At this special time of year, we would like to thank you for partnering with us to shape children’s lives through play. Together, we’re creating amazing play spaces for individuals of all ages and abilities.
And that is something to celebrate!
Happy holidays from all of us at Landscape Structures, Aquatix and SkyWays.
Are you beginning to plan your continuing education for 2019? We can help! We are an authorized provider of continuing education credits from the International Association for Continuous Education and Training (IACET) and the Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System™ (LA CES). That means we can help keep your parks and recreation department and landscape architects up-to-date on their requirements.
Even better, we have a team of expert speakers that are available to present on valuable playground and aquatics information during a local conference, in your office or during a customer visit to our headquarters in Minnesota. From inclusive play and spray play to designing safe splash play and fitness-focused environments to evidence-based landscape and playground design, there are sessions that will meet a wide variety of needs.
Learn more about playground-related CEUs, and check out the new aqua play sessions available from Aquatix.
Today, more and more communities are using unique design to create a signature playground. Smart design that combines eye-catching aesthetics with built-in play value. Custom design that can be as simple or as detailed as you like.
Discover how custom can put your playground on the map. Request a copy of our 2019 PLAY Book, or browse the virtual publication.
From fully themed wonderlands to palettes that span oceans and deserts and everything in between, see a few of the signature playground designs from our 2019 PLAY Book in action below.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpH6mI8YWUI]
Last weekend, we were in Philadelphia for the American Society of Landscape Architects’ Annual Meeting and Expo. First thing on Saturday morning, President Pat Faust introduced the speakers of the Opening General Session, Susan Stamberg and Laurie Olin. Following, we welcomed visitors to our booth space, which featured the Alpha® Tower and Friendship® Swing.
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On Saturday night, we hosted an event for customers at NOTO. It was great connecting with all of the landscape architects, hearing about their amazing visions and sharing how, together, we can create word-of-mouth legendary play spaces. We’re already looking forward to next year in San Diego.
If you’re in the Miami and San Diego viewing areas, you may have seen our FitCore™ Extreme equipment during the American Ninja Warrior season finale on Monday, Sept. 10. The equipment appeared in a 30-second commercial during the broadcast.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1N5rsXc0QU]
FitCore Extreme sets the stage to challenge kids ages 5 to 12, teens and even adults both physically and functionally so they reach their personal best. Design an innovative outdoor obstacle course of your own or consider one of our predesigned courses:
Go extreme! Contact us today to bring a FitCore Extreme challenge course to your community.
Looking for inspiration for your next spray park or splash pad design? Look no further. Aquatix by Landscape Structures has pulled together a sampling of featured projects that have been designed and installed throughout the country. The water park designs highlight new product innovations as well as classic water play activities that create remarkable aqua play environments. Best of all, they’ve each been designed to meet the unique needs of each site and community.
Visit the Featured Projects pages on aquatix.playlsi.com to find details about each project including system types, flow rates, splash play activities included and download a 3D design file.
Child development experts tell us that what looks like mere child’s play is preparation for a successful adult life–as vital as learning to walk and talk. But few studies have examined patterns of play on specific playground equipment to assess how these play spaces might shape children’s development. To find out, we commissioned an observational study in partnership with the University of Minnesota Institute of Child Development.
Children demonstrated key developmental skills in a variety of ways, with behaviors often linked to specific types of equipment. For example, children’s gross motor play—seen on swings, slides, overhead events and climbers—may contribute to physical development. Imaginative play has been linked to language development, social competence and self-regulation. Even waiting in line requires children to take turns and consider others’ needs. To request a complete copy of the research whitepaper, go to playlsi.com/whitepapers.
Our observations showed that well-designed play spaces contribute to the development of children. By helping them learn and practice key life skills, great playgrounds help children grow into healthy, well-adjusted adults. Watch our video below that brings the WHY of what we do to life.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3878sEXPuVE]
Introduce the rewards of an exciting fitness challenge to your community park, school or neighborhood gathering area. Our FitCore™ Extreme is an innovative obstacle course that invites friendly competition and personal development as participants race to complete each mission. Create a course for teens and adults, or one sized just right for kids ages 5 to 12.
Design your own challenge course by grouping your favorite challenges or consider one of our predesigned courses:
Fitness warriors of all levels will test their upper- and lower-body strength, coordination as well as their problem-solving skills. View the FitCore Extreme animation below, and visit playlsi.com to learn more.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jCGX0UZJ0c]
On Sunday, more than 100 of the nation’s elementary school principals came together to build a playground at Catalina Elementary School in Orlando, Fla. The playground build is part of the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) Community Service Day, which celebrated its 10th anniversary this year.
@NAESP is celebrating 10 years of Community Service Day with @playlsi @ocpsnews @catalina_OCPS #NAESP18 pic.twitter.com/1dfkLNhX91
— NAESP (@NAESP) July 8, 2018
Another @NAESP playgroundbuild in the books. 10 Year’s strong w @PlayLSI #naesp18 pic.twitter.com/soq43caXJ9
— Kaylen Tucker, Ph.D. (@kaylentucker) July 8, 2018
Thank you Landscape Structures and Lifetouch for your support of the annual @NAESP community project. Thanks LSI for TEN years of community build projects from NOLA to Orlando! @PlayLSI @Lifetouch @TEPSAtalk pic.twitter.com/bAZBnK3qIx
— Mark Terry (@tepsamark) July 8, 2018
The playground was designed for students ages 5 to 12, and features playground slides, climbers, and activity panels in addition to overhead events and bridges. The playground is ADA compliant and was designed to welcome children of all abilities. In addition to building the playground, principal volunteers will do landscaping, painting, and other beautification projects at the school.
Fun day building a Delano, MN based @PlayLSI playground at Catalina Elementary in Orlando. Great work @NAESP Principals! pic.twitter.com/OovSbbayNZ
— Darren Schuler (@DarrenSchuler) July 8, 2018
Great day building @PlayLSI @NAESP I hope the kids in this Orlando community have as much fun playing as we did building. @tepsamark @kasnelson @k2blewis @NAESP_Zone8 @RamonaDunn14 #naesp18 #PrincipalsInAction #principalsrock pic.twitter.com/iPDF1I5Jyu
— Manuel Gonzales (@fisdfederalprgm) July 8, 2018
Great time building a playground at Catalina Elementary with other principals across the nation! Thank you @PlayLSI for your continued support! Way to rock the house and begin #NAESP18 conference! Go Zone 6! @SSpickard @PWPrincipal @shookr87 @MEMSPA @NAESP @PaulLiabenow pic.twitter.com/GyPKPwVXVK
— Eric Cardwell (@Cardwell16) July 8, 2018
As you can see from the tweets, principals had a blast during the 10th anniversary build. Other build locations throughout the years include Tampa, Seattle, Long Beach and Compton, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Prince George’s County, Md. Learn more about the NAESP Annual Conference and save the date: July 10-12, 20198 in Spokane, Wash.
We’re excited to announce that the Kiwanis Club of Marietta, Ohio, is the winner in the 5th Annual Legacy of Play contest. The club, which will receive $25,000 in playground equipment, plans to renovate the community’s nearly 30-year-old playstructure to make it inclusive for the entire community, giving children of all abilities a safe environment to gather outside to socialize, grow and play.
“This award is going to be such a boost,” said Marcia Stewart, who managed the Kiwanis Club of Marietta’s entry into the contest. “We’re so grateful to be able to spearhead this inclusive playground project.”
Marietta is a historic, charming riverboat town nestled in the rolling hills of the Mid-Ohio Valley. The city served as the starting point for westward expansion by early pioneers, and the design of the all-inclusive Northwest Territory Community Playground will pay tribute to the area’s first settlement. From themed and inclusive playground equipment, embedded historical facts and an artifact seek-and-find activity, adults and children in the community will have the opportunity to learn about the area.
We’re excited to see this inclusive playground vision come to life over the next year. The Marietta Kiwanis Club hopes to complete the Northwest Territory Community Playground on or around Kiwanis One Day in October 2019. Stay tuned for updates along the way.