Early Years and Nursery Playground Equipment
Children, parents and staff can all benefit from zoning of the Early Years and Nursery outdoor playground space.
Every member of the Early Years and Nursery community should have a vested interest in how best to develop the outdoor playground space. The outside is often an untapped resource, which can add immense value to the good work going on inside. Often the cost implications of a major project can ‘put off’ potential development, however it is possible to gradually transform the Early Years and Nursery grounds by zoning the space into different areas of interest or activity. Zoning enables one priority area to be completed at a time, whilst retaining an overall grand plan. This avoids a hotch potch of an Early Years and Nursery site evolving where no master plan is being worked towards.
Some of the zones that can be created are essential, such as an Imaginative Zone that encourages open ended imaginative play, an activity zone that encourages health and fitness, and a Creative zone with a Sandpit, Chalkboards, and Translucent play panels. However many of the zone designs will be dependent upon how much space there is available. It is often Early Years with limited space that have the most to gain from careful zoning. A positive outdoor playground environment can be created on a small site giving the children a really clear idea of what they ought to be doing in different areas. This will in effect provide you with a passive management of the children.
Increasing numbers of Early Years and Nursery settings are adopting the concept of allowing children the freedom to move between indoor and outdoor spaces. Free flow offers simultaneous access to these spaces in the child’s own time consequently increasing the size of learning environment. All children benefit from periods in outdoor play areas so they should form an integral part of the children’s regular environment and be easily accessible.
It is best to start with a zone that will benefit many different people. A zone that will be used every day, by many children would be a good place to start. The zones detailed below tend to be the most popular, but the list is not exhaustive, and there is always the opportunity for children to come up with their own imaginative and bespoke zones, as they could have a great idea that just hasn’t been designed yet!
The Zones that best enhance the Early Years and Nursery outdoor playgrounds are:
The Early Years and Nursery Zone
Early Years and Nursery are encouraged to have their own area for play, this should promote imagination, communication, sand, water and role-play, with the opportunity to support the national curriculum. The Early Years and Nursery Zone should be able to provide support for outdoor learning and as much as free play as possible. We suggest an outdoor learning area (this is a big subject and we would be happy to show you specific designs that are available to you). These designs are very much led by the head teacher or Nursery/Early Years co-ordinator.
Activity Zone
A safe, fun area of activity that encourages upper body strength, balancing and co-ordination skills, whilst promoting fitness and health. We recommend a Timber Trail or Play Tower.
Imaginative Play Zone
This is ideal for open ended imaginative play, structures that can be interpreted by the children to be castles, ships, trains, shops or homes. This encourages children imaginative and social play helping them to improve their literacy and numeracy skills.
Quiet Area/Shading Zone
A quiet zone normally with shade, where an entire class can be taught outside to encourage working within the environment. We would recommend an Outdoor Classroom or Imaginative Seating.
Travel Plan Zone
A zone that promotes parents and children walking or riding bikes. This zone may involve a parents waiting area, which could double up as the outdoor classroom. The waiting area needs to be designed to keep parents dry whilst waiting for their children. Early Years with extensive grounds can also utilise the entire school field by providing pathways for bikes and pedestrians. The travel plan encourages children to adopt a healthy and eco-friendly lifestyle.
Performance/Drama Zone
This area encourages free play, structured performance, dressing up, drama lessons outside, and the opportunity for children to rehearse, devise theatre, act and direct. We suggest outdoor performance platforms with seating and staging, for all budding actors and actresses!
Growing, Digging and Planting Zone
We would normally recommend planters filled with herbs and flowers, a vegetable garden, sensory surfacing and pathways, with rose arbours. Both the children and the PTA can really get involved with the design of this zone.
As Early Years and Nursery specialists, Playforce recognise the importance of outdoor play and that regular play opportunities are crucial to a child’s growth and development. Early Years guidance has made, wherever possible, that there should be access to an outdoor play area, which can benefit the children for whom they care. Providers without direct access to an outdoor playground area will be expected to make daily arrangements for outdoor play in an appropriate nearby location (unless circumstances make this inappropriate, e.g. unsafe weather conditions).
Look at Playforce Case Studies to see how Playforce have helped Early Years and Nurseries across the UK
Contact Us
Please contact us on 0800 025 5377or get in touch via our contact form to discuss how Playforce can build a children's playground to make children active, inspired and engaged.
