Case Study: Taking Global Education to the Playground

Posted on March 3, 2016 by PlayLSI

Client: Lausanne Collegiate School, Memphis, Tenn.

Designers: Jonah Scholen, Landscape Structures custom playground designer

Goal: Demonstrate the school’s global brand and represent the internationally diverse population—30 percent of students and/or parents represent 54 different countries

Solution: Lausanne collaborated with their local playground consultant, Recreational Concepts, and Jonah to create a world-themed design. The playground includes 14 different playstructures that represent a tour of the world on safety surfacing designed to mimic a world map. The playground includes the ZipKrooz™, which takes students from the Horn of Africa to Australia. Plus, climbable replicas of Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower and the Taj Mahal provide opportunities for kids to interact, engage in imaginative play and discover the world beyond them while staying active.

Read more about how the playground at Lausanne Collegiate School has become a space to play and learn.

Explore the power of outdoor musical instruments

Posted on February 26, 2016 by PlayLSI

We’re so excited about the new Rhapsody™ Outdoor Musical Instruments! Not only because the chimes, metallophones and playground drums bring people of all ages and abilities together for jam sessions, but because our musical instruments are the perfect addition to any space.

Rhapsody Outdoor Musical Instruments are a great addition to any new or existing school playgrounds. The instruments can be placed together to encourage musical ensembles or spread about individually for solo performances. Best of all, these outdoor musical instruments for schools will deliver a unique way for students to express themselves.

Adding outdoor musical instruments to your park playground is another great option. Kids and their families will come together to create their own music or sound out familiar tunes together. And with the highest quality materials used to make the Rhapsody Outdoor Musical Instruments, your playground instruments will be great sounding, beautiful looking and long lasting.

Because outdoor music play is a multigenerational activity, the Rhapsody Outdoor Musical Instruments fit more environments than just parks and school playgrounds. The outdoor music instruments can be installed at community and senior centers, museums and many other public spaces. These inclusive play activities are sure to encourage individuals of all ages and abilities to explore the power of music.

#MakeYourMark with innovative playground designs

Posted on February 4, 2016 by PlayLSI

BE BOLD. DARE TO CLIMB. DARE TO DREAM.
DARE TO CHALLENGE YOURSELF.
FIND THE COURAGE TO SEE THE WORLD FROM A NEW PERSPECTIVE.
TO BE THE FIRST. TO MAKE YOUR MARK.
TO BRING OUT THE BEST IN OTHERS.
WHEN WE ASK KIDS TO THINK BIG, REMEMBER THAT THEY’RE ASKING THE SAME OF US.
DARE TO ANSWER THEIR CHALLENGE.

Whether you’re creating a playground that will become a destination for visitors near and far or a neighborhood or school playground, we have design solutions that will help your project stand out from the rest. Check out our infographic below to see how we can help you make your mark!

Learn more about our design solutions by visiting playlsi.com, and request your copy of the 2016 Playground Equipment catalog.

You can do custom.

Posted on December 3, 2015 by PlayLSI

Get inspiration for your next playground project with our 2016 PLAY Book! In the nearly 50-page book, you’ll see real-life projects from around the world. From a Wizard of Oz-themed play space to a playground that mimics the map of the world, nature-inspired playstructures and uniquely designed playgrounds set in one-of-a-kind environments, you’ll be inspired to create a playground design that fits your community.

Custom can do anything you want it to. When you pair up with our designers, artists, sculptors and engineers, you’ll discover how custom can take you from apples to oranges, grand overtures to singular accents, stupendous statements to subtle surprises. You can do custom.

Browse the 2016 PLAY Book or request a copy be mailed to you to learn how we’ll collaborate with you to create signature gathering spaces that your entire community will enjoy.

Fresh play experiences with freestanding play

Posted on October 8, 2015 by PlayLSI

Are you designing a new playground or freshening up an existing play space? Don’t forget to include freestanding play components! Playground activities set apart from a main play structure allows kids to step away for some quiet time or break into smaller play groups. Better yet, freestanding play components can bring children of all abilities and ages into the same space for collaborative play.

We have a wide variety of freestanding play events including the ZipKrooz™, TopsyTurny® and OmniSpin® spinners, Oodle® Swing, We-saw™ and a variety of playground net climbers. Even more, we have a line of nature-inspired products that can be included into your playground. Or you can create an outdoor learning environment by positioning a few pieces together. Watch below to see how B.T. Washington Elementary School in Tampa, Fla., designed their nature-inspired outdoor classroom.

Tell us how you’ve incorporated freestanding play into your playground designs. Then visit playlsi.com to see our full offering of freestanding play components.

Get ready to ROCK Las Vegas!

Posted on September 11, 2015 by PlayLSI

We’re looking forward to seeing everyone next week at the NRPA Annual Conference in Las Vegas. If you’re attending, join us for the following events:

Exhibit Hall. Do you wanna ROCK? Then visit us in booth #847 on Tuesday and Wednesday as we rock the playground!
Exhibit Hall Reception. Join us Tuesday, Sept. 15, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in booth #847 for a specialty cocktail. We’ll be rockin’ and rollin’ all night!
Education Sessions. Join John McConkey, Ingrid M. Kanics, and our past clients to learn about the following:
- The Power of Green Infrastructure Playgrounds: Engagement, Education and Stewardship – Tuesday, Sept. 15, at 4:30 p.m. in Breakers I.
- All Ages, All Abilities: Are Your Parks Socially Sustainable? – Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 9:45 a.m. in Breakers E.
- Evidence-Based Landscape Design: Pilot Study of Children with Developmental Disorders – Thursday, Sept. 17, at 10:45 a.m. in Breakers K.

Case Study: An adventure in nature

Posted on September 3, 2015 by PlayLSI

Client: Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces, Miami, Fla.

Designers: Karen Cheney, landscape architect at Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces

Goal: Create a “play-in-the-woods” experience to reconnect kids to the natural environment

Solution: To create a nature-inspired play experience, the posts of the Netplex™ and PlayBooster® playground structures are custom printed to look like tree bark and recycled wood-grain lumber panels were used. Custom oak leaf balance boards, mushroom steppers and a log balance beam enhance the nature play theme and deliver challenge disguised as fun. In addition to the play environment, Karen renovated the grade separation to be a concrete gravity wall that she envisioned as a balance beam for children as well as a resting area for visitors.

Visit playlsi.com to read more about how Karen and the Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces department designed a prescription for nature deficit at Tom Sawyer Island at Amelia Earhart Park, and watch the video below.

Safety is our top priority

Posted on August 6, 2015 by PlayLSI

Kids are always finding new and inventive ways to play on or around playground equipment. And while they may scrape an elbow or bruise a shin, it’s important to take steps to eliminate the risk of more serious mishaps. We make playground safety a top priority, and we’ll help you keep kids safe with our age-appropriate commercial playground equipment:

With the infant slide, appropriately sized climbers and other playground equipment designed for 6- to 23-month-olds, infants and toddlers gain strength, stability and motor skills, along with a host of other physical and cognitive skills.
Preschoolers are developing physical play and are thinking more creatively. We have many playground designs that offer age-appropriate play elements that test motor skills, strength and agility of kids ages 2 to 5.
School-aged kids need physical and mental challenges while they play. Our commercial playground equipment for 5- to 12-year-olds help them develop balance, coordination, muscle endurance, problem-solving skills, social skills and much more.
Even kids in middle school love to stay active through play. We offer a wide variety of playground activities that meet the needs of this group to keep them engaged and challenged. From Aeronet® Climbers to Skatewave® Skatepark equipment and the HealthBeat® Outdoor Fitness System, you’ll find choices that this hard-to-please age group will love.

Even more, our playground safety surfacing will help keep kids safe from falls and our CoolToppers® shade systems will help protect them from harmful UV rays. Learn more about our commitment to playground safety at playlsi.com.

What should consider when planning a playground design?

Posted on July 9, 2015 by PlayLSI

Planning the perfect playground environment for your school or park can be easy. Just keep in mind the following playground design characteristics to ensure you create a beautiful playground that is safe, fun and comfortable for all visitors:

Plan for multiple age groups in your playground design.

Neahwa Park, Oneonta, N.Y.

Age of visitors. Will you have multiple age groups visiting your playground? If so, plan to include a playground structure specifically for 2- to 5-year-olds as well as kids ages 5 to 12.
Playground accessibility. If your community has individuals of varying abilities, consider designing an inclusive playground that welcomes everyone including children with and without disabilities, parents with strollers, aging grandparents, wounded warriors, etc.
Design elements. We can
Harry Thomas Sr. Playspace, Washington, D.C.

create a unique playground theme that incorporates historical characteristics from your community, specific color schemes, or school or city logos into your playground design.
Additional amenities. If your playground gets hot, you may want to include shade. Would your community use and benefit from the inclusion of HealthBeat® outdoor fitness equipment? Benches and trash receptacles are great amenities to include as well.
Installation. We have a few installation options available including community playground build, professional installation or a blend of both.

Create an active community by including the HealthBeat® outdoor fitness system into your playground design.

Inspiration Park, Delano, Minn.

Contact your local playground consultant to request our Playground Planning Guide, and then let the dreaming, planning and designing begin! We’ll work together with you to bring your vision into focus.

Why do my kids like playground spinners?

Posted on June 11, 2015 by PlayLSI

NEW! TopsyTurny™ Spinner

Think back to your days spent on the playground. What were your favorite playground activities? For many of us here at Landscape Structures, our favorites were the Merry-Go-Round and playground swings. And today, if you spend any time at your local playground, you probably notice a number of kids that flock to these same types of components.

Saddle Spinner

Why are some kids so fascinated with spinning activities? Because it’s one of the core movements that engages the vestibular system. When a child spins on spinners like the TopsyTurny™ or OmniSpin® spinners, their brain receives signals to help control movement and balance. Even more, our playground spinners provide fun and also present opportunities for kids to be more social and engage in cooperative play.

OmniSpin® spinner

Children discover their world and how to be successful in it through sensory play. They develop their behaviors based on what they learn through their senses. And the more sensory-rich play experiences they have, the more the develop skills necessary to engage, change and impact the world around them. Learn more about sensory playgrounds at playlsi.com, and tell us below what playground activity your kids like best.

Together We Play

Bringing the magic of play to communities.

Category Archives: Playground Design