An important advantage of living in a country house or in the country is the ability to equip a full-fledged playground for children on the site. There are many design options for the playground. You can make efforts and create game elements yourself, or you can entrust the leisure of your children to professionals and install a ready-made complex of plastic on the site.

The right choice and proper installation of the site is the key to the safety of the child. Let us consider in detail the selection criteria for plastic complexes, and also dwell on the main requirements for installation and site arrangement.

Content

1. Playground made of plastic; kids corner on a personal plot
2. Advantages and disadvantages of plastic playgrounds
3. Requirements for children's game equipment  video
4. Choose a playground based on the age of the child
   • playground elements for the little ones
   • children's complex made of plastic for preschoolers
   • game complex for school children
5. The reputation of the manufacturer is a guarantee of the quality and safety of the playground  video
6. Covering for the playground: the need for use and types of flooring  video
7. Rules for installing a plastic platform on a personal plot  video

Playground made of plastic; kids corner on a personal plot

Playgrounds made of plastic can often be seen in entertainment centers, kindergartens, near children's clinics or in the courtyard of a residential building.

Their popularity is increasing every year, and today many summer residents, creating a children's corner on a personal plot, give preference to them. Indeed, the assembly of a metal structure will require experience in welding, and it will take a lot of time to make equipment from wood.

The range of individual elements and integral complexes is very large, and you can organize a play area based on gender, age of the child and his interests. In addition, children's playgrounds made of plastic are available in three directions: developing, entertaining and semi-sports.

Developing complexes   Designed for different role-playing games. Girls can play mother-daughter, a cafe, a store in plastic houses with furniture, and boys in brave captains at the helm of a small ship with a mast.

Entertainment complexes    these are various carousels, swings, rocking chairs and slides. Such elements should be present at any site. Even if there is only one child in the family, he will not have to be bored while his parents are busy working in the country.

Half-sports complexes   represented by entire towns with rope ladders, climbing walls, bridges and pipes between platforms located at different levels. This is the most expensive site design option.

Advantages and disadvantages of plastic playgrounds

Plastic platforms, in comparison with similar metal and wooden structures, have such advantages:

• resistance to humidity, corrosion, temperature fluctuations, sun rays and precipitation;
• environmental safety (quality sites made of food-grade plastic);
• unpretentiousness in leaving and hygiene;
• a wide variety of shapes and coloring sites;
• affordable price of a plastic playground (you can buy a small complex for 10,000 rubles);
• lack of sharp corners and streamlined design, which significantly reduces the risk of accidental injuries during outdoor games;
• ease of construction;
• ease of installation;
• no need for annual coloring;
• plastic is a warm material and for kids even in the cold season it will be comfortable to play on the court.

It should be noted some disadvantages of sites made of plastic:

• over time, the plastic structure fades and loses its original brightness;
• the service life of a plastic pad is less than a wooden or metal one;
• poor-quality plastic can crack after winter.

Requirements for children's game equipment

When buying a playground for children from plastic, it is imperative to check the quality certificate, which must be spelled out: compliance of the manufacturing material with GOST standards, permission of the sanitary-epidemiological service for the use of goods by children, maximum permissible mechanical loads, operating conditions.

Each shell must have a fire safety certificate (low degree of fire) and a hygiene certificate. These documents must be requested from the seller.

When choosing a game complex or individual elements made of plastic, check their compliance with the general requirements:

• the height of the structure should not be higher than 3 meters;
• platforms rising above the ground by more than 60 cm should be equipped with bumpers at least 70 cm high;
• at the level of the head and legs of the child should not be any protruding elements;
• the staircase leading to the game complex or projectile must have a solid railing and flat, non-slip steps;
• any openings and openings in the walls of structures should be much smaller or larger in diameter than the child’s head;
• swings, climbing walls and slides should not have holes with a diameter of 8-25 mm (toes of kids can get stuck in such slots);
• the launching canvas on the hill should be solid, and the junction of the platform should fit snugly to the launching section without forming cracks;
• the structural elements of the game structure must be joined together without a V-shaped connection, in which the hands, feet or head of the child may be stuck.

Choose a playground based on the age of the child

The main criterion on which to rely when choosing a playground for giving the age of the child. If several children of different ages grow up in a family, then the needs of each child must be taken into account. Alternatively, you can assemble a site from different elements or buy a ready-made complex that includes a safe area for toddlers and shells for active games of an older child.

playground elements for the little ones

A playground for young children (up to 3 years old) is best made out of several game elements made of plastic. In an improvised complex you can include:

1. A small sandbox is an indispensable attribute of any playground, regardless of the age of the child. The main difference in the size of the sandbox and its design. For kids, a shallow sandbox (45 cm), about 1 square meter in size, is suitable. It can be made in the form of a ladybug, a bright flower or a car. A prerequisite for the sandbox is the presence of a cover to protect sand from rain and pollution. Some models of plastic sandboxes in the summer can be used as a pool (capacity about 60 liters of water) or for storing toys.
   
2. Folding slide with a short descent length (about 95 cm). Its advantage is ease of use and storage. The slide for the smallest must be with sides, and the lower part of the slope should be slightly raised up so that the baby does not crash into the ground.
3. Rocking chairs and swings. Children under 3 years old should install suspended plastic swings with a fence on the site, they are as safe as possible. You can diversify the rest of young summer residents with cheerful rocking chairs. Some rocking models are designed for one child, and some have two or three seats. The most primitive rocking chairs are designed for children from 1 year old.
   
4. The game house will be happy to explore kids over 2 years old. Such a house should not contain small parts. It is better to choose models of a simple design without doors and window shutters, so that the child does not pinch his fingers during games. As an option, you can buy a full-fledged house for growth, but install the door when the child is a little older.

All plastic products are lightweight and easy to transport, so over time, the site can be converted and supplemented with new game elements.

children's complex made of plastic for preschoolers

Children aged 3 to 6 years old are better to buy developing playgrounds. Play houses for girls inside can be equipped with furniture, dishes. Boys will enjoy the jungle cabin with a viewing annex.

When choosing, one must remember that at this age children love to try on adult roles: girls will be happy to be caring mothers, sellers, doctors, and boys will become brave knights or fast motorists. Facilities for preschoolers should be with doors and shutters, because kids really like to play hide and seek.

A child will be able to physically develop at a gaming complex with a slide, a basketball hoop and a suspended staircase.

You can install the swing separately, observing the following placement rules:

• the minimum distance from the ground to the swing seat is 35 cm;
• the distance between the swing and any other element of the playground is at least 2 meters.

game complex for school children

Older children will need to install a semi-sports type playground, including a variety of labyrinths, climbing walls, hanging rings, horizontal bars, ropes, bars, a climbing slide and a gladiator net.

To accommodate a sports and gaming complex, at least 15 sq.m. infield.

The reputation of the manufacturer is a guarantee of the quality and safety of the playground

An important point in choosing a quality playground for children is a manufacturer who has significant experience and a positive reputation. The market of plastic playgrounds and game elements is represented by many companies. Among them, the most popular: Step2, Kettler and Smoby.

The American company Step2 is considered the leader in the production of plastic playgrounds for children of any age category. Structural details are made of durable, environmentally friendly plastic, have a bright color and original design.

The German company Kettler specializes in the manufacture of sandboxes, swings, slides, horizontal bars made of plastic. The company's products are durable, have high functionality and modern design.

The French company Smoby produces gaming complexes of any price category, designed for children of different age groups. Playgrounds are attracted by unusual shapes. Smoby takes care of the fun activities of children for more than 90 years, this indicates the relevance and reliability of the products.

Covering for the playground: the need for use and types of flooring

When designing a playground with your own hands or installing a ready-made complex, first of all, you need to take care of a safe coating, which should be soft and reduce the trauma of children in the fall.

As a flooring, you can use:

• lawn;
• sand or sawdust;
• rubber cover.

Lawn grass will require regular maintenance, and when using loose flooring, you need to be prepared for the fact that during active games the kids will spread sand and sawdust on their feet throughout the area.

The rubber coating has good cushioning properties and adhesion to shoes (prevents slipping). To produce the coating, food-grade non-toxic plastic is used. The special drainage structure of the polymer modules does not retain moisture, letting rain water and melted snow flow to the ground.

From rubber tiles you can lay out any colorful mosaic (the color does not fade over time), which will smooth out all the surface irregularities, give the site brightness and the necessary safety.

Rules for installing a plastic platform on a personal plot

Installation of the site on the site is usually carried out by a representative of the manufacturer's company, but this can also be done independently, the main thing is to adhere to a number of rules:

1. The place for installation of the site should not be closed by any buildings and high plantings, the playing area should be well visible.
2. It is not advisable to place the site on the north side of the site and near the pond.
3. Installation should be carried out according to the documentation. Homemade parts and mounts are not allowed. The playground set already includes the necessary connecting and mounting materials.
4. The fixing bolts must be covered with hats.
5. During installation, check the lubrication of the mechanical elements of the structure.
6. If a breakdown or defect is found in the product, it is necessary to contact the seller (large companies provide a guarantee for the replacement of failed elements).

The installation of complex sports and entertainment complexes with various game equipment is best left to professionals: children's health is more expensive than the money spent on installation!

When arranging a playground for children from plastic and choosing gaming equipment, you should be as attentive and picky as possible, and during operation you must constantly monitor the technical condition of structures and fasteners.

Author: Sergey and Svetlana Khuentsov

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