Park Equipment and Site Amenities
Park equipment allows kids to develop physical and cognitive skills while having fun. This includes swings, climbers, slides and sensory panels.
Climbers help kids improve balance and focus while strengthening muscles. The newest versions feature tubes that allow kids to move up and down a structure. Spinners are more exciting than the old-school merry-go-round, with new inclusive models designed for all abilities.
Site Amenities
Site amenities are a crucial part of any park space. They help visitors feel comfortable, which encourages them to stay longer and return more often. Some of the most important site amenities include benches to sit on, picnic tables for groups to eat at, and trash receptacles to keep the area clean and free of debris.
A good park can have the most beautiful playground equipment, but without the right amenities, it will be hard for people to enjoy their visit. For this reason, it’s important to consider the intended purpose of your park and what amenities will best serve that function.
For example, a public park without bicycle racks will not be able to accommodate visitors who want to ride their bikes around the grounds. Installing commercial bicycle racks can prevent bike theft and make it easier for visitors to get around. They also promote healthy transportation and help increase the number of visitors to the park.
Burke offers a full line of commercial site amenities to complement any playground structure or outdoor community space. They park equipment are available in a variety of colors and finishes to complement any aesthetic, and they can be customized to match the color scheme of existing playgrounds and parks. These long-lasting site furnishings are easy to clean and resist vandalism. They can also be installed on the ground or on a pedestal for added safety and stability.
Safety
Playgrounds can be a fun way for kids to get exercise and socialize with their friends. However, they can also be dangerous places if children don’t use equipment properly or if the playground isn’t well-maintained.
Each year, 220,000 children 14 and younger are treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries related to playground equipment. Most of these injuries are due to falls, and the chances of injury can be reduced by properly installing and maintaining surfaces under and around playground equipment.
Make sure kids slide down feet-first, sitting up and never headfirst or on their backs. Ensure that only one child is on a slide platform at a time, and don’t crowd around the exit area. Make sure to use impact attenuating surfacing under any structures that are more than park equipment 7 feet high. Check that there are no sharp points, protruding bolt ends or spaces that could trap children, such as openings in guardrails or between ladder rungs.
Although OFE is a popular feature in urban parks, this study suggests that park visitors don’t engage with it for long enough to achieve the recommended levels of physical activity during their park visit. Further investigations are encouraged to determine whether or how OFE can be used to encourage regular, sustained bouts of physical activity in park visitors.
Fitness
With more people aware of the dangers of obesity and a sedentary lifestyle, many parks are equipped with fitness facilities that provide a workout in a natural setting that can boost serotonin levels and improve mental acuity. These amenities are a great way to attract visitors who might not be able to afford gym memberships or exercise classes.
For example, some park equipment manufacturers offer equipment that offers a total body workout, such as a combination of agility pods and moving steps that can be configured to fit any space. These pieces of equipment are ideal for school physical education departments, park and recreation departments and urban neighborhoods.
Other equipment features an added element, such as a climbing ladder that takes the form of a spiral or brings rock climbing to the playground. This type of equipment is popular among children and adults alike and can encourage multi-generational play.
A growing number of parks around the world have installed outdoor fitness equipment (OFE), and their use is rapidly increasing. However, few studies have investigated older adults’ perceptions of and experiences with OFE, especially through in-depth interviews. In the present study, researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with 55 senior OFE users at two parks in Taiwan. Participants were briefed about the purpose of this research and informed that all of their responses would be kept confidential. They signed informed-consent forms approved by an Institutional Review Board before their interviews.
Fun
Playground equipment offers fun, engaging activities that encourage kids to turn off their screens and get outside. When kids spend time outdoors, they also benefit from rich sensory experiences such as the feeling of the sun on their skin and the smell of fresh grass.
Children love to climb and a variety of climbing structures help them build strength. Some equipment like spiral ladders and a rock wall offer kids an exciting new twist on traditional ladders while others, such as the Revolution Inclusive Spinner or Turnabout Spinner, bring the thrill of old-school merry-go-rounds to a playground for kids of all abilities to enjoy.
Having access to exercise equipment in parks without having to buy a gym membership can be very appealing for adults who want to stay active. But it is important to note that park users may not be using OFE for long enough periods of time for them to achieve recommended levels of physical activity. Similar daylong observation studies found that most OFE users spend less than three hours using the equipment.