Playground Design Process

Playground Design Process

Playground planning can seem overwhelming. There are a lot moving parts and aspects to consider. However, your playground journey can be simple and stress-free by following the steps below and working with our expert playground consultants!

1. Visualize Your Play Area

2. Understand Your Site

3. Design Your Play Area

4. Install Your Playground

5. Maintain Your Play Area

1. Visualize Your Play Area

The first thing that we like to ask is "How do you envision the children in your care interacting and playing in your play environment?" The following questions will help guide you to that answer and ensure that we can partner successfully together to design and build a beautiful playground that fits perfectly in your play area.

  • How many children will play at once?
  • What aged children will use the play area?
  • Do you want to add some elements of inclusive play so that children of all abilities can enjoy the area?
  • Are there any unique features, color schemes or themes you want to incorporate into your play area?
  • What types of amenities such as picnic tables, benches, or shades would add value to the play area?

2. Understand Your Site

Your site layout will influence the design of your playground. Our seasoned expert playground consultants will work with you to understand your site and partner with you to design the perfect play area specifically for your site. The following questions will help us understand the nuances of your site.

  • What are the dimensions of your play area?
  • Where are the areas of egress and ingress?
  • What is the slope and soil condition of your site?
  • What areas within the site get the most extreme weather like hot sun, wind, etc.?

3. Design Your Play Area

Our playground consultants will partner with you to design a solution that meets your exact needs. The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends separate areas for ages 6 to 23 months, 2- to 5-year-olds and school-age children (5-12). Here is a list of other design factors to consider:

  • What look and feel do you want your play area to have? (Modern, natural, carnival, sporty, etc.)
  • Do you want to limit the amount of overhead structures that children can hang from, or do you want to provide those challenges?
  • What inclusive elements like sensory play, musical elements, ramps, and transfer points would you like?
  • Do you plan to build the play area(s) in phases so it's easier to add to your playground in the future?

4. Install Your Playground

Our installation crew is comprised of experts in the field and we are happy to install your playground, while you sit back and relax knowing that we will take care of everything. However, some communities prefer to choose to do a supervised install with one or two of our experts leading a team of community members in the installation of the playground. Many communities feel that taking part in the installation brings a sense of pride and connection to the play area. Another option is to work with one of our pre-approved installation crews that is local to your area.

5. Maintain Your Play Area

As you probably know by now, our play areas are designed to be low-maintenance and long-lasting. However, it is still wise to have the play area inspected once per year and pressure washed to keep the equipment looking as new as when it was first installed.

Parks, churches, schools, homeowner associations, and military bases select EcoPlay Structures for many reasons:

a playground with blue chairs

Friendly

A custom-designed, eye-appealing playground helps create a family-friendly atmosphere for your growing organization.

a play structure with wheels

Flexibility

We can design a playground for you ranging from a small single-deck-one-slide option up to a 3-story multi-slide/many-activities option.

a playground with a slide

Warranty

Our EcoPlay® Lumber is warranted for 50 years.

a small children's playground

Reliability

EcoPlay Structures has a track record as a reliable, one-stop source for superbly designed and constructed playground systems.

a playground with a slide

Safety

Our products meet or exceed industry standards set by CPSC, ASTM, and ADA. EcoPlay Structures is a member of IPEMA (International Playground Equipment Manufacturers Association).

a small play structure in a park

Sustainability

Our company embraces environmentally sustainable processes, makes products from recyclable materials, and helps customers qualify for LEED points with structures that are themselves recyclable.

a playground with a slide

Cost-Effectiveness

Installing a playground structure from EcoPlay Structures is often more cost-effective than maintaining an old one—especially if the old one is made from wood or metal.

Call Us @ 470-280-7529

Let's begin a dialog about your needs for playground equipment or amenities. Then, we'll walk you through options for playgrounds that meet your budget, configuration, age group, and space requirements.

Let's Discuss Your Project!