Parks & Recreation Playground Guide 2020

PLAYGROUND GUIDE 2020 N R PA .O RG

2020 PLAYGROUND GUIDE What Does the Future Hold for Playgrounds?

Safety and Maintenance: Going Beyond the Obvious

PLAYGROUND

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Funding for every community!

Up to 100% matching funds for qualified play systems

Up to $25,000 in funds for select fitness products

Up to $11,000 in funds for signature play events

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

GameTime Cares Since 1929, GameTime has been committed to the success of park and recreation departments. Parks provide essential services and are important to the physical, social-emotional and cognitive development of children and families. Parks promote equity and are an important resource for people from all walks of life.

Assistance Now and for the Future Now, more than ever, park and recreation departments are looking for assistance with projects. To help you plan for what’s happening right now and for what comes next, GameTime created the GameTime Cares™ Customer Assistance Program. GameTime Cares is a comprehensive collection of services to support you as you navigate these uncertain times. It includes free storage of playground and fitness equipment for up to 90 days, up to 100 percent financing on new outdoor recreation products, QuickShip™ play systems that ship in three to five days, and grant funding for play and recreation products.

Learn more at gametime.com/cares.

Sharing Good News With our parent company, PlayCore, GameTime is proud to be part of a collaborative live internet broadcast, called Good News: In Parks™. This interactive, biweekly show brings together leaders in the park and recreation industry to share ideas, best practices and other good news during difficult times. Viewers are encouraged to submit questions for the panelists and participate in a lively discussion of a wide range of topics that are relevant to everyone who advocates for outdoor recreation. View the show schedule and upcoming topics at gametime.com/good-news.

Products Made for the Moment

to provide this as an amenity in their parks, but they didn’t know how to do it effectively.

GameTime responded with the development of our new Hand Sanitizer Stations. These durable steel and aluminum enclosures work with most hand sanitizer dispensers (pump-style, lever-style and touchless) and include a lock to make sure hand sanitizer stays in the park for visiting children and families. Find the right Hand Sanitizer Station for your park at gametime.com/hand-sanitizer.

Free Resources Many parks are using this time to inspect and perform maintenance on outdoor recreation equipment. GameTime offers a comprehensive maintenance guide to help you make sure your parks are ready for the community now and for the future. We also provide a wide range of research, programming and other tools to help you maximize the services you offer the community. These include project planning and funding, designing for inclusion, encouraging natural play and exploration, physical activity for children and adults, and much more. Find the right toolkit of resources for your community at gametime.com/resources.

For nearly a century, GameTime has worked closely with park and recreation departments across the country and around the world to help make sure these essential places and services are available to families. We care about your community because your community is where we live, work and play too.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the use of liquid hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available at parks and playgrounds. Many park and recreation professionals told us they wanted www.gametime.com 800.235.2440

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Contents Features

Company Profiles

8 The Future of Playgrounds and Playground Safety 18 Detecting Playground Defects

1 GameTime 3 ForeverLawn 4 Landscape Structures Inc. 6 BCI Burke Playgrounds 14 Little Tikes Commercial 16 Miracle Recreation 23 Surface America 24 Playworld

Departments 22 Advertiser Index 22 Become a Certified Playground Maintenance Inspector

Protect Your Playground.

BECOME A CPSI.

The Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI) certification program provides the most comprehensive and up-to-date training on playground safety issues including hazard identification, equipment specifications, surfacing requirements and risk management methods.

Sign Up For An Online Course Today nrpa.org/CPSI

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

The Ultimate Playground Surface If you are looking for the best value in a playground surface that will last longer, need less maintenance and improve play, the choice is easy. No other surface compares to Playground Grass™ by ForeverLawn®.

All of their synthetic turf Playground Grass products and safety systems meet and exceed the recommended ASTM and IPEMA certifications.

Other loose fill playground surface options, such as mulch, sand or gravel, can be very messy and difficult to maintain. Playground Grass provides a lush, beautiful low-maintenance surface backed by a 10-year warranty.

Playground Grass passes all ADA-accessibility tests in the real world and in the lab, meaning that

wheelchairs and mobility devices can easily roll across the surface, contributing to an inclusive play environment.

Playground Grass Ultra is one of the products in the ForeverLawn premium product line. Ultra has antistatic technology built into the blades and is the only synthetic turf on the market with a patented process to disseminate static buildup, providing a safe and comfortable experience for kids with cochlear implants or other electronic medical devices.

Playground Grass Ultra also includes antimicrobial technology that inhibits the growth of bacteria on the turf and is available in eight standard colors.

playgroundgrass.com 866.992.7876

Who says Grass has to be GREEN? Eight Colors Now Available Playground Grass™ Ultra synthetic turf stays vibrant longer and requires less maintenance than other playground surface options. ForeverLawn utalizes antimicrobial and antistatic technology to ensure a safe comfortable experience for kids with cochlear implants or other electronic medical devices. All of the synthetic turf Playground Grass products and safety systems meet and exceed the recommended IPEMA guidelines for fall attenuation and ADA accessibility.

Bright Colors are Fun! • The Playground Grass Ultra color palette is tailored to kids’ favorite colors.

• Colorful playground surfaces are proven to attract a child’s attention and enhance their play experience.

866.992.7876 playgroundgrass.com

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

The Importance of Play

By Lynn Pinoniemi

There is a lot of uncertainty in the world right now due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. One thing we are sure of is that kids, teens and adults need outdoor activity to keep themselves healthy — both physically and mentally.

Making time for free, unstructured play is tricky in our 24/7 world, but research tells us that carving out time and space for outdoor play and activity is worth it. For children, playtime allows them to be in control and use their imaginations all while developing a range of important skills. There are benefits for teens and adults as well.

Not only does exercising outdoors lead to better physical health, but it may contribute to increased energy, as well as reduced anger, tension and depression.

So, as communities begin to slowly and safely reopen their parks and playgrounds, it’s important to offer play and recreation solutions that help individuals of all ages stay active and healthy.

Landscape Structures Inc., based in Delano, Minnesota, has curated a collection of dynamic playground designs to give park and recreation departments innovative and iconic choices at an affordable price point. Included in this collection is the new Tree Tops playstructure. This new offering delivers the feel of exploring a forest canopy branch by branch. However, beyond the normal ups and downs of traditional tree climbing, this wondrously abstract

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playground design allows kids to navigate across wiggly bridges, roar down two different slides and so much more.

If an entirely new playground isn’t in the current plan, adding freestanding play components is a great way to freshen up the play experience. Even better, offering spinners, bouncers and spring riders to visitors allows them to adhere to the physical distancing guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Extreme fitness is gaining popularity because of current television shows, and these high-intensity strength training courses encourage kids, teens and adults to get and stay fit. FitCore™ Extreme obstacle courses can be designed for teens and adults, or for kids ages 5 to 12 to deliver exciting fitness challenges in community parks, schools and neighborhood gathering areas. In addition to these extreme fitness environments, traditional outdoor fitness equipment remains popular in communities. The HealthBeat® Outdoor Fitness System targets three core fitness areas — muscle strength, cardiovascular health, and balance and flexibility — through 14 workout stations.

As more communities begin to reopen and create their new normal following the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important to remember that everyone will benefit from outdoor play and recreation. Choose to invest in amenities that will boost community members’ physical and mental well-being.

Learn more about the new great designs available as well as extreme and traditional fitness equipment from Landscape Structures by visiting playlsi.com. Or, contact your local playground consultant to get started on playground and fitness environment designs that meet your community’s needs.

Lynn Pinoniemi is Vice President of Marketing at Landscape Structures Inc. www.playlsi.com 888.438.6574

Spark Hours of Imaginative Play Give kids ages 5 to 12 the opportunity to explore a forest canopy branch by branch with the new Tree Tops playstructure. Beyond the normal ups and downs of traditional tree climbing, this wondrously abstract playground design allows kids to navigate across wiggly bridges, roar down two different slides and so much more. Learn more at playlsi.com/great-designs.

©2020 Landscape Structures Inc.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Play That Moves You® getting the highest level of growth and develop skills that transcend the playground. We create products that offer people of all ages and all abilities the opportunity for connection and enjoyment and use them to design spaces that keep everyone engaged. We work to create an element of excitement over and over again, so children can experience the joy of discovery each time they play.

Why Burke Products: Burke’s playgrounds are handcrafted in our Midwestern facility using high-quality materials, including compounded plastics with UV-16 to protect your investment. Burke’s exclusive KoreKonnect® direct-bolt clamp system is the very best in the industry, and our EZKonnect® system features a self-leveling platform design. Together, they offer ease of installation and a clean look that invites everyone in to play.

What Matters: To us at BCI Burke, Play That Moves You® means researching, innovating and designing products and play spaces that inspire everyone to find the best of themselves through play. We’ve been creating play for 100 years and continue to bring the best and most innovative products to communities around the world. Creating environments for children and communities to move, gather and develop socially, emotionally, physically and cognitively is a privilege for us now and into the future. We are a century old, but we’re just getting started.

What We Do: Bringing Play That Moves You to communities around the world means we are focused on being the best in the industry by offering products that marry form and function and bring everyone together in play, recreation and outdoor fitness. We research how children play and engage with their environments to ensure that they are

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Play. This is a simple answer to us and guides us each and every day to make the best play, playground, recreation and outdoor fitness products for the communities we serve. It also guides us long term to think about the future. Getting back to play in a new normal after a shift in our world. Play as a uniting factor in a sometimes divided world. Doing our part to leave future generations a planet they can safely and happily inhabit. This is the bigger picture of what matters to us and, through the lens of play, we can make an impact and help to create communities that grow, engage and work together toward a better world.

800.356.2070 www.bciburke.com

Living Our Mission The world needs more. More Connection. More Movement.

More Community. More brings people together and helps communities thrive. It is our passion and our mission to bring Play That Moves You to the communities we serve. We’ve been doing it for 100 years and we’re just getting started.

It’s time to Join Our Movement.

bciburke.com Trademark(s) are the property of BCI Burke Company. © BCI Burke Company 2020. All Rights Reserved. 800-356-2070

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The Future of Playgrounds and Playground Safety

By Randy Bina, CPRE An aerial view of Magical Moments Playground in Wachter Park, an awardwinning inclusive playground area designed by a group of local citizens who wanted to create a park where everyone could play together.

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G

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF BISMARK PARKS AND RECREATION DISTRICT

o outside and play.” Those wise words are uttered by nearly every parent since the beginning of time. Very wise words, indeed, especially when you consider the benefits of breathing fresh air, exploring the environment, experiencing hands-on learning and making new friends. Being able to move, touch, see and feel the outdoors stimulates children’s senses. Plus, it’s just plain fun!

“Go outside and play,” however, took on a new meaning in March 2020, when new terms dominated our lives, the landscape and headlines. “Pandemic,” “unprecedented,” “quarantine” and the much-dreaded “closed” have become part of our daily lexicon.

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A wave of questions centered on outdoor spaces ensued.

Was playing outside safe?

Could families go to a park?

Could people walk on the trails?

Were playgrounds safe?

Closing recreational facilities, parks, trails and playgrounds goes against the grain and passion of every park and recreational professional. Denying services, turning off lights and fencing off play spaces are not our purpose — not ever. However, the governor’s orders, city restrictions and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) became the order of the day.

For Bismarck Parks and Recreation District (BPRD) in Bismarck, North Dakota, being ordered by Governor Doug Burgum to close indoor spaces, like fitness centers and community centers, was unsettling to the staff. However, we

respected his executive orders and closed our indoor facilities.

A wave of questions centered on outdoor spaces ensued. Was playing outside safe? Could families go to a park? Could people walk on the trails? Were playgrounds safe?

From the very start, Governor Burgum focused on the value of outdoor recreation and its impact on North Dakotans’ physical and mental health. School was canceled, businesses closed, families were navigating distance learning, unemployment checks and payroll assistance checks were sought out — but amid all the chaos, people could still go outside. Outdoor opportunities became even more essential. The governor reminded all residents to focus on facts, not fear.

BPRD made the decision to keep parks, trails, sports complexes, fishing ramps and playgrounds open.

Communication, especially in uncertain times, remains key. We shared news that outdoor spaces were open on the BPRD website and on all social media platforms. Staff were trained on safe practices and ways to answer citizens’ inquiries.

Within days, signs were placed at every sports complex and playground throughout the district with tips on staying safe, being physically distanced, wiping down equipment with sanitary wipes and using hand sanitizer when finished. BPRD focused on personal accountability and decision making. Playgrounds were open.

A sign displaying COVID-19 playground safety tips is posted at a playground in Sertoma Park.

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Playgrounds Are More Important than Ever In Bismarck, playgrounds have historically rated as one of the toprequested park features on all public input surveys. That data, however, was gathered in a pre-pandemic era. Today, the importance and benefits of outdoor play spaces is even more critical. The pandemic made parks and playgrounds a safe place for wellness.

The list of playground benefits got longer, as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. A healthy, active body has more immunity. Play and physical activity can potentially relieve stress and anxiety for children and their caregivers. Being outdoors and playing safely could provide some welcome relief from the kitchen table/school desk. Time outdoors is a natural mood booster and mental health tonic that can be enjoyed by children of all ages and abilities.

Playgrounds became a new tool for community discovery. People wandered a bit further from their neighborhood park to find playgrounds they hadn’t visited before.

There were plenty of options, as BPRD oversees 52 playgrounds in 60 parks. There are a variety of playgrounds with special amenities, including ramps, musical play panels, sensory input panels and sand-and-water features that are accessible to all.

BPRD uses themes in playground design to promote longer play times

BPRD Operations Director David Mayer and Park Planner Wendy AndersonBerg perform a safety audit of a new playground in Sertoma Park.

and offer an opportunity for children to use their bodies and their imaginations. Yes, you can blast off into space at the rocket ship playground.

Yes, you can go to the ball in that horse-drawn carriage. Yes, little cowboys and cowgirls, come aboard the stagecoach at Fort Fun. Other playground themes in the BPRD system center around construction, a fire truck and fire station, music, bugs and monkeys. BPRD has a total of 14 themed playgrounds.

Play Spaces for All BPRD has a long history of creating inclusive and accessible playgrounds. Magical Moments Playground in Wachter Park is an award-winning inclusive playground area that was designed in 2006 by a group of local citizens who wanted to create a park where everyone could play together. The main champion of the play area was a parent of a child with severe disabilities, including Cerebral palsy, seizures,

asthma and a vision impairment.

The playground design was created by a committee of stakeholders, including parents of kids with disabilities, physical therapists, BPRD and children from local schools.

Magical Moments set the bar very high for inclusive playgrounds.

That playground was updated and expanded in 2017. The playground includes a toddler area on a pouredin-place rubber surface, a sensory playground for ages 2 to 5 and an

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One of BPRD’s themed playgrounds, a rocket ship, allows children to use their imagination to travel to space.

area for ages 5 to 12 with an extensive ramp system allowing for all modes of access, including those with mobility impairments. The playground also features a maze area, a sand play space with an accessible sand table and a dual zipline. The swings area provides accessible options and a molded ADA swing seat.

In addition, BPRD has an extensive playground replacement program, where all playgrounds are evaluated on an annual basis and plans for

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their replacement become part of the budgeting process.

Since 2014, BPRD has installed 11 new playgrounds — nine in new neighborhood parks and two in a community park expansion. A total of 13 playgrounds have been replaced in that same timeframe.

Fortunately, the pandemic didn’t stop the installation or opening of new playgrounds. In July 2020, BPRD opened a fully inclusive playground with a poured-in-place sur-

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face, a large, inclusively designed play structure and a double zipline structure with accessible seating.

The playground also includes a trail connection to the existing BPRD trail system. Shouts of “Wow!” and “Whoa!” often float through the park.

At this writing, BPRD announced that another new playground, with poured-in-place surfacing and a large climbing structure, would open in late summer 2020 — the first playground of its kind in the area.

Playground Safety with a New Perspective The concept of playgrounds being accessible so that all kids and caregivers can get outside to play is paramount when BPRD begins the playground planning process.

The BPRD Mission, to work with the community to provide residents and visitors with the highest quality park, program, facility and event experience, guides this process.

BPRD’s core purpose is to provide affordable, accessible and sustainable public park and recreation services. The “accessible” and “sustainable” pieces of that core purpose took on additional meaning as a result of the pandemic. In addition to providing playgrounds for all ages and abilities, “accessible” now means that we strive to keep playgrounds as safe as possible through new processes and increased awareness. “Sustainable” now means that we do everything we can to keep kids and caregivers safe and healthy, so that playgrounds can continue to stay open and provide that necessary social and physical outlet for the community.

Increased use of playgrounds meant that BPRD staff also needed to increase the frequency of inspections. Trained Certified Playground Safety Inspectors (CPSIs) examine playgrounds every other week with a low-frequency inspection at the beginning of the month. The lowfrequency inspection includes a very

close look at all the nuts and bolts of the playground, looking for wear and tear, and any safety concerns. The high-frequency inspection is completed in the middle of the month.

In addition, if BPRD receives any calls about a playground concern, the CPSI will inspect it right away. All inspections and safety concerns are addressed and recorded.

In addition to the regularly scheduled safety repairs and maintenance checks of the playground, BPRD staff also inspect the playground for cleanliness. The safety signs placed at the playgrounds were also inspected to make sure they were holding up to changes in the weather and they were visible to visitors.

BPRD embraces playground safety by supporting and continually enrolling staff in the CPSI program.

The training for this nationally recognized mark of excellence has been hosted in Bismarck since the early 1990s through the National Recreation and Park Association and the North Dakota Recreation and Park Association. Twenty-three percent of the total BPRD staff are CPSIs. This ensures that BPRD is providing the safest playgrounds possible to the community and the members it serves.

The pandemic was a reminder that BPRD’s community-based research and the planned approach to adding, replacing and maintaining outdoor spaces, including playgrounds, made a difference and provided great re-

The pandemic taught all park and recreation professionals additional lessons, including the ability to make adjustments and decisions based on community needs and expectations, to be able to pivot and move forward, to trust the guidance provided by health experts, to be able to provide new training opportunities to staff, and to collaborate based on local context and local conditions. wards. Playgrounds support BPRD’s vision: Be the leader and premier provider of public parks, programs, facilities and leisure services.

The pandemic taught all park and recreation professionals additional lessons, including the ability to make adjustments and decisions based on community needs and expectations, to be able to pivot and move forward, to trust the guidance provided by health experts, to be able to provide new training opportunities to staff, and to collaborate based on local context and local conditions.

The pandemic also taught us that we need playgrounds. So, “Go outside and play.”

Randy Bina, CPRE, is Executive Director at Bismarck Parks and Recreation District (BPRD) in Bismarck, North Dakota (RBina@bisparks.org).

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

How Play Boosts Communication and Literacy Skills in Children guidance,” as noted above, could be paramount in children’s understanding of relationships during role-play.

Props and objects: Using different objects in role-play permits children to practice vocabulary by identifying the items they have in use. They may, for example, designate a rock as a cellphone.

Roles and themes: Role-play creates the need for multiple roles and a main theme. Whether the game is doctor or construction, children need to familiarize themselves with industry language.

Pretend play: Pretend play launches children into an assortment of situations and scenarios that need language to resolve. For instance, children will frequently narrate their actions while playing.

Before children ever step into a school, they’re introduced to their local playground. A playground can be a child’s first encounter with the world and the children who are a part of it. By interacting with others, children develop language skills. Keep reading to learn more.

Different Types of Play To understand how play benefits language development, we first need to understand the different types of play — free play and guided play. Free play is what you would associate with traditional outdoor play. It’s unstructured, and children choose to do so of their own free will. It promotes imaginative minds and an enthusiasm for discovery amongst children.

Guided play focuses specifically on pre-determined learning goals while maintaining the enjoyable aspects of free play. Guided play allows for gentle adult guidance.

Together, both principles ensure that the child progresses toward the learning goal.

Outdoor Play Aids Language Development The importance of play for language development can’t be stressed enough. Communication development happens most effectively during dramatic play. “Gentle adult

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How to Encourage Pretend Play Pretend play is composed of real-life representations of everyday roles and relationships. Children have been known to emulate various behaviors at the playground, from reading a book bound together with leaves to playing doctor with a friend.

These activities, like building representative experiences through the creation of imaginary worlds, strengthen children’s visionary insight and forge meaning in the acts for the children involved. Therefore, the symbolism involved in reading a book or playing doctor becomes more than just pretend play. It serves as a bridge to literacy.

Learning Through Play at Your Playground Little Tikes Commercial was founded on the idea that all children deserve to play in a way that makes their lives better. To Rediscover Little Tikes Commercial, visit LittleTikesCommercial.com.

LittleTikesCommercial.com 800.325.8828

100% MATCHING FUNDS Invest in Your Community

At Little Tikes Commercial, we understand the power of play, and make it easy to find the structures that are the right fit for your school, park, or organization.

Through our 100% Matching Funds program, we provide access to premium play structures with unique themes and innovative designs, without sacrificing value or quality. Purchase any of the play structures in this program, and we’ll match your contribution dollar for dollar. Payment due at time of purchase.

Valid until December 4, 2020. For full program details, visit LittleTikesCommercial.com/MatchingFunds www.littletikes.com ® & © The Little Tikes Company U.S. and other countries. PlayPower LT Farmington, Inc. is a PlayPower, Inc. company. ©2020 PlayPower, Inc. All rights reserved.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

The Importance of Sensory Play at Playgrounds Sensory development is the brain’s way of exploring the world through its seven sensory systems — touch, taste, smell, sight, sound, balance and positioning. When a child participates in sensory play, certain brain functions are activated, including:

1. Tactile Children need to be able to manipulate objects with their hands, experience different textures, and push and pull objects around them — this is where playground features like climbing rocks and sandboxes come in.

2. Vestibular System

Features of Sensory Playgrounds A sensory-rich playground provides a wide variety of sensory experiences all in one space. These can include:

1. Sandboxes Tactile experiences like sand or water play are important for stimulating a child’s sense of touch.

2. Swings and Spinners Swinging — independently or with the help of an adult — is a great way for children to exercise their vestibular system.

3. Climbing Climbing equipment provides ample opportunities for children to engage their proprioceptive system, while climbers encourage children to engage the muscles and joints that help children determine where they are in space.

The vestibular senses are those that relate to a person’s balance and eye movement. Playgrounds provide a comfortable environment to exercise this system and overcome challenges associated with it on equipment, such as swings and spinners.

4. Outdoor Exploration

3. Proprioception System

Sensory Exploration at the Playground

This sense refers to how a person’s body is positioned, in order to use it in a correct and skillful way. By encouraging them to engage in climbing, crawling, hanging and other sensory and physical activities on the playground, children develop a better sense of where they are in space.

Incorporate sensory experiences into your next playground with Miracle Recreation. From exciting Sensory Panels to outdoor musical instruments, we’re here to help you put the thrill into sensory play at your park. To learn more, visit Miracle-Recreation.com.

A sensory-friendly playground will make the most of its natural setting, allowing children to see, hear and smell the world around them. This might include a small sensory garden or musical instruments.

4. Sound and Sight Sights and sounds signal the brain to explore and better understand what’s going on. Some children struggle with sensory issues related to sights or sounds, such as loud noises.

Over time, developing these senses can ease their reaction to triggers and teach them how to cope when they appear.

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www.miracle-recreation.com 888.458.2752

COMING SOON

Miracle Museum ®

The Miracle Museum is a collection of innovative products that will bring the excitement and wonder of children’s museums outdoors to your park.

This revolutionary collection will give kids the opportunity to engage in fantastical sensory play for a truly inclusive experience.

Miracle-Recreation.com/Museum ®

Miracle Recreation Equipment Company is a PlayPower, Inc. Company. Copyright ©2020 by PlayPower, Inc. All rights reserved

Detecting Playground Defects Going beyond the obvious

By Lee E. Martin, AIA, CPSI

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hile playgrounds are designed to provide graduated physical, psychological and emotional challenges to children, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (tinyurl.com/yco9drf7), repetitive or frequent injuries on a piece of equipment suggests that an unsafe condition exists. How do you go about investigating, identifying and eliminating a potentially dangerous condition in the interest of public safety and agency liability, and when does a piece of equipment warrant removal from service? Ultimately, the decision of whether to remove a playground or a piece of playground equipment from service remains a matter of professional judgment.

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The decision of whether to remove a playground or piece of playground equipment from service is a matter of professional judgment.

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of priority level one injuries exists, remediation must be done immediately, according to the Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI) training course administered by NRPA. Otherwise, the piece of equipment must be taken out of service.

Cause of serious injury on a piece of play equipment can only result from the way in which the playground or its components are used, maintained, constructed or designed. Patent (i.e., obvious) defects are most often noted and remediated routinely. An appropriate method of detecting a latent (i.e., hidden) defect would address each of the following known causes, in turn, from most to least obvious: Playground inspections must be performed by staff members who are properly trained.

How soon a playground defect requires attention depends on the priority level of potential injuries.

The ASTMI/CPSC Playground Audit Guide (tinyurl.com/y439r39p) states that injury priority level is determined without regard to the potential cause of the injury or the standards met by a piece of playground equipment. A hazard that exists may or may not be a priority level one (likelihood of permanent disability, loss of body part, death) depending upon location. A piece of playground equipment that complies with applicable standards can be the location of recurring serious injuries. Where the likelihood

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Improper Use and Poor Supervision Are playground patrons misusing the equipment?

Manufacturers of playground equipment are required to anticipate how their equipment can be misused and provide safety measures in those situations. If serious injuries result from improper use of a piece of equipment, then the equipment needs to be modified by the manufacturer. Warnings and supervision are less reliable preventive measures. As modifications require time to design, fabricate and install, the equipment should be taken out of service if the likelihood of priority level one injuries exists.

Site Planning Issues Are other physical aspects of the

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playground contributing to injuries?

Having already checked sight lines, surfacing and conformance of the playground apparatus to applicable standards, we must check to ensure pieces of equipment are not in conflict with one another in terms of adjacency and zone of use separation.

If conflicts exist, equipment may have to be relocated. Climatic conditions are another area to investigate.

Poor Maintenance Have we performed timely and effective maintenance on the piece of equipment?

Inspections must be performed by staff members who are properly trained to recognize safety issues and equipment defects. If the inspection does not reveal a defect, additional effort is required. While the investigation continues, risk of serious injury would determine whether or not the equipment was left in service.

Does the piece of equipment comply with applicable regulations and standards?

The purpose of playground audits is to determine conformance with applicable standards. Conformance will not eliminate all playground injuries. If the piece of equipment is compliant with applicable regulations and standards, additional effort is required to find a defect. Risk of serious injury would determine whether or not the equipment was left in service during that time.

Are we maintaining adequate man-

agerial controls in the form of safety policies, staff training, inspection records and injury incident reports?

The Risk Management Plan, the General Playground File and the Site History File developed by the playground owners and managers are designed to provide useful information regarding what requirements need to be verified through audit, inspection and retention of agency records, including injury reports, to ensure playground safety. Audits and inspections must be comprehensive to be effective. To avoid future injuries, it is critical that playground owners and managers use data, such as injury reports, to identify hazards or general trends in accident frequency.

Installation Errors Was the piece of equipment constructed in accordance with the manufacturer’s drawings and specifications?

If the manufacturer’s drawings or specifications were used to determine compliance with applicable regulations, standards or guidelines, it would be necessary to verify that the equipment on the playground complies with those documents. Errors can occur during fabrication of playground equipment, and changes in the field can alter critical dimensions.

If a defect is detected and remediation cannot be done immediately, removal of the equipment from service would be justified if there is a likelihood of a priority level one injury.

Design Defect Was the piece of equipment designed with a safety defect?

It is possible that a piece of playground equipment could be designed with a safety defect that is not addressed by current playground standards, yet injuries occur on a repetitive basis. Standards can be revised based on field data.

Currently, there is no actuarial table with acceptable numbers of serious injuries based on usage. Playground safety literature often refers to single incidents, using phrases such as “a playground incident investigation should include…” or “in the event of a serious injury….” Priority level one injuries should not be occurring regularly or frequently on a piece of playground apparatus.

The CPSI Code of Professional Conduct requires certified playground safety inspectors to “…sustain and advance the integrity, honor and veracity of their certification by…holding the safety of playground users paramount in all professional services.” NRPA’s CPSI course materials warn that: Not all playground accidents ‘just happen.’ They may occur because those who, by proper actions, could have minimized the opportunities and removed the conditions for accidents failed in this responsibility to the children.

Operating a playground or a piece of playground equipment while serious injuries continue to occur would be an abdication of that responsibil-

How soon a playground defect requires attention depends on the priority level of potential injuries.

ity, and a violation of the CPSI Code of Professional Conduct.

It’s better to explain that a piece of playground equipment was taken out of service in the interest of public safety than to argue it was left in service in the interest of expediency.

Lee E. Martin, AIA, CPSI, is Principal Consultant at Rimkus Consulting Group, Inc. (lmartin@rimkus.com).

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Advertiser Index BCI Burke Playgrounds.............................................7

Little Tikes Commercial..........................................15

ForeverLawn.................................................................3

Miracle Recreation....................................................17

GameTime.................................................................C2

Playworld....................................................................C3

Landscape Structures Inc........................................ 5

Surface America....................................................... 23

Become a Certified Playground Maintenance Inspector NRPA offers the industry-leading certification program in playground safety. The Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI) program provides the most comprehensive and up-to-date training on playground safety issues. This includes hazard identification, equipment specifications, surfacing requirements and risk management methods. By becoming a CPSI, you will learn how to identify hazards on playground equipment and rank those hazards according to injury potential.

You will also be able to apply that knowledge to develop a playground safety program.

The CPSI Blended Learning Course is a combination of the CPSI Online prep course bundle and a live virtual session conducted by CPSI instructors. To learn more, visit nrpa.org/CPSI.

Upcoming Course Dates Sept. 9 – 11 Sept. 16 – 18 Sept. 22 – 24

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CPSI Virtual Course CPSI Virtual Course CPSI Virtual Course

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Playground Surfacing Systems Offer Safe and Creative Play Environments Surface America provides the highest quality playground and recreational surfacing systems and is the nation’s leading playground surfacing company. Since 1993, Surface America has completed tens of thousands of playground, recreational and athletic projects throughout the United States, and supplied and installed millions of square feet of surfacing and flooring for facilities at every level of play, competition and training.

We offer the most complete line of bound playground surfacing, including poured-in-place, turf and tile. The PlayBound™ Poured-in-Place system is the most used playground surface and excels in safety and durability. It comes with the industry’s longest warranty of 7 or 10 years, depending on the urethane binder used. PlayBound™ Poured-in-Place is a two-layer system with a shock-absorbing basemat and colorful top surface that has unlimited design possibilities. It’s easily customizable to meet the safety, design and aesthetic requirements of any playground.

Our ADA-compliant surfacing systems are slip-resistant, abrasion-resistant and wear-resistant, and can be

installed with shock absorption that meets critical fall heights up to 13 feet. The surfacing comes in endless color combinations, and our industryleading crews have the ability to incorporate logos and graphics for any look.

Every Surface America product and system is designed and manufactured with long-term performance in mind and is backed by the most comprehensive and longest warranties. We select the best material components available and design each surfacing system with the characteristics necessary for the application.

www.SurfaceAmerica.com 800.999.0555

THE MOST COMPLETE LINE OF RUBBER PLAYGROUND SURFACING IN THE WORLD. Durable surfacing systems Wide range of applications Superior installation, service, and craftsmanship Industry’s longest warranty coverage

SurfaceAmerica.com 800-999-0555

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Top 5 Playground Activities for Kids with Mobility Devices 3. Treasure Hunt Kids love to hunt for treasure, and a playground is the ideal setting for a game of finding clues that lead to the ultimate prize. The key to creating a successful treasure hunt is to keep it short at first. Once kids get the hang of it, you can add more activities to make it longer and more challenging. Keep the clues along an accessible route to ensure that everyone has access.

4. Obstacle Course All kids can enjoy the accomplishment of completing an obstacle course at the playground. You can create an obstacle course that challenges children of all abilities by incorporating playground equipment and setting up challenges in a large open space with unitary surfacing.

Thousands of children use wheelchairs or other mobility devices. Here are five fun play ideas for kids with mobility devices to inspire your next playground outing:

1. Basketball Basketball is a wonderful game for all children because it can be played sitting down. It also gives kids a chance to build teamwork. Here are some tips: • Allow children to dribble the ball using two hands.

• Keep a slower pace until children learn to play together.

• Allow children in wheelchairs to hold the ball in their lap as they move.

• Use smaller and lighter basketballs.

• Lower the basketball hoop, if possible.

5. Musical Ball Musical ball requires a beach ball and someone to keep track of points. To play musical ball, gather around in a circle. Then, hand the beach ball to one of the players.

Instruct the kids to pass the ball around once the music starts to play and to stop when the music ends. Whoever is holding the ball once the music stops is awarded one point. The first player to get five points wins.

An accessible and inclusive playground allows children with limited mobility to have equal amounts of fun, side-by-side with their peers, which is vital for everyone’s well-being. For help planning your next inclusive play space, visit Playworld.com.

2. Bean Bag Toss Bean bags are a handy accessory worth bringing to the playground. Encourage children to toss bean bags to each other from different pieces of playground equipment. For example, a child in a wheelchair might throw a bean bag up to a friend at the top of the slide and wait to catch the object at the bottom.

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www.playworld.com 800.233.8404

SLIDE-A-SIDE A RELAXING EXIT Slide-A-Side gives children the chance to take their time when leaving the slide. Whether they need assistance from a caretaker, a mobility device, or just a moment to regroup, Slide-A-Side provides a relaxed exit while allowing other kids to continue sliding!

Playworld.com/slide-a-side

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