easy to supervise
• Near school buildings
10
 Listen

The school is required to supply lunch Explain to the school that when
for the volunteers. PlaygroundIDEAS _____________ (Name of builder/
expects this to be done at a minimum organizer) has finished the
cost and will reimburse the school construction process, the school/
$______ per person per meal. NGO will own the playground and
The school is required to find a has complete responsibility for its
minimum of ___ skilled local builders maintenance and repair.
to volunteer every day of the (Show the Maintenance Schedule sheet
playground construction. and maintainance checklist at the end
of this document.)
The school is required to recruit
The playground builder’s responsibility
as many volunteers as possible
will end at the playground’s
(especially for the first and last days of
opening ceremony and will go to
the build).
____________________ (name of school
The school is required to include principal/ community representative).
$_____ in their budget to their funders
Ask if the school has any questions
for yearly maintenance of the
or concerns. Discuss until you can
playground.
reach an agreement with the school or
After the build: community representative. Note: The
playground cannot be started until all
The school agrees to decide on rules points of the agreement have been
for the playground and to explain adjusted and agreed upon.
these rules clearly to the students. We
will make a sign at the entrance of the Have all parties sign the agreement.
playground explaining these rules.
(Show the principal the Playground
Rules help sheet.)
To avoid accidents and conflicts, the We are looking forward to making the
school agrees that they will have at children happy and healthy! Signed by:
least one teacher supervising the
playground during lunchtime every
day of the school year.
To avoid overcrowding and injuries at School Principal / Community Representative

lunchtime, the school is encouraged to

establish a roster for the playground. Playground Builder

(Show the principal the Playground

Roster help sheet.)

11
 Plan
Bringing all the pieces together...
So now you’re at the point where you feel Use our resources !
pretty clear about what the community is
currently doing and that they have decided You dont need to start from scratch, use
that the playground is a priority. The planning our knowledge to get you going. Look at
stage is all about bringing all the right people, PlaygroundIDEAS.org and become familiar
tools, materials together into a fun and with what is possible. Spend some time
cooperative team. looking at our design and photo gallery, the
safety guidelines, and the links pages in the
Read right through this manual and make a resources section (they have many links to
list of everything you need to prepare other great resources).

Gather a Crowd Update Project Profile Page

Firstly, determine the key people from the People who donate will want to know where
school and community and ensure that they their money is going, so don’t forget to
are always present when making decisions update them via your project profile page.
about the playground. Even if the updates are only short messages
To recruit other volunteers, like parents, about what’s going on, your supporters will
local artists, backpackers, etc., try reaching really appreciate them.
out to them in community gathering places.
Some people don’t like to recruit help, but Celebrate
we believe sharing the load with others
When everything is finished, dont forget
can be valuable - the more people you
to have a big party. You will need to work
have onboard, the broader your skill base
out food, drinks, maybe some speeches
is to achieve tasks, generate fresh ideas,
and certificates for the volunteers. This
and locate resources. You may not get an
should be great fun but is also essential in
instant response, but keep going and they
connecting this space into the community
will come over time.
and thanking people for all their hard
• If you havent done it already, add work.
your project to our website http://
playgroundideas.org/content/basic-page/
add-project-and-more.
• Hang flyers in restaurants, coffee shops,
guest houses etc (this generally attracts a
small but steady stream of people to help).
• Talk with the school teachers and parents
• Put a story in the local newspaper
• Search the internet for organizations with
similar interests
• Post your story on web forums, blogs, etc.
• Be bold; spread the word!
12
 Plan

Playground planning checklist

(see page numbers for more details)
Materials
Collect materials and adjust your plan
(tick when complete) if other interesting materials come
along
Listening and Designing
Read this manual all the way through Maintenance
Forget the idea of building a Who will maintain the playground?
playground for a moment, meet with Make all staff aware of this
the community and learn about what maintenance person
they are doing already and what their
priorities are. Work out a supervision roster with
the teachers
Decide with the community if you will
build a playground Other things to organise
Using the ‘Listen’ chapter, work out Work out who will feed the volunteers
the community priorities for play and Create playground rules with
maybe a playground. teachers and students
Once you are ready to go, work Work out a playground roster for
through the community agreement to students if overcrowing is a concern.
ensure you have everything
Organise a person to prepare a
Start a Playground Project Page at opening day celebration
www.playgroundideas.org/how-do-i-
do-it. Call a local paper or email out your
story to people who may want to do a
Read the safety manual right through story about your project
Create a design with some key
community members from mixing the
community’s ideas , the safety manual
guidance, the natural features of the
space, the playgroundideas design
library and the budget.
Email PlaygroundIDEAS or skype us
for a chat
Go back to the community with your
plan and get feedback
Make any changes necessary and go
back to the community to finalise.

13
 Plan

Funding Advice
Getting funding for a project can seem like
a daunting task if you have no experience
in fundraising, so we’ve put together some
advice on sourcing funds to help build your
playground.

Preparation is Vital
You must get yourself organized first,
before contacting potential funders,
businesses or friends. Generally speaking,
donors will not be interested until you are
organized with a clear proposal and plan.
If you don’t have a space, a plan, and a
proposal, then you have nothing to get
funded!

Don’t Let Finding Funding Become a

Project Roadblock
Be careful not to make funding your sole
focus. There are many elements your team
can build that cost nothing but a bit of
energy. We definately suggest building
some of these elements first to show your
motivation to funders.
You need to think outside the box, getting
the playground built is a creative, problem Use our website!
solving process. There will be many people
who cannot help with money, but will be Did you know you can start a project page
happy to help you with time and other from our website where you can add the
resources you need. budget you need? then you can share your
page and ask your friends, and networks to
donate.
Be Positive
Our website also has many links to
When talking with potential donors, if you
foundations and other playground funders.
are positive, passionate and confident
in what you are trying to achieve; and Additional Links
enthusiastic with your requests, your http://playgroundideas.org/content/
communication will be more effective, and basic-page/play-links
likely more successful.

14
 Plan

Main Types of Funding

Your three main potential sources of • Talk with any local youth groups and/
funding are from local networks, online or local committees to help organize
networks and foundations. We’ll talk briefly sponsored events to raise money, such
about all three, as a sponsored walk, run, or sports day,
and the different approaches required. or a football or cricket game. Involving
the children in the organization of the
Local Funding fundraising event will not only get them
to contribute their efforts but will also
Paul Hogan, a playground builder who increase their sense of ownership in the
built playgrounds in many places in the playground.
developing world, had a “chicken dinner” • ‘Pass around the hat’ at a local event for
policy. If the community couldn’t organize contributions.
a fundraising chicken dinner then the • Approach local businesses for funding.
community didn’t have enough enthusiasm
• For material donations, visit companies
to get the project done.
who sell the products that you need.
Local funding is obtained through your They will most likely be enthusiastic to
local networks and community events, such help a project that will benefit children.
as cash donations, bake sales, and local You may also need to find a transport
business donations. It can also include in- company for moving the elements to
kind donations the site. Offering to add their name on a
of items, for example, timber, nails, and playground sign can be very attractive to
tires. local shops.
• Ask the local council or community
Ways to Approach Local Funding committee if they have any equipment
available, or old tools to donate.
These generally involve doing something • Look for used or second-hand
within your community to raise interest and playground equipment for sale in your
consciousness about your project. Note: be local paper.
sure to check for permission with the local
council first, if necessary.
Here are some simple suggestions: Be creative and thrifty, think laterally and
• Build a simple element from your you will be amazed at what you can come
playground plan with people from the up with.
community to get them personally
invested in the project; see what interest
and action is generated as a result.
• Hold an event to raise interest and
money; setting up stalls with raffles and
selling homemade food are popular
activities at such events. Perhaps the
local school, rotary club,church/temple/
mosque, or community center would be
interested in hosting an event.
15
 Plan

Online Funding
Getting your friends to help you source
funding online is getting easier and easier Ways to Approach Foundation
every day. Here are some easy suggestions: Funding
Start a Facebook (or other social Before starting a grant application, ask
networking) page and invite all your friends yourself if you really need a grant. Funding
to “like” your page. Add stories about your and grants can seem great, but looks can be
project and links to your project page on deceiving. Below are some of the pros and
the playground ideas site. cons of seeking a grant.
Ask them to tell their friends and to donate. For
Through this method we have had projects • Provides extra money to spend on
that raised all their funding in a matter of playground equipment, tools, and/or
days. technology you otherwise cannot afford.
• May offer a long-term grant to cover
Foundation Funding several projects.
Organized foundation funding is a more
structured funding arrangement, usually Against
made with foundations, philanthropists, • May create an attitude of dependancy
and institutions. on outside factors insead of using local
Usually you can raise more money resources
through Foundation funding than through • If you get the money now and create a
local funding, but it takes much more big playground, the money may not be
professionalism on your part to convince the around when repairs are required
funder to give to your project instead of the • May require laborious amounts of paper
other worthy projects you are competing work and accountability that can distract
against. from the project’s progress.
• May restrict how the money can be used
(e.g. It’s OK to spend on materials, but
not on labor).
• May take months for the decision to be
made at an annual funding meeting.
You may buy many great things that the
community cannot maintain or afford to
replace.

16
 Plan

Reaching Out to Raise Funds

Take a look on the resources tab of www. Dear sir or madam,
playgroundideas.org to see our funding I have just come back from the Thai, Burma
links for a list of websites with ideas on boarder where I have been building a
where to get funding for your playground. playground for the Karen refugees (a hill tribe
from Burma that for the past 60 years have
Often your first contact will be via a letter
been slaughtered by the military dictatorship
or email. These letters should be polite, from Burma – you can learn more if you go
professional, direct, and on-point. to youtube and search for Karen Burma war)
There are 7 refugee camps along the Thai
A “Not So Good” Example border.
I am trying to raise funds to build a playground
In the next column is a letter we have been
in each camp. The cost is about £2000 each.
given permission to reproduce. It was There is funding for schools and education but
written to seek funding for playgrounds not for playgrounds. I have never tried to raise
in the refugee camps on the Thai–Burma cash before and have no idea how to go about
border, and was sent to British timber it. All I know is the kids in the camps, most are
companies. born there (Mea la camp is 20 years old) have
It did not receive a single reply. Have a the right to play.
read and think if you would have replied. Can you help me? I have been building
Does this letter make you want to playgrounds for the last 16 years so I have
immediately call to donate as much as you experience I am not in this for personal gain. I
can afford? Why? (Or more to the point, just need enough to cover my expenses, travel,
why not?) transport and accommodation. My heart has
gone out to the Karen people and I really want
to help them even in the refugee camps they are
not safe.
On the 23/04/09 unknown people (probably
Burmese undercover Junta) poisoned the water
supply for 60,000 people by pouring gallons of
weed killer into the water supply.
Help me put a smile on the kids faces. Thanks.
P.S. I thought a few photos would not go a miss.
The PR would be good. I don’t know if you get a lot
of timber from Thailand or Burma but it would be
nice to put something back. Please send this on if
you know anyone who can help I can show you a
lot more photos of before and after.
All the best,
_______________

17
 Plan

Key Points That Will Help Secure It is alway good to add a story about the
Organized Funders Trust place and the children but it must be about
You need the donors to trust you. They the issue and how your project is trying to
need to know that you and your team are address the issue.
the right people for the job, that you are
responsible, and that they can trust you Offer to involve the sponsor
with their money.
In addition you could offer to supply photos
and progress updates to the sponsors, and
Create a good first impression even welcome the sponsors to visit and
First impressions are really important, be it help out
through a telephone call or a letter. in the overall process.

Firstly, call the company (foundation,

institution, etc.) and find out who is the
Write a letter and proposal
marketing, sponsorships, or donations Write a separate proposal and attach it
person, in order to address your letter to your letter to the appropriate person.
directly to him/her. It is likely the letter Breakdown the costs, time frames, who
alone will not reach the appropriate is involved and who will benefit. Be breif,
person. If possible, chat with him/her about usually 1-2 pages is enough.
your plans on the phone first to build a
Perhaps a better letter than the example
relationship.
above would be something like :
If there is not a person with such
responsibility, you may be connected to
someone at a senior level, like an associate, “After building playgrounds for 16 years in
director, or partner, which would be to your ‘developed’ countries, I want to use my skills
advantage, as there is no use talking to in a place where playgrounds just don’t exist.
people who cannot make the final decision. I am looking for others who understand
the power of free play (to build problem
Be specific solving skills, creativity, and social skills)
to join with me to make sure children, no
Both on the phone and in writing, be matter whether born in a refugee camp or
specific in your request. If your letter in the UK, have the right to play, develop
doesn’t say anything explicit about the scale holistically and enjoy their childhood.
of the project, time frame, or budget it is
less likely a person will respond, since they Our team plans to build a playground
won’t know what exactly they would be in each of the 9 refugee camps for the
getting themselves into. thousands of refugee children over a who
have crossed the border from Burma.
Looking again at the “not so good” example Each playground costs around $2130 (see
letter above, the following details are the attached proposal for breakdown).
keys points and should be focussed on.
Please read the attached proposal and I will
“6 months, 9 camps, 9 playgrounds, 2000 get back in contact over the following weeks
pounds each, one playground every 3 to discuss this project further.
weeks. 16 years of playground building
experience ”
Warm regards,

XXX XXXX
1 Street Road, Suburb.

18
 Plan

Use appropriate language

When writing to funders be sure to
use appropriate language, with correct
grammar and good sentence structure, and
be sure to run it through a spell check. Ask
a friend or colleague to proofread it before
sending. A well-written fundraising letter,
like a CV and cover letter for a job interview,
wont lose you any points, But a poorly
written letter definately will!

Follow up
Generally, funders are very busy so don’t be
afraid to call to follow up a couple of days
later if you don’t get a response. Based on
our experiences, 1 in 10 letters generally
is successful, but persistence definitely
improves your chances.

Keep the sponsors involved

Once you have some funds (or the promise
of funds) your job does not end there.
You must keep your new donors informed
of what you are doing regularly enough that
they feel connected without overloading
them. If you are unsure of what kind of
contact they want, ask them.

Get in touch after the project

At the end of the project, make sure you
send some before-, during-, and after-project
photos to your funders – This is essential
for long term funding, especially if you want
them to help with maintenance costs later on.

19
 Design
Guidelines for Designing a Playground
Designing a playground encompasses much
more than simply putting elements in a
space.
The team at Playground Ideas loves
dreaming up new and exciting designs for
playgrounds, and this guide is designed
to give you some easy to follow concepts
which we hope will inspire you.

Remember the details

For a child, it is as much about the
structures and big elements as it
is about the little details. Children
love the little details that can be
discovered whilst playing. Little
painted pictures in corners and Three Rules
nooks, handles and levers, peep
Firstly, here are the three rules that guide
holes, barrels to drum, talking tubes,
the overall designing process.
and so on all make and keep a
playground interesting. While busily 1 We are designing a space for
building, these details can easily be children. While a good play
missed or forgotten. Don’t do it; keep space can take many forms, it
your focus on the child’s perspective. must never lose its focus on the
Remember to include safe fall children’s needs. Observe and
zones See our Basic Safety try to understand the children
Guidelines document for details and their context. remember
on how to safely space playground their responses from your
elements “listen”activities!
http://www.playgroundideas.org/ 2 You are designing a space using
How-do-i-do-it. local ideas, materials, labor,
and tools. This ensures the
community will be able to use,
Important: Remember to use
maintain, repair, and improve the
soft fall materials! Sand, tan bark,
playground over time.
coconut husks, and rice husks are
the main feature in the playground 3 Don’t forget to use the natural
that can minimize fall injuries, which landscape as an element as much
make up to 80% of injuries on a as possible.
playground. (U.S. Consumer Product
Safety Commission (2008))

20
 Design

Now for the Fun Part: creating the 5. Don’t forget to carefully review the
design safety guidelines in our manual and
adhere to any local building codesand
Well Done! You have listened and planned safety guidelines to create a safer
and finally you are ready to take all this project.
knowledge to create a design.
6. When you have a draft design you will
From the mapping activities you know what need to meet again to review and get
assets already exist in the community and feedback to ensure the community is
things that needing to be created. completely satified before going on with
Now its time to put all of these things the build.
together with the knowledge you have
gathered from Playground Ideas website Making Changes can be good but
where you can find over 100 simple designs can have unintended consequences
and plans plus safety manuals and many
other resources. To create a truly great project in terms of
finished product AND process it is essential
1. From this list you can begin to think that you try hard to get the trust, respect
about the diffferent areas required in the and cooperation of the community. It is
space and can prioritise elements that also paramount that you use a community
fit with this. i.e.A sandpit and some false development model like what we have
shop fronts or a pretend kitchen may explained in the “listen” section to deeply
assist with a lack of imaginative play and understand the communities priorities. Be
role play. Please see the design section careful not to think that whatever you do
of our website for further details. www. will have a positive impact as community
playgroundideas.org/DesignLibrary developent projects have regularly gone
2. Creating a design is difficult to do in a wrong. There is a very close relationship
large group because the options are between many children’s games and the
unlimited. It is best for the project leader places where they play them. Some games
or other designer to create a plan with a only occur because of particular elements
few creative community members and in the play environment, and in some areas
then to get the community to comment there could be games which have been
on it. played in the same place for generations.
Understanding this relationship is
3. Alternatively, from these lists, necessary if the outdoor space is to be
Playgroundideas can assist in creating a altered. Further more, changing the physical
design, or you can access our manuals environment is likely to have an effect on
and design gallery to choose the designs children’s play in the area. The effect can
you like. you can contact us here: www. be positive or negative, depending on the
playgroundideas.org/FAQ particular circumstances in each community
4. You will need to be creative with your and the types of changes planned.
designs to ensure they can be created
with the local materials, tools and
labour that you have available. Take your time, be humble and respectful,
get a good translator (if you need one) and
proceed with care...

21
 Design

First, work out the details of the Unusual spaces

space... Space beside or between buildings or trees
can often force you to think more creatively
about how to use that space. Sloped sites
How Many People Will Use the can be fantastic because they add different
Playground? dimensions and levels, which could be
• The more children you have, the more expensive to replicate on a flat space.
elements and space you will need. Remember other activities
• Keep in mind, it is unlikely that all children Consider all the other activities that go
will play on the playground at once. on in the space to ensure everything is
• A good rule is to plan for 0.25m2 of catered for. Consider things like football
space per child.1 pitches and other activities, such as school
assemblies, community meetings, and
markets.
1
This rule of space does not include extra
field space for the children to run and Refer to page 14 for more information on
play ball sports, ideally this should also be this.
incorporated into your play space plans
also. Measure Your Space
Mark the exact positions of trees, shrubs,
Find a Great Space fences, and so on. Pay particular attention
Walk around the school or community to shady areas. Since shade moves, the best
with teachers/ principal/ students and find time to record shade is in the middle of the
a good public area, keeping the following day when the children go out to play and
criteria in mind: the sun is strongest.
Shady areas with trees Take several photos as you will need them
These add interest and protect the children when doing your design later.
(and the playground) from the sun and rain. Next, mark on your sketch with arrows the
Furthermore, children naturally gravitate flow of movement of children and adults
towards places like trees that can be through the area. Notice where the children
explored and investigated, areas that are enter from to play; where are the doors
less immediately “mapped out” for use. from the classes and gates to the car park?
Do you need a “corridor” for children/
teachers to pass through the space?
Consider any other movement patterns of
individuals, cars, bicycles, animals, etc.
Now you should have a good clean site map
that you can start to fill. If possible it can be
good to photocopy this map a few times so
you can experiment with different designs.

22
 Design

Now its time to think about what to Active Play Sports/Game Play
put into your space ...
Swings Soccer
Slides Football
Design for Different Types of Play Seesaws Tennis
Ladders Basketball
Children use different types of play to Netball
Bridges
understand the world around them and to Four square
Lookouts
master life skills. Monkey bars Wall ball
Skipping rope
On the right is a four-quadrant diagram Running
Jumping Elastics
containing lists of ways children play. Most
playgrounds focus only on the top two Rolling
squares, Active Play and Sports Play and Somersaults
although these types of play are extremely
Free Play Imaginative/Role
important (especially for developing
Play
physical and social abilities), Free Play and
Imaginative Play help children’s brain’s Using Parts Using Fishing
Nature Gardening
develop in other ways and should be Boxes
Animal sculptures
incorporated into your playground designs. Crates Trees
Tires Shops
Placed logs
By having some of the Free Play elements Blocks Grass
Cars
in your play space you are giving children Construction Sculpted
Trucks
a whole raft of new creative outlets to earth Boats
- building
Chalkboards
explore. When a child can take one element - stacking Hills/slopes
Kitchens
and join it with another the opportunities Chalk Flowers
drawing Ants or Tree houses
for imagination are endless. The list of Cubbies
Garden butterflies
Free Play parts above are inexpensive and Castles
hoses Rocks
available in most places, thus making them Forts
Water Pebbles
less likely to be stolen, and easily replaced if bottles Sand/dirt
broken. Scoops Water
Having Imaginative or Role Play elements Shovels
Buckets
(For example, cars, cubbies, or kitchens)
enables children to take on roles and
act out different stories. Research has
suggested that this kind of experimentation
can be very therapeutic for children - acting Read more about children’s play and
out stories from their lives, imagining varied good designs in the Research section
endings to the stories, and seeing how of our website.
others respond.
Refer to the Basic Safety Guidelines
Keep these four quadrants in mind as for ways to avoid injuries when mixing
you design activities and elements for the activities.
playground; seek community input for
other activities that can be added to the
lists above. The best playground designs
not only incorporate all four play types, but
do so by having spaces, that mix the play
types as opposed to having a defined space
for each play type.

23
 Design

Place is Important Good Planning and Layout

“We built a playground once based around • Space elements far enough from each
the theme of a castle, when it was nearly other to allow for safe fall zones.
finished one of the builders came to me (see the Safety Guidelines at www.
and said ‘What is a castle?’ The playground playgroundideas.org).
looked great and the kids loved it, but deep • Isolate fast-moving elements from other
down I knew we had missed something elements /areas of high activity.
important.” – volunteer (e.g. swings and slide exits)
It is important to design a great playground • Separate toddler elements from the
that stimulates children’s minds and bodies, areas for older children.
and it’s great to spark a child’s imagination • Enable movement between elements
and ingenuity. But how to capture their without crossing through the safe fall
spirit? How do you design a play space that zones of fast moving elements like
is not generic, but speaks to the child and swings.
the community about ‘who they are?’ This is
not easy but now you have the knowledge Remember to Provide the Basics
from the “listen” section of this manual to • Shade
guide you, you are well on the way.
• Water to drink
Having a strong sense of the place and • Seating for supervisors
culture you live in is key to many positive • Trash cans
outcomes for children, but also importantly • Playground rules/signage
for the whole community, it fosters a sense
of civic pride and love of place. The stories Think about the Playground’s
we tell, the yearly celebrations, the floods,
the people, the weather, the jokes, and so Environment
on all combine into a connection and safety • Sun and shade patterns during main
you feel when in your ‘place’. This is strongly play times. (Will the children be at risk
connected to positive wellbeing for the for
community, and the way you design the play sunburn or the equipment be hot?)
space can help to add to this spirit. • Natural contours of the land
When thinking about what type of • Flow of people through the space
playground to make, it can be good to start • Sight lines. (Where is the best
with local stories or myth as a driving idea. supervision point? Put the teachers
The aim is for a playground to become seating there.)
a special place, a unique symbol of the
community. A playground is an expression
of local imagination and spirit.
For more information about age
So, when talking with communities, don’t appropriate elements, please refer to
forget to ask about stories, customs, and page 7 of the U.S Public Playground
anything particular to that area. Ask about Safety Handbook.
people’s experiences, and where and how http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/325.
they played as childen. Then take these pdf
stories and work with the school to find ways
to embed these ideas into the play space.
24
 Design

Make good connections Think about the Materials

Children in a natural state of play do Before finalizing the plan, give some
not move in straight lines so having a thought to the types of materials available
playground that “flows” well involves having and their costs relative to your budget.
all the components of the playground well-
If you have a small budget, now is the time
connected. For example, say there is a path
to get really creative. Whenever you are
leading from the playground entrance to the
traveling around, keep an eye out for piles
rope bridge, cargo net, and monkey bars,
of steel at the back of a factory, stacks of
but in between these you can divert off to
wooden pallets from a building site, and, of
the hopscotch, slide, or tree house. Good
course, car, motorbike or truck tires from
“flow” will give the child different directions
motor mechanics, who almost always have
to explore each time they step into the play
a ready supply. (In some countries there is
space. Check out the Whole playground
a cost for removing tires so mechanics are
pictures in the gallery on our website for
happy for you to take them away; you may
examples of playgrounds with many pathways
even be paid to take them!)
and connections between each element.
Our plans use only materials available locally
Make a plan of your design and for a cost that the school can afford to
To move on to the next stages, knowing how replace when necessary. Generally speaking,
much to buy and how to build, you need local materials don’t last as long as factory-
to sketch your elements into your site plan built playgrounds, but they are significantly
to scale. You can also use our Playground less expensive to build and to maintain for the
Designer tool in the design section of our community over time.
website, or using Google SketchUp.
Meet with the Community Again
Playground Designs
http://www.playgroundideas.org/ Present your sketches to the community
DesignLibrary and get their agreement, or redo the above
steps until there is a plan to which the
Google Sketchup community agrees.
http://sketchup.google.com/
Create a Playground Package
When the community is happy with the
plan create a building package with a final,
detailed, scale plan of the playground,
download the step by step plans for each of
the elements you will use from our design
webpages and you save some photos from
the site to show builders what each element
looks like.

25
 Design

Playground Materials & Tools

Almost a quarter of playground injuries are It is always important that skilled local
caused in some way by the equipment. builders and/or engineers are consulted
Using the appropriate materials in a about appropriate materials, as local
playground is extremely important knowledge is essential to deal with unseen
to ensure a quality job that is high in issues like termites, weather, and choosing
safety. The U.S. consumer product safety the right timber.
commission states that “equipment-related When using recycled materials be mindful
hazards, such as breakage, tip over, design, of the possibility of contamination from
and assembly” are attributed to “23%” of substances such as lead, chemicals,
injuries in playgrounds.1 By using quality contaminants, or asbestos. Also, consider
materials, solid construction and with your choice of recycled materials carefully,
proper maintenance much of this could be as they may have suffered wear and tear
avoided. that affect their strength or endurance. All
of these are potential factors that could
The ‘Right’ Materials result in injury or illness for those using the
playground.
There is no correct set of materials to use
worldwide. Environments with ice and snow It is also important to note that
will require different materials than tropical even if the playground you build
regions, and different materials have (or buy) is built to the highest
different availability. possible standard, without regular
maintenance it will eventually fall
Your location and particular situation will
into disrepair – meaning that the
have certain unique aspects that will guide
best playgrounds are a match of
you about the right materials to use for the
appropriate materials and regular
safest and best result. You may also have
maintenance.
building or playground standards in your
location that will need to be adhered to. Some advice on choosing materials is
We have made some suggestions as to the offered in the U.S. Public Playground Safety
range of materials that may work for your Handbook – see sections “2.5 Equipment
context but in all cases you will need to Materials” and “2.4 Surfacing”.
consult with local experienced builders or
1. Brien, Craig W. Injuries and Investigated Deaths
engineers to make informed choices.
Associated with Playground Equipment, 2001–
As every country has different materials 2008. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission:
Washington DC, October, 2009.
available to them it is important to consider
which materials are suitably strong and
appropriate for the task, now and into the
future.

26
 Design

Factors in Choosing Materials

Money Wear and Tear
If every project had an unlimited amount of Similar pieces of timber or steel may last
funding they would, of course, choose the for very different amounts of time. For
highest quality materials that lasted the example, timber used for seesaws or swings
longest amount of time. But as this is unlikely may age much faster (from the constant
to be the case, decisions need to be made as stresses) than timbers used in a cubby
to how to allocate your finances to make the house. Materials sheltered from rain and
best possible playground – one that is sun will last significantly longer than those
safe and within your budget. that are out in the open and subject to the
elements.
This may mean it’s best to build a smaller
playground at first and add to it over time. It is best to prioritize high stress areas;
It may also be possible to use less expensive make sure that these stresses are catered
or shorter lived materials in less critical places, for and be prepared to check and promptly
as long as this is coupled with more regular repair or replace those parts as soon as they
maintenance. These decisions can only be
made by the local community, based on their
needs and resources.

Maintenance/Repair/Replacement
All materials – no matter how much they
cost – will need maintenance and eventually
replacement. So it is best to think about a
playground as evolving over time, as opposed
to having a “one-off” cost.

Labor Costs
The cost of labor may influence your choice of
materials. If labor costs are low (or free, from
volunteers) using high-maintenance materials
such as bamboo may be appropriate, as
the cost of regular upkeep and replacement
is inexpensive. If labor costs are high, and
timber or steel costs are low, it may make
sense to build in a way that reduces labor and
repairs to an absolute minimum.

27
 Design

Tips on Specific Materials

These tips on using specific materials are particular giant bamboo species are used
designed to help you get started in planning to build huge span bridges and multi-level
your project, but they cannot replace buildings.
expert local advice and local knowledge. In
It’s often assumed that bamboo can be
all cases it is best to consult local building
used in the same way as timber, but this
experts as to the appropriate materials to
is not the case. It’s highly susceptible to
use.
powder beetles and rot, and certain thin-
There are many fantastic materials that walled varieties can lose a good deal of their
can be used in a playground, once careful strength if the tubes are cracked or split.
consideration is given to the longevity, The varieties of bamboo near you may look
strength, and other properties involved. perfect for your needs, but local knowledge
We look forward to hearing from you about is always the best judge.
other materials that work well in play space
construction. Steel (chain, bolts, screws, nails,
cable)
Timber
Most steel looks the same but it is
There are literally thousands of different important to know what you are using.
varieties There is an enormous difference in the
of timber used throughout the world, and strength, durability, and flexibility of steel
all timbers have different properties such depending on whether it is plain, hardened,
as flexibility, rigidity, warping, potential to spring, galvanized, or stainless steel.
cause splinters, and so on. However they
generally In hollow steel, wall thickness can be
fall into two types: hardwood and an important factor. One steel 2” pipe
softwood. may look much like another, but the wall
thickness will be the difference between
Both timber types have their uses, but a great set of monkey bars and one that
generally hardwood will last longer and bends and breaks in a matter of months.
be less susceptible to rot and termites.
Hardwood is particularly important for Hardened, coated (galvanized, powder-coated
use in areas of high stress, such as the top or painted) steel parts are important for
pole of a swing set, seesaw poles, bridges, elements with high loads such as swing
and any other places where there are long chains, swing hangers and fittings, hanging
spans and high loads. bridges, and
merry-go-rounds and other spinners.
(See Paint/Coatings for more details about
Bamboo this.)
Again, there are thousands of varieties
of bamboo, with all sorts of different Beware of sub-standard items such as
structures, densities, diameters, and unhardened and hand-welded chain,
rot and insect resistance. In some areas or bolts, screws, made from unhardned
steel and cable that look strong but has a
non-steel core, making them unsuitable
for heavy duty work.
28
 Design

Cement/Concrete
It’s important to always follow the directions If not UV treated, plastic ropes can
given on the packaging when using cement breakdown in the sun, and hemp/ natural
or concrete. Cement takes up to a month to ropes can rot in the rain. However to our
fully set, and should not be over-stressed surprise heavy-duty Plastic/ nylon rope,
during this time especially the first few has in some cases, shown to be extremely
days. Concrete becomes hardest if it is kept hardy given it’s low cost and ability to be
moist during its setting time. easily replaced regularly, as needed.
Generally speaking the footings of
elements need to be around 40cm deep or Paint/Coatings
more, particularly for elements with high
Paint and other coatings can make a simple
loads such as swings, cubbies, elements
playground look amazing, but they also
connected to bridges, and seesaw frames.
serve a very important function. They stop
In certain soils and conditions you may
moisture (rain), sun, and insects from
need other footing types or ways to fix your
degrading the material they are covering.
elements to the ground.
Choosing high quality, UV-protected paints
or galvanized steel will significantly reduce
Tires maintenance and prolong the life of your
Tires are a long-lasting, soft, cheap material playground.
that are great for playgrounds. Paint or other coatings with insecticides in
Tires may need to be washed before use, them are harmful to children and should
since the environments they’re frequently never be used in places that children can
sourced from are places where it’s common touch. Read the label to ensure that you
for them to come into contact with use paints that are suitable for use around
potentially hazardous chemicals. children.

It’s important that tires are thoroughly

inspected before being used, to make sure
Grease/Lubrication
none of the steel wires are exposed; this Grease and other lubricants will significantly
is especially common in the center and prolong the life of swing hangers, seesaw
shoulder of the tire. If only a small section brackets, merry- go-rounds, and similar
of wire is exposed in a tire, it can be used playground elements where materials rub
with the damaged section buried in the against each other.
ground, or the sidewall of the tire can be
Grease and lubricants can be messy and
used once the damaged section is removed.
should not be placed excessively in places
Care must be taken when joining tires where a child could consume them.
together, or when joining tires to timber or
steel, to create a solid connection that will Soft Fall Materials
not rip out. Please see our tire connection
information on specific car tire designs, Information on sand types and other
which is based on the work of Jimmi Jolley. materials appropriate for soft fall can be
found in the soft fall section of our safety
manual with links to the US guidelines.
Rope
Generally rope is not a great material for
playgrounds especially in high wear areas.
Rope rubbing on elements such as wood or
steel can cause it to weaken rapidly.

29
 Design

Sample Budget and Price

Playground Construction Budget
Sample of a construction budget from a playground project in Central Thailand. Completed by Peace Corps Volunteer
Cameron Miller.
Exchange rate: 32 Baht / US$1
Item/Description Unit Unit Total Cost FoT Funding Community
Price Contribution
Thai Baht Thai Baht $USD Baht $USD Thai Baht in-kind
Labour* 100 100 10,000 $312.50 0 $0.00 6,000 4,000
Food* 300 30 9,000 $281.25 0 $0.00 4,500 4,500
Used Tires 100 50 5,000 $156.25 2,500 $78.13 0 2,500
Steel 1 8,200 8,200 $256.25 6,080 $190.00 0 2,120
Gas (transportation) 1 1,000 1,000 $31.25 0 $0.00 0 1,000
Saw 1 1,000 1,000 $31.25 0 $0.00 1,000 0
Roof Materials 1 3,000 3,000 $93.75 2,000 $62.50 500 500
Nails, Hammer, 1 6,000 6,000 $187.50 2,000 $62.50 1,000 3,000
Brushes, Bolts, &
Other Construction
Materials
Paint (buckets) 12 365 4,380 $136.88 3,000 $93.75 0 1,380
Sand 2 2,000 4,000 $125.00 0 $0.00 3,000 1,000
Playground Slide 2 2,000 4,000 $125.00 2,000 $62.50 2,000 0
Rope and chain 5 200 1,000 $31.25 1000 $31.25 0 0
Total Budget 56,580 18,580 $580.63 18,000 20,000
Percentages 100% 33% 32% 35%
Total used from FoT 18,580 $580.63

* 10 community workers worked on the playground for an estimated 10 days, 3 meals per day.

30
 Design

Playground Material List - Medium Design

Below is an example of a material price list gathered in Peru to work out what could be built with the NGO’s
budget.
Name Description Dimensions Amount needed Unit Total Total
Prices S/. (local US$
Metric prices by (local prices
amount) by amount)

Wood Logs Eucalyptus 4m long x 4” 4m long x 6” 18 18 40.00 180.00 $64.00

Wood diameter diameter

Wood Logs Eucalyptus 4m long x 4” 2m long x 5” 20 20 40.00 200.00 $72.00

Wood diameter diameter

Wood Logs Eucalyptus 4m long x 4” 2m long x 4” 40 40 40.00 400.00 $143.00

Wood diameter diameter

Wood Logs Eucalyptus 4m long x 4” 2m long x 3” 30 30 40.00 300.00 $107.00

Wood diameter diameter

Bamboo Poles 4m long x 4” 2” diameter 35 35 40.00 350.00 $125.00

diameter

Roofing Leaf for roof; Calamina 20 20 11.00 220.00 $79.00

Materials corregated ondulada
panels; 1.83x.85
something
waterproof
Paint Oil based Esmalte 30 litres 8 61.50 492.00 $176.00
enamel paint Tekno gallons
sintetico/
galon

Metal Primer Needed for Esmalte 4 litres 1 137.00 137.00 $49.00

all metal Tekno gallon
parts (usually epoxica
negra/galon
in red colour)
Paint Also called Thinner TKD 4 litres 1 32.50 32.50 $12.00
Thinner Mineral Tekno/galon gallon
Spirits
Turpentine Teknodur 4 litres 1 124.00 124.00 $44.00
Parafinico/ gallon
galon

Nails 5” clavos de 5” long 22 10kg 6.03 60.30 $22.00

3”/kg pounds
Nails 4” clavos de 4” long 22 10kg 6.03 60.30 $22.00
4”/kg pounds
Nails 3” clavos de 3” long 11 5kg 5.21 26.05 $9.00
3”/kg pounds
Screws 4.5 2kg 15.00 30.00 $11.00
pounds
Cement Cemento 5 bags 5 bags 13.55 67.75 $24.00
Portland tipo
I / bolsa

Sand Arena 10 bags 4 cube 34.50 138.00 $49.00

gruesa/m3
Continued on next page

31
 Design

Playground Material List - Medium Design

Name Description Dimensions Dimensions Amount needed Unit Total S/. Total US$
Prices (local prices (local prices
Imperial Metric by amount) by amount)

Gravel Piedra 20 bags half 33.50 16.75 $6.00

chancada cube
1/2” /m3
Rope soga / 5mts 15 feet 5m 38.00 38.00 $14.00
Motorbike usadas 100 100 10.00 1,000.00 $358.00
Tires (as many
as possible)

Car Tires usadas 25 25 20.00 500.00 $179.00

(as many
as possible)

Truck usadas

Sheet Metal For Slide: If 1.5mm thick, 1 sheet 100.00 $36.00

metal is too 2.4m x 1.2m
expensive,
alternatives
exist
Steel Tube For Slide: If Tubo redondo 40cm long 2 pieces 80cm 41.95 5.59 $2.00
metal is too de 4.8cm x 4cm
expensive, diametro, diameter
largo=6m /
alternatives pza
exist
Steel tube For Slide: If Tubo redondo 6m long 1 piece 6m 41.95 41.95 $15.00
metal is too de 4.8cm x 4cm
expensive, diametro, diameter
largo=6m /
alternatives pza
exist
Steel tube For see-saws 90 cm long 2 pieces 1.80m 41.95 12.58 $5.00
x 2.5cm
diameter

Steel tube For see-saws 18-20 cm 1 piece 41.95 15.00 $5.00

long x 2.5cm
diameter

Steel plate For see-saws 2cm thick x 1 piece 40.00 15.00 $5.00
36cm long x
10cm wide

Steel rebar For see-saws 15cm long 6 pieces 15.00 20.00 $7.00

Currency (Peruvian Sole)

Total S/. 4,782.78 $1,709.13
1 $ = 2.80 soles

32
 Build
Process for Building a Playground
Set-up • Look after yourself and your team.
Drink lots of water and make sure there
Make sure that you keep good, consistent
is plenty of food.
communication with the school and/
or community throughout the planning,
designing,
and building stages of the project.
The community will have the resources
and solutions you need, since they face the
challenges
of building with the local materials daily.
Collect materials and tools well in advance
to ensure everything is ready on the first
build day.
Specify the number of volunteers you will
need, and make sure the days and times
you need them are clear.
Arrange for a cook to buy and prepare food
for the volunteers each day.
Think about the order of the elements and
their building instructions. What needs to
be done first, second, third? For example,
you will need to cut and prepare the tire
tread seats before attaching them to the
swing chains. Also, think about tasks that
can be done at any time; these can be
assigned to people who have nothing to do,
keeping everyone productive.

Tips
• As the project leader, don’t get too
focused on one particular element.
Keep moving around and checking on
different elements’ progress, particularly • Conflicting opinions are likely to surface
as new elements are started, to avoid occasionally - resolve issues quickly to
missing any mistakes. If teams are keep the team positive and motivated.
getting scattered and disorganized, help
• Expect problems to occur and be
them to regroup and focus on the tasks
prepared for the process of trial-and-
at hand.
error. Learn from mistakes and move on.
33
 Build

First Steps Before the Opening

• Get everyone together and run through Before the children can play all the
the design and answer any questions. equipment needs to be thoroughly checked
• Clear the site of rubbish, glass, high for strength and workmanship. Go around
grass, and inspect all the welding, bolts screws,
and other obstacles and hazards. nails, and other connections.
• Rope off the area and tell the children Children will play on the equipment
they cannot play there until the play in unexpected ways and will regularly
space is finished and safe. overload the elements (for example, three
• Using your plan, mark the site with children on a one-person swing). Using
another person and double check sacks of heavy grains or sand that exceed
everything (relocating elements later is the expected loads you can simulate the
wasted work and energy). loads and check how much movements
• Triple check your measurements with and warping happens. If this warping is
someone else to ensure everything lines excessive you will need to add more bracing
up and is the correct distance apart. or other strengthening elements to ensure
the playground is strong enough now and
Hard Work into the future. If you are unsure, use local
experienced builders or engineers to assist
Strip the bark from the wood and protect
you.
the timber with paint or lacquer if required.
Dig holes the appropriate depth in the right
places, and do one final check.
Lastly
Don’t give up! The building stage takes a lot of
Assign different elements to different teams
energy and self-motivation. No matter what
of people. Using pictures and plans, explain
obstacles you face, be it funding or no-
thoroughly what they should do, where and
show volunteers, you really need to believe
in what order. Try to get each team to stay
in the importance of play and the positive
with their assignment until the element is
difference you are going to make. For extra
completed.
motivation, check out our pictures and
Particular attention will need to be paid to videos of the school children around Mae
load-bearing parts of structures, which, if Sot, Thailand.
not built properly, could pose serious risks We need only to watch them step into
to users (e.g., by falling on users or breaking the playground to know all the hard work,
under the weight of users). It should also be tiredness, and long days were worthwhile.
kept in mind that children are likely to use
equipment in ways that are not intended
and that designs have to take such misuse
into account.
As you go along, think about how small
details make a playground more interesting,
for example, peep-holes, earthen mounds,
buckets on a rope to a platform, small
murals, and so on.
The keys to building are to think ahead and
to take the time to stop and plan!

34
 Build

Tools for Playground

This is a reasonably comprehensive list
of the kinds of tools that may be required
for different aspects of playground
construction.

Hand Tools Electric Tools

Hammers (8) Electric Circular Saw
Machete (7) (2)
Hand Saw (2) Electric Grinder (2)
Clamps (2) Electric Drill (2)
Chisels Welder (1)
Screwdrivers Drill bits (20)
Bolt Cutters Extension leads (2)
Pliers Metal Cutter
Ratchet Spanner Set Protective Gear
Shovel
Pick Axe
Measuring Tools
Stanley Knives (spare
blades)
Protective Eye Covers
Dust Masks
Gloves
Paintbrushes

Suggested Tool Quantitites

Every project will differ in scope and the
number of workers available, but the
following list may be a helpful guide in
estimating the number of tools that may be
required to maintain productivity.

The sample list included in the

table above, (with the suggested
amounts in brackets) was compiled
for a project that had around 8-15
builders/volunteers onsite building a
playground of approximately 15 x 25
meters.

35
 Maintain
Maintenance Schedule
Children will hurt themselves on even the
safest and softest of playgrounds; grazed
knees, bumps and scratches are a normal
part of the process of growing up. There
is, however, a big difference between these
little aches and serious injuries from unsafe
conditions.
‘All unmaintained
playgrounds will
eventually become
unsafe.’

Playground checks
Basic daily visual checks should be done
by adults when supervising children, and
any issues should be reported to the
maintenance person immediately. Teachers Before you start to build you need
need to be made aware of who to speak to to know who will care for the
about this. playground and fix things before they
Generally, playgrounds need to be checked break.
every three months and will nearly always Will the land owner maintain the
need something fixed or adjusted. Soft playground?
fall material will get compressed, washed
away, or moved by thousands of tiny feet. Can you commit to helping fund
Swing pivots will wear out over time etc. this maintenance if the community
Remember, building a playground is not a cannot?
one-off event; it is an ongoing commitment The cost to maintain these playgrounds
from the community. is usually a minimal amount each year
but it must be there.
If elements are damaged, children need to
be forbidden from using these until they’re Lastly, if you can’t source the
fixed. materials easily, locally or at a
reasonable price for the community
Below is a maintenance checklist that can (since they will need to be able
be used as an example to ensure that all to replace them), you will need
parts of the playground are being regularly to change the design so those
checked. Depending on your playground materials are not required.
there may be other parts that need to be
added to this list.

36
 Maintain

Maintenance Resources
Maintenance involves more than just Further suggestions:
checking if the bolts are still tight. Good
playground rules, an organized roster, and • Pay close attention to any timber
good supervision will not only reduce the or steel that horizontally spans
number of injuries but also the amount of more than 2m (6’) (such as
maintenance required. bridges or the top swing pole
on swing sets) for signs of wear.
The following pages offer some tips on how The failure of these parts could
to put together these items to ensure a cause injury, and they must be
good safe space over time. inspected regularly.
Please use these resources to create your • Note that increased wear in
own and be sure to train the children and these areas can be caused by
the school staff in these simple systems. having too many children use
the swing or bridge at the same
time. Swings should have rules
advising the children that they
must not be overloaded.

37
 Maintain

Playground Roster Advice

PlaygroundIDEAS recommends that you
have a playground roster. Too many children
on the playground at one time can be
dangerous, and
can lead to accidents.
A roster helps manage the playground activity
so that it operates smoothly, and within its
intended capacity.
A roster is also a good tool for separating
older children from younger children, which
reduces
collisions. The size of the school, the
number of students, the age of the
students, and the students classes will all
have an effect on what the roster looks like.
Week 1 Recess Lunch
Here is an example of a simple student
roster, which gives everyone equal time Monday Grade 1+2+3 Grade 4+5+6
Tuesday Grade 4+5+6 Grade 1+2+3
on the playground. Use this template to Grade 1+2+3 Grade 4+5+6
Wednesday
create a Grade 4+5+6 Grade 1+2+3
Thursday
roster to suit your needs. Friday
Grade 1+2+3 Grade 4+5+6

Week 2 Recess Lunch

Monday Grade 4+5+6 Grade 1+2+3
Tuesday Grade 1+2+3 Grade 4+5+6
Wednesday Grade 4+5+6 Grade 1+2+3
Thursday Grade 1+2+3 Grade 4+5+6
Friday Grade 4+5+6 Grade 1+2+3

38
 Maintain

Playground Rules
Below is a list of sample rules that cover the
main issues within playgrounds. This is just
a guide and should be changed to suit your
needs.

1 Only do what you feel confident to do

2 Be kind and gentle

Don’t hurt anybody

3 Play well with others

Don’t spoil others’ games

4 Be a good friend and let others join

your games
5 Be honest
Don’t cover up the truth

6 Listen to others and teachers

Don’t interrupt people

7 Play safe and tell a teacher if

someone is hurt
8 Care for the playground
Don’t damage equipment

9 Look after the plants and trees in

the playground

10 No throwing sand

11 If something is broken, tell a teacher

12 Put your rubbish in the bin

13 Drink lots of water

14 No bare feet

39
 Maintain

Playground Guidelines for Teachers

Fighting between children in the playground Where possible, add more activities to
is something that unfortunately can occur. your playground using free resources,
The below strategies can help teachers to such as chalk games on concrete,
reduce conflicts but they can also use these cardboard boxes, old sheets or
tools to teach children some basic conflict wooden blocks etc.
managements skills that will help them to
manage these situations on their own.

1 Always have a teacher supervising at Conflict Resolution

lunchtime and recess. Simple playground conflicts can often
The teacher’s job is to teach the be resolved using the Walk, Talk, Paper
children the playground rules, and Scissors Rock method. This method teaches
to show the children how to resolve children that they have the power to
disputes. resolve a conflict and is based around a tool
Most importantly, a teacher needs from “peaceful playgrounds” a US based
to be on hand to enforce playground playground organisation.
safety and to provide first aid, if Specifically, this method concentrates on
needed. giving the students three options to solve a
2 Display the playground rules conflict situation them selves:
prominently.
1 They can walk away and find something
The playground rules should be put else to do, or someone else to play with.
in a prominent place, so that they can
easily be referred to. (You can use our 2 They can talk with another student, who
sample playground rules to develop can help solve the problem.
the rules for your own playground.)
3 They can play “Rock Paper Scissors” (or
3 Regularly reinforce the playground
a similar game), with the winner of the
rules.
game getting to resolve the conflict (e.g.
Some children will need to hear the by deciding who gets the ball that was
rules many times before they can being argued over).
remember on their own. The children
will need to be reminded of the rules The important point to these methods is
every time there is a fight in the view these disagreements as a chance for
playground; keep teaching the rules children to learn to solve their own conflicts
to children who are misbehaving. instead of the usual methods used where
4 the child is not engaged in a learning
Teach different games and activities
opportunity but simply punished. These
You can keep children engaged by above methods try to reduce the teachers
teaching different games to play load in the long run by empowering children
and things to do, which will give with new skills.
the children plenty of options and
activities.

40
 Maintain

Inspector Date of Inspection

SAFETY OF PLAYGROUND SPACE

AREA RESULTS REASON ACTION SCHEDULED COMPLETED

CHECKPOINTS Yes, No If “no”, what is the Write the action Date Date and by
or n/a reason? to be taken, and whom.
timing.
Is the gate(s) in sound
Condition? Check hinges
and closing devices.

Is the perimeter fence

free from any damage,
e.g. missing or loose
sections?
Are all borders secured
and free of splinters and
protruding nails, etc.?

Is the playground free of

sharp objects, including
twigs, branches, syringes
and glass?
Is the playground free of
graffiti, dog droppings
and rubbish?

Is this soft fall / sand

under surfacing at least
200mm deep?

41
 Maintain

Inspector Date of Inspection

Equipment Location

EQUIPMENT CHECK REASON ACTION SCHEDULED COMPLETED

Yes, No If “no”, what is the Write the action Date Date and by
or n/a reason? to be taken, and whom.
timing.
Is the equipment
complete, with no
missing parts?
Are all components
fastened and secure?
Are all components
(timber, fiberglass or
metal) free of excessive
warping, splintering,
splitting, bent, vandalized
or cracked?
Are all bolt heads and
nuts recessed, flush,
rounded or covered with
protective caps?
Is equipment free
from excessive rust,
or evidence of broken
members or cracked
welds?
Are all tires free from
broken or exposed wires,
or other protruding
reinforced wires?
Is the protective paint
(timber and steel) or
coating (metal) in good
condition?
Are all fixed structures
(including the footings)
stable? Even when in
use?
Are shackles, bearings
and moving parts
operating smoothly,
lubricated and free from
wear and tear?
Do swing chains / panels
/ hand grips comply with
entrapment standards?

Are rope nets sound,

including attachment and
anchor points?

Was the area free from

other problems during
the audit?

42
Appendix A

“Playground Reporter” Lesson Plan

Participants: Class or group of children approximately 12-14 yrs.

Materials:
• Chalkboard
• Paper (one sheet for each child in the school)
• Printout of “Playground Reporter Notes” for each class in the school
• Sign for each class at school (P.1, P.2, P.3, etc.)

Time: Half-Full Day

Introduction
Good morning! My name is __________ and I am visiting you today from Playground Ideas. Our group
builds playgrounds at schools just like yours. Who can tell me what a playground is?
A playground is a space to play in, a playground has swings and slides, a playground is a place for
children, etc.
Very soon, some workers from Playground ideas will be coming to your school to build a new
playground. Before we begin, the playground designers, parents, and teachers need the help of the
older children in designing a good playground for your community. We know that you have been
playing in this community for a long time and have important knowledge about how and where kids
like to play. Can you help us?
Playground Reporter Training
Today you have a special assignment. You have all been appointed as “Playground Reporters.” Who can
tell me what a reporter is?
A reporter works for a news station, a newspaper. A reporter tells the news, etc.
How does the reporter get their information?
From watching, from asking sources, from reading, etc.
A reporter gathers information from many sources and describes on what they’ve learned. That’s what
we’ll be doing today. This is your reporter assignment:
Write, “How and where do the children at __________ like to play?”
To report on this question, we need to divide into groups for each class at the school.
Divide students into small groups for each grade at the school. Let students pick if they desire. Give
each group a sign with their assigned grade.
The class you have been assigned to is the group of children you will be reporting on. Do you
remember when you were in P.___? The way we play changes as we grow up. Can you remember how
you liked to play when you were in P.___?
Let class tell a few stories about how they used to play.
Today at break-time, we’ll be taking notes about how and where the kids in your class like to play. You
can watch them play and ask them questions.
Hand out “Playground Reporter Worksheet.” Read through questions.
On the back of your sheet, you can draw a map of your school grounds. When you are watching the children
in your class play during break-time, mark on your map where the children like to play best and what they
do there?

Another way we will get information is by letting the children tell us how and where they like to play. The
children in each class will do this by drawing pictures of how they like to play and telling stories.

Once you have gathered all your information, we will be using it to help in creating a design for your play
space.

Take one group at a time to each school classroom. Explain that we will be building a playground soon and
we want to know how they like to play. Distribute paper and ask kids to draw a picture of how they like to
play best. The other playground reporter groups can remain in their class to draw their compound maps.
Have a teacher help you take student groups to each class to save on time.

When all classrooms have been visited, reporter groups can review the drawings and pick 2 they would like
to present to the larger group.

Remind reporters of their break-time assignment before leaving. During break-time, let the reporters do
their work! Check in with groups to make sure they are on task.

After break-time, give each group time to complete the worksheet and discuss it amongst themselves. Then
it’s time to watch the news! Give a representative from each group time to give a presentation of their
findin
  

Name:
School:
Assigned Class:

What do you see the kids in your class doing

during break-time?

What kinds of materials or elements do they play with?

Do you see them pretending or creating stories? What are they

pretending?

Are the boys and girls playing different games or in different places?

Where on the compound do the kids spend time during break-time?

On the map of the compound you have drawn on the back, mark
some of the places you saw the kids playing most.
 
A good playground will light a spark in a child. Our research showed that children are
happier and learn more, teachers are less stressed and the community bonds are
strengthened. We hope that this manual will give you the confidence to take the next step
in creating a playground in your local community. For further reading about playground
design, construction and safety issues, please see www.playgroundideas.org.

Whats next?
If you plan to build a playground we strongly suggest you add your project to the www.
playgroundideas.org website and share your plans with the wider community so we can
continue the learning.
It is also strongly suggested that you read our “PlaygroundIDEAS safety manual” to
familiarise yourself with the basics of playground safety. This manual is available free from
the ‘resources’ tab on www.playgroundideas.org.

PlaygroundIDEAS is a non-profit organisation, fully funded by

people just like you. It is expensive to create quality resources
and it is only generous donations that keep us going. If this
manual has been useful to you please consider a donation to
help us help others. Donations can be made in any currency from
the website.
Thank you.

www.playgroundideas.org