Playgrounds for Schools Better Playgrounds. Better world.ÂŽ
74% of parents believe it’s important for their children to play with a variety of kids, including those with disabilities. – Landscape Structures Inclusive Play Survey, 2014
The Value of Play
Development for the whole child Nearly half of school administrators report having cut significant time from physical education and recess to increase time devoted to reading and mathematics since passage of the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001. –E ducating the Student Body: Taking Physical Activity and Physical Education to School, Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, May 2013
Research on the effects of play— especially not enough play— shows that children regularly deprived of quality play time can suffer from increased obesity and aggression, diminished self-esteem and poor performance in the classroom. It is becoming clear: Play is fundamental to children’s development for a number of reasons. Physical Activity In this era of growing childhood obesity, the inclusion of daily physical activity couldn’t be more important. Not only is it good for the body, but it contributes to a healthy mind by providing opportunities to reduce stress, build confidence and practice problem-solving skills.
Academic Performance Physical activity has also been shown to boost academic performance. Additionally, studies have proven that regular bouts of physical activity during the school day can lead to improved attentiveness and success in the classroom. Social and Emotional Growth Play is inherently social. On the playground, children learn conflict resolution skills, take on leadership roles and engage in imaginative play. Inclusive Play An inclusive play environment fosters acceptance, empathy and emotional growth amongst all children, where physical barriers don’t impede socialization, imaginative play or the simple pleasures of friendship.
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EARLY CHILDHOOD As children develop more social skills, play evolves from parallel play to cooperative play. It’s an ideal time to encourage their creative minds and imaginations while building their cognitive skills. Fundamental motor skills will develop naturally during unscripted play on playgrounds.
Smart Play®: Cube 2-5
Children can get 40% of their recommended daily physical activity during recess. – Institute of Medicine of the National Academies
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The Rain Sound Wheel Panel™ provides auditory and visual input, and promotes dexterity, cognitive skills and imaginative play.
Smart PlayÂŽ: Cube 2-5 delivers 14 interactive play events that build cognitive and motor skills for plenty of toddlers and preschoolers. Its compact footprint fits tight spaces and tight budgets.
The Cozy DomeÂŽ gives kids a place to retreat from overstimulation and take time by themselves, socialize with friends, or climb up, over and down.
The Kaleidospin PanelÂŽ offers an engaging experience that indulges the senses and has great visual stimulation.
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Language and Literacy panels are conversation starters that allow you to pair developing social relationships with developing cognitive and academic skills—right on the playground!
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Too Small to Fail: Landscape Structures is partnering with Too Small to Fail’s “Talking is Teaching: Talk, Read, Sing” campaign to reach parents to help boost their young children’s early language development.
What Elementary School Principals Had to Say
• 4 out of 5 principals report that recess has a positive impact on academic achievement • 2/3 of principals report that students listen better after recess and are more focused in class • Virtually all believe that recess has a positive impact on children’s social development (96%) and general wellbeing (97%)
– Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2010
Children who are more active perform better on standardized academic tests than children who are less active. –E ducating the Student Body: Taking Physical Activity and Physical Education to School, Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, May 2013
Healthy play is essential to healthy emotional development. Free play enables children to express feelings completely, without holding back. –T he Value and Contribution of Free Play to Children’s Development, Children’s Institute for Learning and Development, Brown, Pei-San
Smart Play®: Motion 2-5 (left and below) has 16 activities, including cut out shapes to peek through, a winding race car track, interactive sand shoot, bongos and ring-a-bells, and geometric shape-and-fit games.
Play is the foremost way that children use the language they are hearing. – Crisis In the Kindergarten: Why Children Need to Play in School, Alliance for Childhood playlsi.com 5
ELEMENTARY As children develop increased flexibility, balance, agility, and strength in their play, they are also becoming more logical thinkers. They may participate in games with rules, often of their own making. Provide them with plenty of physical challenges along with opportunities for imaginative, active free play.
EvosŽ Unscripted free play allows children to refine their social skills while practicing cooperation and competition. –P lay: Essential for All Children. A Position Paper of the Association for Childhood Education International, Joan Packer Isenberg and Nancy Quisenberry 6 888.438.6574 763.972.5200
Smart Play®: Venti® packs 20 exciting activities into its compact size. Nets, belts and climbers provide physical challenges and opportunities for active free play, and can accommodate a whole class at once.
All domains of children’s development—cognitive, social, emotional and physical—are intricately intertwined. –T he Power of Play: A Research Summary on Play and Learning, Dr. Rachel E. White for Minnesota Children’s Museum
We-Saw™ is wheelchair accessible, inviting kids of all ages and abilities to share in collaborative play, teamwork and fun.
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PlayBoosterÂŽ Saint Maximilian Kolbe Catholic School, Delano, Minnesota
EclipseÂŽ Net Plus
A well-designed playstructure offers a range of challenges that can grow with children, allowing them to master new skills throughout their years at your school.
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Open Possibilities Schools serve a variety of age groups. We can help you create the right play environments for your students, spanning preschoolers through middle-schoolers.
Inclusive Play
The Rollerslide brings a cool, sensory experience to the playground along with a great inclusive play opportunity.
7 out of 10 parents agree or strongly agree that playground equipment should be designed so all children can play together. – Landscape Structures Inclusive Play Survey, 2014 playlsi.com 9
UPPER ELEMENTARY
Otsego Elementary School Otsego, Minnesota
Many of the skills crucial for success in the 21st century are first developed through play— challenge, collaboration, competition, confidence and critical thinking. At this age, children also require opportunities that let them advance physical prowess, muscle strength and endurance while developing their social skills.
Evos® and PlayBooster®
The OmniSpin® Spinner balances physical accessibility, age and developmental appropriateness, sensory-stimulating play, social play and valuable vestibular stimulation for children of all abilities.
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PlayBooster® Netplex™ is a hub of multi-level, webbed nets that offers a ton of kids the challenges they need for healthy development into self-assured adults.
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Adding freestanding play products—like ZipKrooz™ and the OmniSpin® Spinner—can enhance the play experience of any existing playground, inviting children of all abilities to play together. playlsi.com 11
A MEANINGFUL MESSAGE Landscape Structures not only shows their commitment to kids through their creative and innovative playground equipment but they have made a true pledge to the profession of elementary school principals through their commitment to working with NAESP. – Gail Connelly, Executive Director, NAESP
Going to Camp Kids will find plenty to do on this familiarly themed playstructure. The Recycled Wood-Grain Roof and lifelike concrete Log Steppers add to the outdoorsy motif.
Affiliations We know the playground is a place to have fun and continue to learn outside of the classroom. As a proud partner of NAESP, we work closely with school leaders to design and create play products that promote healthy living and a successful future for all kids. And that’s just the beginning. Our affiliations with respected and leading organizations like Too Small To Fail, Shane’s Inspiration and Kiwanis International give us the opportunity to create better playgrounds that build community. To learn more about all of our affiliations, please visit playlsi.com/affiliations.
By incorporating nature-inspired elements like Log Steppers, realistic fossils and critters, and rock-climbing formations like The Canyon Collection®, kids are inspired to learn, imagine and explore the healing benefits of nature amongst the safety and durability of nature-inspired manufactured equipment.
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The Canyon CollectionÂŽ Silver Sands Montessori Charter School Henderson, Nevada
Recess helps children focus better, improve their grades and behave better in the classroom. – Institute of Medicine of the National Academies
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We know how to work with any size budget and footprint.
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Versailles Elementary School Versailles, Ohio
PERSONALIZATION Add some school spirit to your playground. It can be as simple as a personalized sign—or as grand as a themed playstructure with surfacing to match. Outfit your playstructures in school colors. Add a concrete mascot or DigiFuse™ graphics. Then cap it all off with one or more signs celebrating school pride.
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Answers
To Common Questions Who needs to be involved? Invite key stakeholders—school administrators, teachers, students, parents, physical/occupational therapists and other community members—to join. Form specialized committees, such as:
- Budget - Fundraising - Research
- Design - Construction/Installation
How do we pay for it? This can vary greatly depending upon the size of your school, the size of the playstructure you want and the size of your community. But here is a short list of proven sources:
- Individual Contributions: Parents, neighbors and local businesses.
-P layground Grants: We’ve put together a Grant Guide that provides a listing of federal and state programs, as well as grants offered by corporations—contact your local playground consultant for a copy.
-P urchasing Contracts: Any school or non-profit agency can take advantage of easy-to-use purchasing programs.
- I n-kind Donations: Reduce the need for financial donations by raising in kind donations for materials, labor, equipment and supplies.
-L easing: With lease-purchase options, you can build your playground and fund it over time.
-F undraising Activities: Consider events such as fun runs, silent auctions, car washes, raffles, gift bricks, family fun nights, etc.
How long will it take? An average project may take 6 to 12 months. This can depend on many factors, including how you’re funding this project, the project’s size and even seasonality. Work with your playground consultant to help you create a project plan that includes your vision, timeline, budget, etc.
How can the community get involved? Include them in the upfront planning, tap seasoned community members to help with fundraising and invite everyone to take part in a Community Build when the playstructure is ready for installation. Consider partnering with your local parks and recreation department. Pride and sense of ownership grows with broader involvement.
Visit playlsi.com/schools or contact your local playground consultant at 888.438.6574.
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WHY CHOOSE LANDSCAPE STRUCTURES There is no other playground equipment manufacturer with more design talent, material options, advanced manufacturing capabilities or guidance to bring your school’s playground to life. We’ll learn about your goals and vision, and work collaboratively with you to make it real. Quality Because of our precision manufacturing, innovative designs and use of only the best materials, our products are built to last through this generation of children and onto the next. Safety Safety has been a priority of ours since the beginning. Our equipment is created to be as safe on the 10,000th use as it is on the first. Designed with kids in mind A play environment influences how kids engage, learn and develop, and every child is different. We design with these differences in mind, in ways that respect and honor each pathway, while offering fun and exciting new challenges. Experienced playground consultants Our consultants deliver a high level of service and close partnership throughout the process. From conception to completion, your local consultant will listen, provide viable solutions and ultimately help you bring your project to life. Community Build We’ve worked with communities around the world on thousands of Community Build playgrounds. It’s always exciting to bring school officials, teachers, parents, neighbors and children together to turn a dream into a beautiful new playground.
PlayBooster® Netplex™ Play allows children to use their creativity while developing their imagination, dexterity, and physical, cognitive and emotional strength. Play is important to healthy brain development. – The American Academy of Pediatrics
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Since 1971, Landscape Structures has been committed to enhancing children’s lives by fostering and creating inspiring play experiences while honoring the environment. We create innovative playground equipment to inspire children to grow strong bodies and minds so their futures remain bright. And to further ensure a better tomorrow, we are sensitive to the environment through manufacturing practices that minimize our impact on the earth. Our goal from day one has been to foster healthy children playing in healthy communities year after year, generation after generation. 601 7th Street South, Delano, MN 55328 USA • 888.438.6574 • 763.972.5200 • playlsi.com ©2016 Landscape Structures Inc. Printed in the U.S.A. 755-2480