Innovative Trends in Commercial Playground Equipment Design

Play equipment has the power to make or break a playground. A beautifully located or well-funded playground is nothing if the equipment is outdated, worn down, or unappealing to kids.

Engaging, fun, and relevant playground equipment is crucial for a successful playground. Check out some ways you can update or improve your playground with our list of trending playground equipment.

How Are Playgrounds Changing?

Playgrounds have always been a staple in every community. They provide safe places for kids to learn, explore their surroundings, and develop new skills. Playgrounds can also act as a central hub for families to connect and engage with their neighbors.

However, the playgrounds current parents grew up with are a thing of the past. Playgrounds are now designed more intentionally, with careful considerations for safety, accessibility, and learning. The materials used in playground equipment have also shifted to more eco-friendly or sustainable products.

Storytelling has also emerged as an important part of playground design. While the playground needs to function properly and safely, the overall look of the playground is also important. Turning to themed or branded playground designs makes it easier to create a beautiful, cohesive look.

Benefits of Keeping Your Playground Updated

The most important reason to keep your playground updated is it can help draw in visitors. If you had a choice to take your kid to an outdated playground or an updated playground, you’d most likely choose the updated playground every time. Updated playgrounds look — and usually are — safer. Plus, updated playgrounds likely have equipment kids are interested in playing with.

With an updated playground, you can draw families in and allow kids to experience all the classic playground benefits. Common playground benefits for kids include:

• Greater self-confidence and self-esteem.
• Improved coordination, flexibility, strength, and other motor skills.
• Development of social awareness and social skills.
• Improved problem-solving, creativity, communication, and other cognitive skills.

Top Trends for Playgrounds

When building or renovating a playground, you want to ensure you’re developing a high-quality design both kids and parents will love. Take a look at the trending playground ideas below for inspiration for your next playground design.

1. Nature-Inspired Playgrounds

Playgrounds are set outdoors, so why not use the surrounding environment as inspiration? Nature-inspired playgrounds consist of playground equipment that blends in with the natural environment. Hollow logs, rope bridges, and treehouses all add a touch of nature to your play space.

The synthetic materials you use to create your nature-inspired playground blend in seamlessly when they mimic the textures and colors found in nature. For example, synthetic rocks designed to look like natural rock can be a fun addition to playgrounds. Kids can climb the synthetic rocks, sit on them, or use them as a bridge to other play structures.

Nature-inspired playgrounds inspire creative play and allow kids to interact with and appreciate their surroundings. These kinds of playgrounds are also much more eco-friendly than traditional playgrounds, and they can be visually appealing enough to encourage new families to stop by.

2. Themed Playgrounds

Themed playgrounds take play areas to the next level. Instead of stepping onto a playground with plain play equipment, kids can enter a whole new world. Choose from engaging playground themes like:

• Castles
• Space
• Pirate ships
• Dinosaurs
• Beaches
• Animals
• Firetrucks
• The old West
• Trains

Themed playgrounds are a great way to encourage imaginative play among kids. Jungle gyms become mountains to climb, and slides become a portal to a new planet — the options are endless. The chosen theme for the playground helps kids get started with their creative thinking by providing them with a base idea. From there, kids can let their imaginations take them wherever they want to go.

A themed playground also creates a cohesive look. Each piece of equipment and all furnishings need to align with the theme, which makes it easy to create a well-designed and unified playground. Playground equipment providers like Little Tikes Commercial make designing a themed playground even easier by offering a wide selection of themed playground equipment.

3. Shaded Playgrounds

The best playgrounds are the ones kids can play on for hours. With the addition of playground shade structures, you can improve your current playground.

On extra warm days, both kids and playground equipment can become overheated. When play shades are in place, playground equipment can stay cooler and more suitable for play. That said, even with the presence of play shades, parents should always double-check the temperature of play equipment before allowing kids to play on it. Play shades will also keep kids out of direct sunlight, help protect them from harmful UV rays and help keep them much cooler during playtime.

Other benefits of playground shade structures include:

• Easy installation
• Low maintenance
• Variety of designs
• Adds a unique look to the playground
• Helps protect playground equipment
• Can deflect rain

4. Sensory Playgrounds

Playgrounds are more than just fun spaces for kids to play. They actually foster healthy cognitive development and teach kids new physical and social skills. Help kids on their developmental journeys by including sensory play equipment in your playground design.

Incorporating sensory play equipment engages kids’ senses, such as hearing, sight, and touch. Musical playground equipment allows kids to create sound, learn rhythm, and develop an appreciation for music. Meanwhile, tactile playground equipment introduces kids to new textures and feelings. Additionally, colorful playground equipment with plenty of shapes, words, or pictures appeals to kids’ visual senses and can help teach kids to identify the world around them.

Upgrade Your Playground With Equipment From Little Tikes Commercial

At Little Tikes Commercial, we offer a huge selection of high-quality playground equipment to meet a variety of needs. Whether you’re looking for sensory play equipment or themed play structures, we can bring your playground vision to life.

For decades, we’ve provided play equipment that empowers kids to explore, learn, and play. Our designs allow kids to develop new skills and express their creativity and provide the community with a visually appealing play area.

Our expert team is here to help you find the perfect additions to your playground design. Contact us today to learn more about our offerings, request a quote, or speak with a representative. We look forward to helping you bring a world of wonder to your community!