Parent participation in the construction of a playground is related here. Four criteria were considered in the process: exercise, social interaction, safety and durability, and availability of materials and labor. (DS)

Describes standards for playing surfaces and characteristics of play surfaces made of organic loose material, inorganic loose material, and compact materials. Necessary site preparation is discussed. An extensive, annotated list of manufacturers of surfaces is included. (DR)

Guidelines are given for the development of outdoor play areas on school sites to provide children with natural areas and simple facilities for creative play. Site selection, analysis, and development are discussed. Natural, topographical features of the environment and natural play equipment are suggested. Illustrations are also presented to aid…

This guidebook provides an empirically-based set of planning and design guidelines for the construction of winter play facilities for Canadian youth residing in locations where outdoor play in winter is curtailed for approximately 4 months of the year. Information used in developing the guidelines was derived from field observations, a literature…

Guidelines are presented regarding the planning, layout, construction, and maintenance of outdoor playing fields for physical education. Consideration is given to the dual use of playing fields by the school and the community, the planning of hard surface playing areas, and specifications and bills of quantities. Maintenance costs of grass playing…

School site development planning involves consideration of location, topography, utilities, accessibility, lighting, landscaping, traffic and parking, playground areas, and athletic facilities. A checklist is provided. (MLF)

This report deals primarily with the design of an integrated free play environment for both able-bodied and disabled children. First, the different types of handicaps (and their debilitating effects) which affect children, and the different mobility aids which are used by these children are discussed. Then, a number of guidelines concerning…

This booklet provides non-professionals with the guidelines, information, and procedures necessary to design, plan and build stimulating outdoor play environments for children. Information on technical issues related to site selection, play area design, landform and drainage, climate, lighting, safety and vandalism are provided in Chapter I.…

Presents Rotary Park in Mesa (Arizona), designed to be accessible to the disabled and developed by the Mesa Rotary Club, the city parks and recreation department, and county and federal agencies. Describes the park's origins, development, and special recreational equipment, including a physical fitness trail and multipurpose playing areas. (RW)

This booklet describes a project involving the planning and construction of an outdoor play area for a child day care center in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Participants in the project sought to increase community awareness of the value of outdoor activity and to construct an outdoor learning area which would incorporate provisions for a variety of…

Developed to provide an outdoor learning environment for a small school which had relatively undeveloped grounds, these plans are aimed toward providing: physical activity (climbing, running, jumping, and games); imaginative activity; social learning; environmental study; mathematics and science; exploring materials, e.g., water and soil; and the…

This book is a guide to setting up playgrounds from junk materials--used tires, cable reels, inner tubes, and railroad ties, among others--that are child-oriented rather than created primarily for the convenience of adult superintendents. Interwoven with many photographs and plans showing how to use the materials is the author's commentary--part…

A discussion of the reasons for communities to work together in planning and building a playground opens this resource guide. Following are practical considerations involving dealing with bureaucracies, acquiring playground space, raising funds, locating materials, and beginning construction. In the nuts-and-bolts sections of the book the options…

The selection and planning of sites appropriate for school facilities is a critical and complex undertaking. This publication describes the many factors to be considered during the process of site selection, planning, development, and use. The introduction stresses the importance of knowing the community or territory and the local school system.…

The purpose of this book is to help designers and teachers think about the quality of outside school environments as learning places. The first chapter defines the players' roles as: (1) the designer, a maker of school form; (2) the teacher, the maintainer of the environment; and (3) the child, who is a major force in the use of the space. These…