Thornton Creek Elementary School celebrates new inclusive playground

Posted on May 30, 2013 by PlayLSI

The grand prize recipient of the School Grounds. Playgrounds. Common Ground.® contest, Thornton Creek Elementary School in Novi, Mich., celebrated the completion of their new inclusive playground with a grand opening on Thursday, May 23. The school received $50,000 in inclusive playground equipment from the Landscape Structures- and NAESP Foundation-sponsored contest, plus a playground committee spearheaded some major fundraising efforts in order to design a truly inclusive playground for students.

Thornton Creek's playground committee worked tirelessly to raise additional funds.

Thornton Creek Elementary School playground committee

Thornton Creek Elementary School’s new playground features an inclusive design that focuses on bringing children of all abilities together to learn, play and grow. A PlayBooster® playstructure was included in the design along with inclusive and sensory-focused freestanding components like the Cozy Dome®, OmniSpin® spinner, Oodle® Swing and We-saw™. Thornton Creek Elementary School’s new playground will welcome children of all abilities as well as serve as an outdoor classroom to help students develop their social, problem solving and gross motor skills.

The We-saw™ is just one of the inclusive playground components at Thornton Creek's new inclusive playground.

Thornton Creek Elementary School’s new inclusive playground

The grand opening included a ribbon-cutting ceremony with all of the students. Classrooms that raised the top fundraising dollars were honored and allowed the “first play” opportunity on the new playground followed by other classrooms throughout the morning. Congratulations to the entire school community for providing a place where kids of all abilities can play together!

Honored for her business innovation, leadership and legacy

Posted on May 14, 2013 by PlayLSI

Our cofounder, Barb King (1946-2008) was recently inducted into the Minnesota Women Business Owners Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame was created to honor women entrepreneurial leaders and the first of 25—20 living and 5 posthumous—representing 150 years of Minnesota business history were inducted on April 25. Barb was honored for her business innovation, leadership and the legacy she left for future generations of Minnesota business women.

Barb was the president of Landscape Structures until her passing in 2008, and was committed to children throughout her life. She was passionate about showing them how to lead healthier lives and to appreciate nature. In addition to cofounding Landscape Structures with her husband, Steve King, Barb founded and was the benefactor of the Säjai® Foundation. The Foundation is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to working with local communities to educate children about how to live a healthier life by encouraging them to get outdoors, be active and make smart nutrition decisions.

Landscape Structures employees at Barb King Inspiration Park in Delano

All of us employees are proud to have known Barb. She was our passionate colleague, friend, mentor, confidant and much more, and we constantly strive to celebrate her inspiring life. Learn more about Barb here, where you can read past articles written about her, browse photos of her in professional and personal settings, and watch a video to get a sense of who Barb was and see the positive impact she had on so many people.

Building healthy, sustainable communities on Earth Day

Posted on April 24, 2013 by PlayLSI

On Monday, April 22—Earth Day—teams of Landscape Structures employees handed out potted herbs to students and teachers at Delano Elementary School and community members that visited the local grocery store, Coborn’s. In total, we handed out 1,200 herb gardens to the Delano community.

The herb handout was done in conjunction with the Healthy Delano project, a community program designed to help Delano residents find the best resources for healthy eating and activities. We hope that by involving the students, they will go home, get involved with meal planning and encourage their families to cook healthy meals.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LwXFWsp2Fk&w=560&h=315]

See more photos of the event here, and watch the video above. Did you celebrate Earth Day? Tell us in the comments below what activities were happening in and around your communities.

Contest helps Kiwanis clubs “Make a Difference Through Play”

Posted on April 22, 2013 by PlayLSI

We are excited to be partnering with Kiwanis International to help a deserving Kiwanis club bring a playground to their community through a contest on Facebook called, Make a Difference Through Play. The winning Kiwanis club will receive $25,000 in playground equipment to be used toward a playground project that can be completed on Kiwanis One Day, April 5, 2014, which is Kiwanis International’s signature day of service.

The contest is open to all Kiwanis clubs that are currently working on a playground project. Qualified contestants can enter the contest at facebook.com/Kiwanis by completing the entry form. Entries will accepted through May 5, 2013. Following the submission period, Facebook users will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite project. Find complete contest rules here.

Landscape Structures became a vision partner of Kiwanis International in January 2013. Kiwanis and its family of clubs partner with Landscape Structures to bring play and playgrounds to communities across the globe. Learn more about the partnership at playlsi.com.

Sharing the history of Landscape Structures

Posted on April 12, 2013 by PlayLSI

Steve King, our cofounder and chairman, released a book titled, A Legacy of Play, in January. In A Legacy of Play, readers take a journey through the unusual history of Landscape Structures, and learn how the company helped the playground industry evolve while keeping in mind the most important aspect of play—child development across all ages and abilities.

When Steve was a landscape architectural student at Iowa State University in the mid-1960s, he was eager to learn more about play and went to the Child Development Department to observe kids. Their behaviors—kids didn’t like standing in line to use the swings or slides; they wanted group activities—got him thinking. For Steve’s final project he designed a playstructure using the continuous play concept, which combines traditional playground equipment into an endless stream of activities.

Landscape Structures’ first sold playstructure.

In 1971, Steve and his late wife, Barb, cofounded Landscape Structures. We are headquartered in Delano, Minn., and proud to be a 100-percent employee-owned company. Since opening, Steve and Barb were committed to enhancing children’s lives by creating inspiring play experiences, a mission that all of us employees connect with and work towards.

Landscape Structures corporate headquarters in Delano, Minn.

Steve continues to serve as chairman of Landscape Structures and is a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects (FASLA). He served as chairman for the task group of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) that worked to develop accessibility standards to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), is a Certified Playground Safety Inspector, and a founding member and past president of IPEMA (International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association).

A Legacy of Play is available for order on amazon.com. The cost of the book is $14.95, and proceeds will go to the SEBA Foundation, the King family charitable foundation dedicated to environmental and children’s causes.

Topiaries, flowers and playgrounds… OH MY!

Posted on March 14, 2013 by PlayLSI

We are excited to have our playground equipment featured at the 20th Annual EPCOT® International Flower & Garden Festival, which kicked off March 6, and runs through May 19. We are truly honored to be a part of this special event, and proud to say that 2013 marks our 11th year of participation.

New to the Festival this year is the garden and children’s play area called, “Land of Oz.” A themed Evos® playsystem is linked to the PlayBooster® Vibe™ to create a truly unique play experience. A rainbow-colored O-Zone® climber, cityscape and flower post toppers, and custom Vibe roofs will stretch kids’ imaginations and muscles. Additionally flower pod steppers lead to three Cozy Domes®, fun playground components that act as a hide-away on the inside while providing climbing fun on the outside.

In addition to the all-new “Land of Oz” garden, we have a nature-inspired playground that was designed especially for 2- to 5-year-olds. A PlayBooster playstructure complete with The Pinnacle™ and The Pointe™ rock climbers fits perfectly into the garden, which has a southwestern-themed landscape. And EPCOT didn’t forget about the teenagers, parents and grandparents visiting the park. In yet another garden, three of our HealthBeat® outdoor fitness stations are available for a quick workout.

If you’re in the neighborhood or planning a vacation nearby Lake Buena Vista, Fla., make plans to visit the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival. Colorful flowers and more than 75 Disney character topiaries accompany the play areas, along with a concert series and presentations by HGTV and DIY Network personalities. Read more about the annual Festival here.

Spring means playground planning

Posted on March 8, 2013 by PlayLSI

On Sunday, we spring forward for daylight saving time and then spring officially gets underway nine days after that. So what I’m saying is that spring is in the air, which is the perfect time to start thinking about your upcoming playground projects.

Whether you’re designing an entirely 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.

Flywheel™ spinner

We have a wide variety of freestanding play events. New this year is the Flywheel™ spinner, which was designed for kids ages 5 to 12. The multi-user spinner accommodates up to five kids at a time, promoting social interaction and sensory stimulation. The Flywheel spinner can fit into a compact space, making it a great option for a playground add-on. Plus, many kids will love the thrill of spinning that the Flywheel Spinner offers.

Freestanding play includes more than just spinners. We have climbers like the Mobius® and Aeronet® Climbers, slides and gliders, swings, and sensory-stimulating activities like the Sway Fun® glider that will engage a variety of ages and abilities. Learn more here, and then get in touch with your local playground consultant.

Drawing children outdoors for nature-inspired play

Posted on February 28, 2013 by PlayLSI

Nearly 12.5 million children and adolescents ages 2 to 19 are obese, a number that has nearly tripled since 1980. One factor contributing to this rate of obesity is nature deficit disorder, a term coined by Richard Louv in his 2005 book, Last Child in the Woods. That’s why we’ve introduced more nature-inspired playground equipment—hoping that it will draw children outdoors to engage in play and lead to greater physical, emotional and social well-being.

Log Stack Climber for PlayShaper®

The new Log Stack Climber adds more climbing challenge for kids ages 2 to 12 while also providing fun, tactile discovery experiences to PlayBooster® and PlayShaper® playstructures. Constructed of hand-painted concrete, the nature-inspired playground climber gets its texture from molds taken from a variety of log species including basswood, mesquite, white pine and cotton wood. Even more, the Log Stack Climber includes realistic, natural details like knot holes, insect trails, woodpecker holes and a variety of animals.

Log Stack Climber for PlayBooster®

The great outdoors is the number one spot where kids can play naturally, and we’re committed to helping you create outdoor play spaces where children and families gather. With the Log Stack Climber and other nature-inspired playground innovations like the Tree House and AdventureScapes® Climbers, these products combine the adventure and wonder of nature with the durability, safety and low maintenance of high-quality playground equipment.

Welcoming all abilities, generations with a new take on the seesaw

Posted on February 21, 2013 by PlayLSI

Nearly 14 percent of children have one or more special needs ranging from autism to cerebral palsy. These kids often have troubles socializing and even playing, which is why it’s important to address various abilities on the playground. Additionally, we’re seeing an increased number of caregivers who are injured military service members and part of an aging population. Their needs are also important to consider so that entire families can come to the playground for fun and recreation.

The above reasons are why we’ve expanded our inclusive play product offerings. The new We-saw™ is a seesaw that was specifically designed to accommodate people of all abilities. It is a multi-person seesaw that is accessible, promotes social inclusion and offers a multi-generational solution. The We-saw provides a truly inclusive play experience by accommodates multiple users, and the We-saw’s walk-in seating allows for easy access and transfer for those with mobility issues. Everyone that climbs aboard the We-saw will experience a fun, user-controlled ride.

We are committed to providing play experiences for children of all abilities. With our design philosophy, which addresses the environment, the play experience and variability, and other inclusive play product innovations like the OmniSpin® spinner and Oodle® Swing, we bring children with and without disabilities together to play, learn and grow on the playground.

Create a true environment with matching site furnishings

Posted on February 13, 2013 by PlayLSI

When we collaborate with you to create a playground design, our goal is to help you create a complete play environment. One way we’re focusing on this is by offering three site furnishings collections that match our playground equipment as well as the surrounding landscape. Whether you’re focused on creating a modern, traditional or nature-inspired project, our site furnishings collections will help put the finishing touches on the play environment.

The Designer Collection’s modern style and architectural details are the ideal complement to our Evos® and Weevos® playsystems. The Arches Bench, Bike Racks, and Recycling and Litter Receptacles will accentuate your contemporary playground design.

You can plan on pairing our classic PlayBooster®, PlayShaper® and PlaySense® playsystems with the Vivid Collection. The colorful Kaleidoscope Bench, and Recycling and Litter Receptacles, along with the Loop Rack and TenderTuff Picnic Tables and Benches will coordinate perfectly with traditional playgrounds.

Extend your nature-inspired playground environment with the distinctive Nature-Inspired Collection. The Log Bench, Acorn Seat, Leaf Bike Rack, Wood-Grain Bench and much more will help complete your play space and blend in harmoniously with the natural environment.

The three new collections add to Landscape Structures’ already extensive site furnishings offerings. Learn more about the new Designer, Vivid and Nature-Inspired Collections at playlsi.com. While there, check out our other site furnishings like CoolToppers® shade systems and Welcome signs.

Together We Play

Bringing the magic of play to communities.