What to Consider Before Installing a Backyard Playground
There are many advantages to having your own personal playground right in your backyard. It provides a way for the children to get out of the house, have some fun and get exercise without having to go far. This helps parents know their children are safe but staying active and happy at the same time. With your own equipment, you can decide what features and accessories to include or avoid based on your kids’ preferences, ages and restrictions. Before you make the decision to install a kids playground, consider a few important points.
First, keep the age of the children that will be playing on the equipment in mind before you decide on one model over another. A toddler’s playground will be quite different from a school-aged child’s. Children become more capable as they grow and more able to handle a large set of equipment. If you have children at both these ages, never fear. It is easy to find equipment that has toddler swing accessory options so everyone can play at the same time. As your children grow, you can make needed additions and alterations to the kids playground so it continues to grow as your children do.
How much space do you have in your backyard? If you have a large yard, there is no concern. Many new homes, however, have limited backyard space. You should not place kids playground equipment up close to any structure they could fall and injure themselves on. Fences, trees and the home itself should be six to nine feet from the playset for proper safety precautions. While a playground should not be set too close to a fence, it is often desirable to make sure you have a fenced in yard if you choose to install a play area. If you live near a busy street, it becomes even more important in preventing excited children from running into the street.
You should consider the surfacing material you want to include under your kids playground as well. Rubber mulch is a newly popular material over sand, rocks and wood chips. Children will fall, there is no avoiding it. What you can do is avoid a serious injury by utilizing a beneficial surfacing material. The grass you have in your backyard may seem like a good enough cushion, but erosion over time will wear it away. As always talk to the playground builder and ask for their professional expertise on how to go about building a safe backyard playground.
