A preschool playground plays an important role in children’s development. It helps to keep the children healthy and active. While children play in the playground, it helps them mentally decompress, and they can refocus quickly after recess. Children consider playing as a serious business. They can develop communication and social skills through play.
But no matter if you are renovating or installing a preschool playground, it can be a major undertaking, especially when you have tight budgets. There are plenty of single-day projects to help to improve your preschool playground’s appearance. Playground equipment can last for many years. With proper planning and the right equipment, you can renovate your preschool playground within your budget.
If you are unsure what to do, we will be discussing some tips in this article to help you through your preschool playground renovation.
1. Know Your Budget For Preschool Playground Upgrades
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Before you start any renovation for your preschool playground, you need to know the budget you want to spend on the playground. The budget amount will decide which elements you choose and how much equipments you wish to install. It is important that you need to know how much you will want to spend before starting.
When renovating, it is important that you have to upgrade it for student safety, If you have many things to do but with a limited budget, you can consider spreading it over several years.
2. Decide What To Do With The Preschool Playground
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Decide what you want to do with the playground. If you are upgrading your current playground, look around and see what is lacking. If you have a new playground, you can look at other playgrounds and plan what equipment you want to have in your preschool. You will like to offer a variety of activities for children to engage in group play or individual play. Your preschool playground needs to provide enough space for children to enjoy their exercise, organized games, and unstructured play.
While renovating, consider whether the equipment is enough for the children to play with and if they need to queue up for a long time. You wouldn’t want to drag chairs in and out of the classroom, so you may consider adding some benches. Take into consideration what the children need from a playground.
If your preschool has fewer natural elements, you can consider putting some plants around or logs for children to play on. If you want the children to be more creative, consider building outdoor space for music or dramatic arts. There are some lower-cost items, such as balls and hoops. The children will have more choices, which can be used for physical education classes.
3. Consider Who Will Be Using The Preschool Playground
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Determine who will be using the playground. This depends on the age of the children that your preschool is recruiting. You won’t want to spend money on equipment for older kids if the kids are barely able to walk yet. Similarly, if the children in your preschool are above 5 years old, you wouldn’t want to buy equipment for younger kids. So focus on the age of your school’s kids to decide what kind of equipment to buy.
If your preschool has multi-age children, you can have equipment designed for ages 2 – 12. But be sure that teachers are supervising during playtime. It is best if the younger and older kids have separate times to play at the playground. Separating them can help to prevent accidents.
4. Take Preschool Playground In Phase
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Doing the project all at once can be expensive. You can consider renovating your preschool playground in phases. Many preschools opt to renovate their playgrounds in stages. The kids can continue to play in the playground while renovating another part of the playground. The kids will be excited with each new phase.
You can consider installing some equipment for the children to play with first. If you plan to have an outdoor class, consider renovating it in the next phase. In between, if you think the playground lacks some things, you can plan it out and renovate it in another phase. This helps to spread out your cost, and you won’t need to pay all at one shot.
5. Examine Available Space For Preschool Playground
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Check the space available for your preschool playground. Include the space if you are removing any old equipment. If there is a limited amount of space for your preschool playground, you can find equipment that fits smaller spaces and budgets. You don’t need a very big area to build up your playground. As long as you plan your space, you can create an exciting playground.
6. Replace Outdated or Dangerous Equipment For Preschool Playground
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For the safety of the children, you have to take note of any dangerous equipment in the preschool playground. Remove any dangerous equipment and plan to replace it or use it for other activities. Equipment that could pose risk includes:
- Entrapment: Children could get stuck from strings on their clothes or entrapping their body parts
- Crushing: Avoid using playground equipment that may have a crushing hazard to the children
- Impalement: Ensure that hooks, bolts, and other hardware are appropriately enclosed to prevent impalement
- Tripping: Be careful with tripping hazards such as anchors that are slightly above the ground and low walls
7. Update and Keep The Element Of Preschool Playground
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When renovating your preschool playground, decide what elements you want to put in your playground. The more elements you put in, the more budget you will need. Ensure that the elements are safe for the children. It is important to assess that the equipment in your playground meets the safety standards over the years.
When you have decided which elements to put in the playground, request a professional to inspect the equipment to ensure that the equipment is safe for the children. You will need to include maintenance fees in your budget, such as part replacement.
Here are some tips for renovating your preschool playground when you have a budget. You don’t have to use a big budget to renovate the playground. A small budget can still make a huge difference if you have proper planning.
Speak with The Experts
Planning to get started at your kindergarten but have no idea about it?
Childcare Center Renovation Singapore is a reliable company for renovation and interior design. They have about ten years of experience in this field and have a good reputation among customers.
Call us now to get your desired kindergarten design ideas now!
