Based on the “Guidelines for Learning and Development of Children Aged 3-6”, combined with actual production and research and development experience, the Cowboy Group, a leading playground equipment manufacturer, has summarized the relevant principles for the design of excellent outdoor playgrounds in kindergartens, considering safety, age-appropriateness, diversity, spatial layout, education, and other aspects, to provide a reference for the majority of kindergartens.
Safety Principle
The Cowboy Group believes that the design of an excellent school outdoor playground in a kindergarten should first consider the safety of children. In the design process of the outdoor places of kindergartens, attention should be paid to all possible accidents that may occur to children, such as falls, collisions, and pinching injuries. To ensure the safety of children, the Cowboy Group conducts a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of factors such as the environmental protection of facilities and the durability of teaching toys and designs school outdoor playgrounds that meet safety standards to reduce the possibility of injury to children.
Age-appropriateness Principle
In the design of early childhood playgrounds, the age characteristics of children should be fully considered. All kinds of kindergartens need to design different play facilities according to the age characteristics of different children so that the outdoor play areas for kindergartens are age-appropriate and applicable. For example, the Cowboy Group,the senior playground equipment manufacturer,provides a variety of the most common outdoor activities such as sports, sensory training, climbing, construction, role-playing, playing with sand and water, animal and plant breeding, scientific exploration, outdoor art, etc. in the design of outdoor venues, covering children of different game levels, with a variety of different play facilities, to meet the diverse needs of children of different ages, and comprehensively develop children’s abilities and personalities.
Spatial Layout Principle
The design of excellent kindergarten outdoor playgrounds should also focus on the rationality of spatial layout. A well-planned school outdoor playground ensures reasonable and scientific site allocation and provides sufficient space for children’s activities. In addition, in outdoor play areas for kids, it is also very important to pay attention to children’s private space and public space. The Cowboy Group has designed several outdoor huts for this purpose, so that children can play and explore in private spaces, and can also communicate and cooperate in public spaces.
Educational Principle
The school playground design should also focus on educational principles, including but not limited to color, shape, material, etc. The Cowboy Group believes that outdoor playgrounds full of childlike fun, scientific and reasonable facilities, and curriculum content adapted to local conditions can be entertaining and educational, allowing children to perceive the surrounding environment in an atmosphere full of scientific design, increase their cognition of the world, and thus promote the comprehensive development of children in five major areas.
Principle of Fun
The design of kindergarten outdoor playgrounds should take into full consideration the fun so that children can be proactive and fully devote themselves to outdoor play to achieve an immersive play experience.
Principle of Weather Resistance
The construction of the outdoor environment of kindergartens should take into account the influence of many factors, especially the differences between the north and the south, as well as the influence of the climate environment, which plays a very important role in the outdoor environment. For example, in extremely hot areas like the Middle East, outdoor amusement equipment has very high requirements for materials. Slides must be made of plastic, and stainless steel slides cannot be used outdoors due to high temperatures. For other materials, the Cowboy Group also uses the best fiberglass and anti-bate boards in the industry, which are not easy to fade or crack even at a high temperature of 50 degrees. In addition, a sunshade must be added outdoors to ensure that children will not get sunburned when playing.
In summary, Cowboy Group, the premium playground equipment manufacturer, believes that an excellent kindergarten outdoor playground design should be safe, age-appropriate, diverse, spatially arranged, educational, fun, and weather-resistant. Such a place can not only provide children with a safe, comfortable, interesting, and entertaining gaming environment but also stimulate their imagination, creativity, and spirit of cooperation, providing strong guarantees for their all-round development and healthy growth. When it comes to playground design, whether for daycare playground design，preschool playground design or K12 playground design, these principles remain crucial. The design of a K12 playground also requires careful consideration of factors such as safety and educational elements to create an engaging and functional space.
