Blog

13 Aug
10 Free Resources To Help You Create Your Own Playground
Posted by Joanna Francis

Building your own playground can be a daunting task. Whether it’s to be part of a school, an early childhood centre, or as part of a community you’re involved with, there is much to think about. How do I work with the community to ensure that they and their needs are at the centre of the design? What elements should I include? What materials should I use? How do I make sure it’s safe? All these questions (and no doubt many more) will inevitably be running through your head, and if you don’t have much experience in building, it can feel overwhelming. Enter this week’s post which contains within it 10 FREE resources that can help you answer these questions, and indeed all the ones you hadn’t yet thought of!

You may have already cottoned on, but actually everything on our website – yes EVERYTHING – can be accessed by anyone, for free. Zip, zilch, nada. We are proud of this open source website and believe in the power of sharing, and we’d love to hear from you about how you use these resources to create your own unique play space for kids. Just create an account on our website and begin your playground building journey!

1. Playground Starter Kit

All the basics and eight of our most popular and easy low-cost designs to get you started.

2. The Playground Builder’s Handbook

Everything you need to build a playground wherever you are, using local tools, materials and skills.

3. Playground Safety Handbook

A pictorial guide to the basics of International safety standards.

4. Loose Parts Manual

The DIY guide to creating a playground in a box.

5. Inclusive Design Manual

A guide to creating play spaces which welcome children of all abilities.

6. Cut and Paste Playground Designer

Create your playground site plan, with paper, scissors and glue.

7. Play-Based Teacher Training Manual

Equipping educators to support play in and out of the classroom.

8. The Case for Play

A compilation of the best research on play and why our children need it!

9. Design Library

Over 150 playground elements, each with full building instructions.

10. 3D online Design Tool

Our amazing 3D online planning tool that allows you to drag and drop design elements into your playground plan, move them around and walk around inside your design!

Please help us to continue creating and sharing free resources, so that you and others all over the world can keep creating awesome play spaces for kids!

[Donate!]