Outdoor Learning Environments

Recommendations for Designing Outdoor Space

Outdoor play stimulates children’s thinking, their ability to solve problems, make decisions, socialize, and try new ideas in ways that are often different from indoor environments. The most important aspect of planning an outdoor environment is to begin by determining who will be playing in it, so it can be developmentally appropriate. What are the age ranges of the children who will use the playground? Equipment manufacturers designate equipment specifically for certain age ranges:

    • 6 to 23 months – Children in this age group are just learning basic developmental skills, so any equipment should be easy for them to touch or grasp when needed. Play areas for this age group should also include open spaces for children to crawl, stand, walk, and explore.
    • 2- to 5-year-olds – Stationary balance activities and climbers are great additions in a playground for this age group, but horizontal ladders and sliding poles are not recommended due to the amount of upper body strength they require. Slides and swings are a popular way to incorporate motion into playground equipment for 2- to 5-year-olds, but swings should be located on the periphery of the play area to help prevent preschoolers from being hit and require a lot of supervision as children often times younger preschoolers walking around them can’t take the perspective of a child who is using the swings.
    • 5- to 12-year-olds – Freestanding climbers and open space for running and games are popular with 5- to 12-year-olds. This age group also enjoys moving play equipment, but these pieces of equipment should be located at the edges of the play area for safety and better traffic flow.

Other considerations involve:

  • How many children will the playground serve at one time.
  • Are there children with special needs who will use the equipment?

Planning a playground space requires to select a site with ample space for equipment and accounts for the amount of space legally required. Ideally a large, accessible area with equipment that allows exploration and safety is recommended. In addition multiple types of surfaces are recommended (grass, sidewalks, bark, saw-dust, pavement, sand, etc). The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) advises 75 sq. ft.  per child. The playground should be equipped considering children’s age groups and could include climbers, balance beams, a sandbox, space for dramatic play, and inclusive spaces for children with disabilities.

Each year, over 200,000 children in the United States alone visit the emergency room due to playground-related accidents. Therefore planning for playground safety is key.  Safety considerations include the need to have a fenced playground area. A child chasing a ball or running while playing a game may forget they are near a road and wander out in traffic if there is not a fence or blockade there to protect them.

Soft surfaces under climbing equipment should have 12 inches depth of cushioning materials such as sand, bark, or any other materials to reduce the risks of injury. Seventy-five percent of playground injuries are a result of a fall on an unforgiving or poorly maintained playground surface. Keep in mind that loose-fill surfacing materials require special maintenance to ensure that the materials have not been displaced due to high use or weather.

The space must also provide access to:

  • drinking water and restrooms.
  • access points and pathways to promote smooth traffic flow into, around, and within the playground.
  • pathways must connect the parking lot to the play area to make sure that emergency and maintenance vehicles can access the area.
  • Supervision: plan who will be supervising children and at what times.

Considerations for Young Children with Special Needs

Most children, including those with developmental delays or disabilities, enjoy and benefit from outdoor play. These children may require additional encouragement, reinforcing and modeling in order to maximize their outdoor experiences.

Considering children with special needs, playgrounds must be adapted with the following according to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):

  • 5 feet wide pathways for wheelchair accessibility
  • Wider gates
  • handrails on ramps and equipment
  • accessible play structures
  • Ground level equipment: at least one type of each piece of equipment must be accessible (i.e. swings or slides)
  • Elevated structures: 50% of elevated play components must be accessible
  • Dramatic play: playhouses or dramatic play equipment must be accessible by locating them close to pathways
  • Play tables: must be located by accessible pathways and meet wheelchair requirements
  • Water play, gardening and sandboxes: must be located by accessible pathways and  raised for wheelchair access as much as possible

 

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Sources

NAEYC accreditation website. Phisical Elnvironment. Website address: https://www.naeyc.org/sites/default/files/globally-shared/downloads/PDFs/accreditation/early-learning/Standard%209_Physical%20Environment_2008_text.pdf (Links to an external site.)  Retrieved on 9/20/18

Kaplan Early Learning Resources / Pften different from indoor environmentsayground spaces. Website: https://www.kaplanco.com/resources/playgrounds.asp (Links to an external site.). Retreived on 9/20/2018.