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Treehouse playground in giant eucalyptus tree. Designed and built by Learning Structures.

Snow-pocalypse pummeled the Mid-Atlantic States last week, and here in the Northeast, the white stuff continues to fall.  However, our playground design team is warmed by visions of upcoming spring playground building that will include fitness trails, school gardens, and tree houses.  In fact, tree houses are increasingly popping up on our playground designs – and for good reason.

Richard Louv, award-winning author of Last Child in the Woods, extols the virtue of tree houses, “I have a soft spot in my heart for tree houses, which have always imparted certain magic and practical knowledge.”  Magic is a great description for these whimsical, elevated spaces.  Louv continues by explaining that his childhood tree house was transformed into a galleon, a spaceship, and even Fort Apache.  There is no limit to imaginative play when a child plays in a tree house!

The view from high above a playground tree house

Natural site elements like trees are encouraged in community-built playground designs.  Playgrounds with decks and towers can be built around a tree, without ever disturbing the tree’s root system, or piercing the tree with harmful fasteners.  Natural, leafy tree canopies provide protection from harmful UV rays on children, and create a cool playground get-away from the sun.

Don’t let a playground company talk you into a stark, flat, treeless site for your playground.  Retaining natural elements like trees on your playscape will bring children closer to nature and play.  Despite all the snow this season — you’ll be warmed by visions of tree houses, too.

Tot Lot Playground

Potawatomi Village Tot Lot at St. Marys Community Built Playground. To be built May 2010.

This week, we learned that a client received a community-grant to help with the costs of building their community-built playground this spring.  We couldn’t be more thrilled for them!  It takes a dedicated, hard-working playground committee to convey their playground vision and successfully be awarded.  We also know that foundations are looking for a more nuanced approach than simply sticking playground equipment in the ground.  A playground grant needs to compliment the foundation’s areas of interest.

 What makes a community-built playground appealing to funders?

  • History.  A custom-designed playground celebrates each unique community, by integrating history and culture.
  • Volunteerism.  Community-built playgrounds bring hundreds of people together, creating a sense of connection to neighbors and the project.
  • Accessibility.  Sensory rich structures and accessibility encourage use from children and families with a broad range of physical and developmental abilities. 
  • Recycling.  Sustainable, repurposed materials and recycled building products are used to build the playground – reducing a playground’s environmental footprint
  • Intergenerational Design.  Assuring that people of all ages will enjoy the playground
  • Building Community Spirit.  Volunteers of varying genders, ages and economic backgrounds come together in a uniting, collaborative event.
  • Activity.  This week, First Lady Michelle Obama announced her program to battle childhood obesity, “Let’s Move”.  A well designed playground offers safe circulation around play events and encourages large muscle play, coordination, balance, and active movement from structure to structure.

We work with our clients to identify grants for potential assistance with their playground projects.  Contact us for more information. With all the advantages above, it’s no surprise that funders look favorably at the community-built playground approach.

Listening to the news this morning, I heard that the job data for December was disappointing for the Department of Labor.  Probably not as disappointing as it was for those who are unable to find work, I thought.  It is a little discomforting…the unemployment rate is hovering at 10%.  That is a lot of people and families who are struggling to make ends meet.

 While building a community-built playground doesn’t offer instant solutions to our

Playground Grand Opening

Celebration for a new playground

nation’s economic woes, our process does provide advantages for some community economic support.  Some of these advantages are obvious, others are less so, but equally important.

The following are four economic advantages of building a community-built playground (click on the advantages to read more about each):

  1. Support local businesses and local jobs.
  2. Celebrate what makes your community unique.
  3. Support community involvement.
  4. Create an attraction that will bring visitors to your community.

We are big believers in the power of people and communities.  Buying local has become a movement across the United States for a number of reasons, including supporting the local economy and reducing the environmental impact of transportation.  If you are thinking about building a playground, you can achieve the win-win-win trifecta.  Support local vendors, reduce the playground’s environmental footprint, and unite citizens in an unforgettable experience.  The Fun is in the Making.

Raising money for your playground project can be a daunting task, especially when the economy is less than cooperative.  A few basic fundraising steps will help add to your success. 

  • Make sure you know how much money you need to raise.  It may sound simple enough, but many playground projects are surprised by hidden costs down the road.  Have you calculated the cost of resilient ground surfacing?  How about shipping costs?  Once you have an all-inclusive, no-surprises budget – your target is tangible and real. 
  • Use a visible gauge to show the success of your fundraising efforts.  A mural outside the school, or a giant thermometer at a local vehicle intersection helps keep your community aware of hard work.  One of our communities salvaged an old metal slide, and painted their fundraising progress up the slide. 
  • Get creative with your fundraising ideas.  Put a new spin on the basic pledge or donation. (check out this Certificate of Playground Stock)   If you are selling a product, make sure the product is useable and meaningful.  When planning an event, check with other organizations in the community to make sure it hasn’t been done before – or that the timing won’t conflict with other community events. 
  • Use the media to draw attention to your fundraiser.  A simple fundraising press release goes a long way in getting the word out to your community.  Send the press release to your local radio station, the newspaper, and any local organizations’ newsletters. 
  • And finally, remember to be your fundraising committee’s biggest cheerleader.  Your enthusiasm speaks volumes about the worthiness of your playground project, and will make the difference in your fundraising efforts.

Learning Structures provides our community-built playground clients with detailed ideas and tips via our Fundraising Coordinator’s manual, as well as manuals for PR, Volunteer Recruitment, Children’s Committee, and many more.  All volunteers on your playground committee have skills and talent that can be put to great use, with a little guidance and direction.

Most playground companies will tell you that a square, treeless, flat site is needed to install their metal or plastic playground pods.  Not so with a community-built playground. 

A quick getaway by zipline on a treehouse playground in New York

A quick getaway by zipline on a treehouse playground in New York

Community-built playgrounds are often designed into a natural setting, complementing natural site elements.  For example, trees and other existing features can be retained as long as required clearance areas are safely maintained to accommodate playground structures.  Before your school or park contemplates removing that beautiful tree – why not consider building a tree house around it?  A custom-designed playground can be designed around it without ever harming the tree with fasteners. Natural slope and elevation on a playground site can be used for accessibility to access structures and higher decks. 

Volunteers work together to install hillside slide on playground in TN.

Volunteers work together to install hillside slide on playground in TN.

Don’t flatten that hill!  It may be the perfect location for a giant, built-in embankment slide.

A well-designed playground will offer children a variety of play experiences.  While some open space is desirable for playing fields, far more children can be accommodated per square foot safely in a well-structured playground. 

Other considerations for your playground site:  the location should be accessible for visitors with strollers, and people using mobility devices.  Visibility for caregivers is a must, with clear lines of vision. 

Benches on the playground provide rest and relaxation for caregivers.

Benches on the playground provide rest and relaxation for caregivers.

Your playground should be inviting to parents and grandparents, with benches and resting areas.  If a school playground doubles as a community playground after school hours and on weekends, make sure bike racks and parking is available nearby.

Thoughtful site planning for your playground will be appreciated by families who visit for many years.

Themed Playground

Nestled in the woods, the Pumpkin Patch Playground in Tennessee.

Nestled in the woods, the Pumpkin Patch Playground in Tennessee.

The most distinguishing feature of a community-built playground is its skyline.  From a distance your sight is drawn to looming towers and castle tops that adorn the playground.  As you approach the playscape and upon closer inspection, you realize that many of the structures are unique – unlike anything you have seen before on a playground.

Train being built by volunteer on Barrington Community Playground

Train being built by volunteer on Barrington Community Playground

For example, you may encounter a giant Archimedes lever on a science themed playground, which teaches kids about fulcrums and resistance as they lift each other into the air.  Or, a train-themed playground that honors the railroad history and heritage of the community.

This is the magic of a themed playground!  Since community-built playgrounds are custom-designed, using the inspiration, ideas, and dreams of a community – you will never find two alike.

What’s so important about that?  When a playground celebrates a community’s history, culture or heritage – it is a celebration of the people who live there.  When a Church Playground is designed and built to celebrate their members’ faith, a more meaningful play environment is created for their children.  A Park Playground that celebrates the history and culture of their town is affirming every citizen in that community.  And when a school builds a science or math themed playground, they create more than just active, fun play.  They include playground activities that can be incorporated into the school’s educational curriculum.

Celebration of Adobe architecture at Arizona playground.

Celebration of Adobe architecture at Arizona playground.

Next time you see that distinctive, playground skyline in your travels, stop in for a closer look at the theme or motif.  You just may learn more about the community you are visiting.

There’s a saying:  What’s old is new again.  Trends happen in cycles.  Take sandboxes.  Their appeal is universal.  Anyone reading this blog has a memory of sitting in a sandbox at a playground with a shovel (or a spoon), a sand pail (or a Dixie cup).  Sandbox PlaySandboxes prompt us to become architects, sculptors, engineers.  Social skills are fine tuned as children share their sandbox stories about their creations.  Problem solving abilities are heightened as sandbox tools are shared.  And imaginations soar as castles, moats and cities are created, and play unfolds in the sandbox.

Sand play sounds pretty wonderful and harmless – so where is the sand in the ointment?  How can there be such a love/hat relationship in our culture with sandboxes?

Playground Sand Quarry

Playground Sand Quarry

In the mid-eighties, growing scrutiny of sandboxes became a battle cry for removal of the play dinosaurs from public parks.  Officials and parents were concerned about the toxicity of sand, from kitties and other animals claiming the sandbox as their own litter box.  More recently, the EPA sounded the alarm about silica and the potential for children’s long-term exposure. Finely ground silica dust, present in some sandbox sand, poses a threat to children inhaling the dust while playing in the sandbox.  It’s no wonder parents are frightened.

Despite these fears, sandboxes have gained an up swell of support in recent years.  Safety concerns are not being ignored, but those concerns are being mitigated for good reason.  Communities are adding sandbox covers to their playgrounds to prevent unwanted, animal visitors.  Silica-free “safe sand” is being marketed and used in sandboxes throughout the country.

Water Play

Sand and water play by Learning Structures

Do you remember scratching your head in amazement when “retro” was all the trend?  Well in the commercial playground world, sandboxes are all the rage.  Every playground client seems to want this old-school component added to their playground.  Why?  Educators and playground planners are steering clear of the sterile playgrounds that offer limited and tedious play.  Here at Learning Structures, we talk with educators and child development specialists who tout the benefits of adding natural elements to their play environment.  Authentic, low-cost elements like water play and sand play are high on the wish list for playground components.  It’s true — what’s old is new again.

“Why try to explain miracles to your kids when you can just have them plant a garden?” ~ Robert Brault

Last year, Learning Structures took a field trip to the Botanical Gardens in our nation’s capital, Washington, DC.  Specifically, the trek from New Hampshire was made to seek out the Sustainable School Garden exhibit.

Botanical Garden - Sustainable Schoolyard

Botanical Garden - Sustainable Schoolyard

A fellow Community-Built Association (CBA) member, Sharon Danks, was responsible for the design of the dynamic garden project.  We had previously attended a CBA conference workshop where Sharon extolled the virtues of school gardens, and the educational potential for sustainable garden projects.  It’s no surprise that we could hardly wait to see the exhibit in DC, and we were not disappointed.  Perhaps it was the magical sunflowers (real and painted by children) or possibly the educational, solar powered water pump.  Delightful chimes could be heard in the background, from the musical, sunflower donned alligator (designed by SoundPlay).  Whatever the appeal was on that warm August day, we were hooked.

Whimsical alligator by SoundPlay

Whimsical alligator by SoundPlay

Incorporating garden areas into playground designs has become a much requested amenity for schools.  Why?  Sustainable gardens connect children to the earth and the source of their food.  Children learn first hand the growing cycle from seeds to harvest.  Tree nurseries give kids a resource for tree planting on Arbor Day.  And berries, herbs and vegetables teach children valuable lessons about their own geography, growing seasons, history and culture.

What could be more fun than learning while getting your hands dirty?

LEED Certified Green PlaygroundSustainable green building projects across the country recognize the need to qualify for LEED certification, and green playgrounds are no exception. Joseph Cicirelli, president of Learning Structures Community Built Playgrounds, has earned accreditation as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Profession (LEED AP) by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

Read more to find out how you can bring a green playground to your community:
HTML Press Release
PDF Press Release

We recently helped a group of citizens in Barrington, NH, create a community-built playground.  The project had it’s challenges and the leadership of the committee faced some significant obstacles.  Throughout the process, these three women answered every question and responded to each circumstance.  In the end, they built community through communication, empowerment, and delegation.

We were proud to have worked with them.  The community came out in droves to build the playground…it was an amazing event.  The playground is enjoyed by thousands of people and serves as a source of civic pride today.

I bring this project up because we are facing some rough economic times in NH these days.  Who isn’t, really?  NH has a unique taxing system – no income or sales tax – which is pitting neighbor against neighbor as town budgets are scrutinized and citizens comment on the effectiveness of local government.  The community-built playground project transcended much of this political minefield, raising much of the needed funds privately, using local businesses for materials, and enlisting local people as volunteers.  The project was a perfect example of galvanizing the community for a broader purpose while supporting the local economy and creating a meaningful play environment that everyone could be proud of.

Fantastic.

Oh, and the three women…they were voted Citizens of the Year by the local chamber of commerce!

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