HISD: Adding Playground Equipment to Elementary Schools

Humble ISD adding playground equipment at elementary schools

Humble ISD families will have new ways to play outdoors. Each of the district’s 30 elementary schools are receiving new or additional playground equipment thanks to Bond 2022 funds, federal funds, or City of Houston TIRZ funds. The playground projects have been designed to:

Enhance Safety

“COVID brought to the forefront how important it is for students to spend time outdoors in fresh air,” Luci Schulz, Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Schools, said. “We learned the value of adding more and better outdoor spaces. Students develop lifelong skills on the playground, such as how to collaborate and manage conflict resolution with their peers.”

At right, River Pines Elementary playground rendering At left, Jack Fields Elementary playground rendering

Provide Opportunities for All Children

“The new playgrounds will be built on handicappedaccessible, poured-in-place rubber surfaces with fall protection, to serve children of all abilities,” Schulz said.

Develop a Community Asset

“Outside of school hours, the elementary playgrounds are open for community use,” Schulz said.

Woodland Hills Elementary will be the first new playground, opening in August with a fairy tale theme. Park Lakes Elementary will be the second new playground, opening in the fall semester with a safari theme. Elm Grove Elementary will be the third new playground, opening in the spring semester with a treehouse theme.

Hidden Hollow, with a western theme, and Humble Elementary, with a global theme, are next. Construction on HHE and HE playgrounds will begin during the spring semester.

Playgrounds will continue to open over the next seven years. While not all themes have been finalized, themes under

At left, Park Lakes Elementary playground rendering

At right, Elm Grove Elementary playground rendering

consideration include National Parks, First Responders, Texas Landmarks, Rain Forest, Pirate Ship, Flower Garden, Under the Sea, Airport, Space, Zoo, Carnival, Beach, Farm, Bug’s Life and more. The district will publish a map of themes by campus so that families can visit playgrounds of interest to their children.

Humble ISD is partnering with Project Playground, a nonprofit organization based in Conroe, that takes used playground equipment and installs it for children in developing nations, such as Bolivia, Botswana, Peru and Zambia. Project Playground has worked with the City of Conroe, the Woodlands Township, the City of Sugarland and the City of McKinney to repurpose used playground equipment – preventing waste, keeping plastic and metal out of landfills, and bringing joy to children who have never before experienced a playground.

Woodland Hills Elementary School students Bryson Roy, Landry Beckel and Penelope Zavala see their playground for the first time during the installation in July, along with Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Fagen and WHE Principal Cindy Barker. Each of the district’s 30 elementary schools are receiving new or additional playground equipment thanks to Bond 2022 funds, federal funds, or City of Houston TIRZ funds. Follow Dr. Fagen on Twitter @ElizabethFagen