March 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 83

Seating
Comfortable seating throughout
the playground for adults to monitor
activity, as well as quiet places for
kids to step away from the excitement, is important to meet all users'
needs. When caregivers are comfortable in a play space, they are more
likely to stay longer. This results in
kids getting more play time.

Safety
Adhering to CPSC and ASTM
standards for public playground
safety is a key element to creating
long-term site safety. Additionally,
protection from the sun and wind
increases comfort while separation
from busy streets will promote a feeling of safety and encourage families
to return. Safety and the perception
of safety is an underlying piece to all
well-designed playgrounds.

Nature
Access to the natural environment improves children's cognitive
and social development and creates
more complex play that lasts for
longer periods of time. Nature can
be added to any type of playground
with landscape beds, logs, rocks or
trees. Native and non-native plants
can both be used to create more
complex and interesting play spaces
that can complement a more standard play structure or be the defining theme of the entire playground.

Moving Parts
Sand, water, sticks - moveable
parts create a more interesting play
experience for kids as the environment shifts under their direction.
Adding moving parts can improve
fine motor skill development, expand imaginative play and encourage sensory play. Moving parts can

include a water spray feature, sand
play area or movable foam blocks,
spheres and tubes. Kids can push
the boundaries of play design and
imagination by creating their own
play with moving parts.

Social Inclusion
Inclusive spaces encourage people with different abilities and ages
to share the space socially and psychologically - not just physically.
The goal is to go beyond meeting
the federal ADA standards. This
means making the playground
welcoming with circulation loops
in which all users can participate,
seating spaces for all and panel play
for everyone.

Imagination
Promoting imaginative play engages children's cognitive skills and
makes play more fun for all ages.
Themes and areas that promote
imagination engage a child's analytical skills, encourage exploration
and create a sense of place. Not every playground needs a theme, but
ensuring that play pieces encourage
imagination will help create spaces
that help everyone find the sense of
what wonder play is all about.
Implementing the dynamic play
criteria is where the fun begins. A
great example is Hiawatha Park,
located on Chicago's northwest
side. The recently updated park is a
center of recreation and fun for the
neighborhood, and incorporates
the nine key elements of dynamic
play. Public meetings allowed users' needs to be integrated while the
Chicago Park District playground
design guidelines were followed to
help reduce maintenance costs and
provide safe play. The circuits are
especially successful in this play-

Including moveable parts makes for a
more interesting play experience and can
improve fine motor skill development.

ground with both ramps and rubber
surfacing berms tied into the play
structure. The real success is seeing kids play while caregivers relax
nearby in the shade.
As research continues to be compiled, the criteria will continue to
be updated so that playground designs continue to improve. The success of each playground design will
be found in the real world where
kids are playing, memories are being made and everyone is asking to
visit that great playground again.

Michelle A. Kelly, RLA, CPSI, is a Principal
Landscape Architect at Upland Design Ltd.
(mkelly@uplanddesign.com).

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Parks & Recreation

March 2016 - Parks & Recreation

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