Playgrounds in the country: advantages, basic principles, components (20 photos)
Content
Children grow up, and active games quickly become necessary for them. They develop a habit of physical activity, coordination of movements, the ability to fend for themselves and many other useful skills. However, often such games can be unsafe, especially if the case is happening away from civilization.
Playgrounds for summer cottages will help to solve the problem: children can play on them, remaining under supervision, without the risk of bruises and herbs.
Benefits of Own Playground
In the city, the problem of children's leisure is solved simply: just leave the house and find a well-equipped yard. In it, the baby will be able to find friends by age, play and tinker. At the dacha, this is more difficult - no one is engaged in the improvement of the villages, except for the residents themselves, and the idea of creating a playground for the cottage has certain advantages:
- Children will always be in sight and there will be no risk that they will find it interesting to run away somewhere else.
- Children will be protected from domestic injuries, because unlike the streets, banks of rivers and forests, parents will be able to equip everything in accordance with accepted safety standards.
- Children will receive a wonderful place according to their own tastes: parents will be able to listen to their ideas and install exactly those shells that will be most in demand.
You can invite friends to your own playground, you can change shells, if you get tired, you can arrange it according to your tastes. The main thing to remember about the basic principles of construction.
What should you remember first of all?
When a playground is equipped in the country with your own hands, you first need to remember safety.
Shadow
Small children easily become victims of sunstroke, so you should make sure that at least a third of the playground is shaded. Ideally, trees provide shade. But if they are not, you can make a canopy of wood or metal.
Coating
Before starting work, you need to remove large stones, driftwood and branches that the child may trip over from the future site. After that you should cover the surface with something that will soften the fall. It can be either a specialized rubber coating, such as those used in the production of typical sites in cities, or a thick lawn that covers football fields. The first option is expensive, the second requires attention - from time to time it will have to be cut.
Places where the child has an increased chance of falling (under the descent from the hill, with gymnastic apparatus) should be covered with sand so that the fall is softer.
Open to observation
On your own playground, you do not need to constantly closely monitor the child, but you should still look after it whenever possible. That is why it is worth positioning the site so that it is clearly visible from those places where adults spend most of the time.
Reliability
All shells should be dug into the ground no less than half a meter. It is a great idea to concrete the grounds to eliminate the possibility of an accident.This includes the mandatory free space for the swing: in front and behind them should be at least 2 meters, not occupied by anything. In addition, all wooden parts must be varnished and sanded, and all metal parts must be welded to each other reliably and free from sharp edges that can be injured.
Lighting availability
Young children go to bed early, but older children can play too long before dusk. To reduce the likelihood of an accident, you need to consider lighting design. It can be either ordinary stationary lights, or luminous paths made of special tiles, or bulbs hidden in the grass. The main thing is that the lighting should be bright and fit into the design.
Wind protection
On windy days, the site should be as calm as on any other, otherwise the child may catch a cold. This can be achieved with the help of green spaces or as a temporary measure with the help of a dense fence.
In addition to security requirements, there are simple tips:
- The child should be allowed to participate in the arrangement of the site, because it is done, first of all, for him. It is worth letting him express his opinion and, as far as he can, participate in the common work. Labor disciplines, unites and allows the family to spend time together. The main thing is that the process does not turn into a heavy duty for the child, but remains mainly entertainment.
- The design should be such that the playground evokes the joy of anticipation in the child. A lot of bright attractive colors, interesting decorative elements, secluded places. At the same time, all this does not have to be in harmony with the rest of the site - if the site is fenced off correctly, it will look like a piece of a special children's country.
All designs must be tested before putting them into operation. Moreover, once every six months, the test must be repeated: lubricate all carbines, evaluate their strength, see if roughness or rust has appeared and, if necessary, update the paint.
Designs that can be applied
The design of your own playground is a field where you can experiment endlessly, without even listening to the opinion of professional designers. However, there is a list of items that can be used. Basic include almost all children's playgrounds for giving.
Sandbox
A place that is popular with both little kids and older children. It provides unlimited scope for the development of fine motor skills, perseverance and creative abilities, because you can not only make Easter cakes from sand, but also build fancy castles and imagine it as a real desert.
Most often, the sandbox is made of wood, making sure that there are no knots and splinter left on it. It will be a good idea to make not only the sides, but also the lid - this will save sand from the ubiquitous cats, from morning dew or rain. It is better to place the sandbox partially in the shade, but it should not be too thick, otherwise it will be unpleasant to play in it - the sand will be wet and compacted.
Swing
There are several options:
- Outboard. The most common and easiest option. If there is a large strong tree on the site, you can simply snap the tire to it. But if there is no tree, this does not matter - for a playground, a swing from two bars with a crossbar on which the seat will be hung is no worse. It is important that it is equipped with a back, and for young children - with a limiter and footrest to prevent loss.
- Counterweights. It’s worth equipping such ones only if several children share their country life - they are friends or relatives, it doesn’t matter. Otherwise, the swing will be used only with the help of the parent. It is important to make comfortable seats with restraints and a soft lining for each of them so that a sharp jerk does not hurt the child. In the role of the lining can be the halves of tires.
- The springs.It is almost impossible to make at home, but it is easy to buy in a store; Such toys are suitable for the smallest children who are interested in imagining themselves riding a horse or in a car.
Slide
Completely home-made production is quite difficult - even if the owners prefer metal platforms for summer cottages and are determined to do everything from metal, it will not be easy to make a ramp, especially so that it is completely safe. Much wiser to buy a plastic ramp in the store:
- Straight. Suitable for kids who are not yet interested in steep slides.
- Screw. Creates a feeling of rapid glide and amuse even younger students.
The steps of the slide should be covered with a special coating on which you can not slip, and the upper platform should be fenced with a railing.
In addition to the basic elements, children's wooden playgrounds for summer cottages can include:
- Shells for balancing - tires or logs dug into the ground will fit this role, on which children can jump for their pleasure. The main thing is that the result does not turn out too high.
- A house for games - it can be stylized to your favorite tales or made in the form of a spaceship. Children's metal platforms often include such a house in the form of a steam locomotive, wooden ones in the form of a tower. Sometimes you can even place it on a tree.
- Playground. Good for teens who have already grown from other shells. A volleyball ring or a football goal will be enough, but you can add a climbing wall and simple simulators if you wish.
- Hammocks and rope ladders. They require closer supervision, but they can bring a lot of joy to children.
Everything is important: coverage for playgrounds for giving, composition of shells, preferences and age of children. Only attention to children's opinion, a willingness to compromise and a desire to do everything not only beautifully, but also safely will make it possible to make an ideal venue on which many interesting games will be played.