Generate discussion about the importance of play

Posted on March 15, 2018 by PlayLSI

Are you looking for resources on trends affecting the playground industry? We can help! We’ve created whitepapers to help generate discussion about the importance of play in early childhood development, outdoor play during school hours, and balancing safety and challenge, and serve as a reference during future playground projects. Get details below about each of our whitepapers, and request a download today.

Shaped by Play: The Formative Role of Play and Playgrounds
Child’s play, we are learning, is not just fun and games. Children’s play behavior appears to be essential preparation for a successful adult life. We partnered with the University of Minnesota’s Institute of Child Development to understand how behavior on school and community playgrounds contributes to whole-child development. This meta-study aggregates and analyzes key findings from some of the most influential studies on children and play.

Balancing Safety & Challenge in Playground Design
Playgrounds are a place where children can learn and grow through exploration and social interaction. However, that development can’t take place without age and developmentally appropriate challenges. Parental concern along with standards that have decreased design freedom are contributors to the lack of challenging opportunities in today’s play equipment. Finding a balance between challenge and safety is important to childhood development, and society can help determine a healthy median.

The Importance of Outdoor Play & Physical Activity During School Hours
Both outdoor physical activity and indoor classroom time are important for kids’ growth and development. School provides students with the education they need to have a successful career, and physical activity gives them a chance to stay healthy. Unfortunately, not all kids get their daily 60 minutes outside. School is a place where kids can supplement the lack of physical activity they get at home, and help kids become smarter, healthier and stronger.

Find more playground education resources including continuing education sessions and infographics at playlsi.com.

Big fun comes in small packages

Posted on March 1, 2018 by PlayLSI

Centre – 2 to 5 years

Smart Play® playstructures pack a lot of activities into compact structures, taking kids from early crawling exploration on up to active climbing and social play to a challenging course for older children. This line helps span several critical periods of childhood development, making it ideal for childcare, early learning centers, neighborhood playgrounds and schools.

Motion – 2 to 5 years

Each Smart Play playstructure makes the most efficient use of materials to create a large number of activities. For example, cut-outs from panels are used to create activity components found elsewhere on the playstructure. And the compact size of these structures requires less space and surfacing materials than typical playgrounds resulting in a lower total investment. That means Smart Play playstructures are ideal for tight spaces and tight budgets, too.

Smart Play structures are preconfigured and designed with your choice of color. All at a smart price. Lots of Smart Play options are available for kids ages 6 months to 12 years:

Nook – 6 to 23 months

Nook – 6 to 23 months
Sized right for little crawlers and early walkers, this whimsical playstructures 20 colorful activities to capture young ones’ attentions.
Loft – 2 to 5 years
As young children grow, they become ready for Loft. With language prompts and learning activities connected to early childhood curriculum goals, you’ll find plenty of interactive elements.
Fire Station – 2 to 5 years
Kids will enjoy lots of activities that teach them about fire safety and helping others in this imagination encouraging playstructure.
Market Cafe – 2 to 5 years
This farmer’s market and cafe lets little ones take turns placing meal orders, dining with friends and learning about healthy food choices.
Centre – 2 to 5 years
Connect all three playstructures–Loft, Fire Station and Market Cafe–with elevated crawl tunnels to create Centre, and enhance the fun.
Motion – 2 to 5 years
This accessible playstructure packs 16 activities into its compact size, and encourages kids to engage in social and imaginative play.
Cube – 2 to 5 years
A curated collection of interactive play events help build cognitive and motor skills for toddlers and preschoolers while they play.
Venti® – 5 to 12 years
Nets, slides, belts and climbers provide challenges that promote physical development and strategic thinking while also creating hangouts.

Venti® – 5 to 12 years

See Centre in action below, and visit playlsi.com for more details.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxVLX5A5m28]

Bringing literacy to the playground

Posted on February 8, 2018 by PlayLSI

We’re excited to expand the Smart Play® line of playstructures with designs especially for toddlers and preschoolers. Introduced in 2017, Loft delivers interactive elements to engage developing minds and bodies. And now, the Loft family has grown to include the Fire Station and Market Cafe to further encourage social and imaginative play for 2- to 5-year-olds.

With the Fire Station, kids can take control at the wheel, pet Sparky the friendly fire dog or slide down to their next adventure. There’s plenty more to keep them busy including an object find game, a bell and a gear shift, and a fun mirror that shows them how they’d look in uniform.

The Market Cafe lets little ones take turns placing meal orders, dining with friends and talking about healthy food choices. Among lots of activities, kids can make pictures in the image panel, bing-bong the apple bell and chat about food colors and tastes.

Double the fun by connecting any two of these Smart Play playstructures–Loft, Fire Station or Market Cafe–with an elevated crawl tunnel to enhance the imaginative fun and physical activity levels. Or connect all three to create the Centre for kids to explore and stay active.

Best of all, with guidance from the National Head Start Association and Too Small to Fail, developmentally appropriate activities including literacy prompts were incorporated throughout the designs to engage children and adults in language-rich conversations.

See Centre in action below, and go to playlsi.com for more details about the Smart Play line.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxVLX5A5m28]

Create inspired play experiences

Posted on January 25, 2018 by PlayLSI

Exceed community expectations by creating amazing playground designs. Our innovative new playground products will deliver engaging and educational play experiences that will keep kids safe. Even more, we’ll ensure that your playground project stays within budget and is delivered on time. Collaborate with us in 2018 and bring your playground visions to life.

See the new 2018 playground and shade products offered exclusively from Landscape Structures.

Alpha™ Tower & Alpha™ Link Towers
Bring height to the playground with the geometric design of these 20-foot towers.

Centre
Engage developing minds and bodies with language-rich conversation prompts while little ones play.

Friendship™ Swing
This face-to-face swing delivers a great way for individuals of all ages and abilities to swing together.

Facet™ Forms
This collection of modular forms is inspired by natural geometries found in nature.

DigiRiders™
Created using digital artwork, these updated spring riders produce an experience that excites the eyes and body.

FitCore™ Extreme
High-intensity strength training challenges kids, teens and adults to get and stay fit.

SkyWays® Shade Products
Provide cool and reliable shade for playgrounds, dog parks or pickleball courts, and everything in between.

Learn about even more new products for your playground projects by visiting playlsi.com. Then contact your local playground consultant to get started on an amazing playground design today.

Be Amazing.

Posted on January 18, 2018 by PlayLSI

Kids play. It’s a simple thing to do. A way to pass the time, let off some steam. To us, play is so much more. It’s a trial run of adulthood. A way for kids to discover and practice all the skills they’ll need in the future. Leadership, persistence, empathy, courage. Play is amazing because it shapes kids for tomorrow. So for a better tomorrow, we play today.

You’ll find everything you need to complete your play environment. From new products to featured designs, individual components and fitness equipment, we’ll ensure your playground is everything you imagine and more. Browse our virtual 2018 Playground Equipment Catalog, then request a copy.

Give kids and families much-needed heat and sun protection while visiting any play, rest or activity area. However much shade you’re looking for, SkyWays® shade products have you covered. Browse our virtual publication, then request a copy of the 2018 SkyWays Shade Products Catalog.

Invite individuals of all ages and abilities to immerse themselves in the brilliance of an Aquatix water experience. See how Aquatix moves graceful aqua play experiences well beyond a fun way to cool off. Browse the 2018 Aquatix Catalog, then request a copy.

The best of 2017

Posted on January 4, 2018 by PlayLSI

You came. You read. And now we’re sharing our five most read blog posts of 2017.

Decline in children’s play time shown in new study
According to our recent poll, more than half of parents think that children today have fewer opportunities for play than children 20 years ago.
Five considerations for your toddler and preschool playgrounds
To help you create a dream playground for your daycare or preschool that focuses on toddlers’ developmental needs in mind, we created a fun infographic.
Exciting, new products for your 2017 playground designs
We introduced exciting new commercial playground products—GeoPlex™, Nook, Loft and more—to help create playground designs that shape kids’ lives.
A fresh look for your playground
Add a cool aesthetic (and an extra layer of protection) to your playground that will look great in any environment—urban, sculptural, modern, industrial—with the new HDG Series!
Exploring nature on the playground
There are myriad benefits to kids playing outdoors. That’s why we design nature-inspired playground equipment that helps connect kids to the natural world.

Thank you for tuning in to Together We Play in 2017. We’re looking forward to an exciting year of play; tell us below what you’d like to see more of in 2018 and we’ll do our best to share it here.

Let your imagination soar

Posted on December 7, 2017 by PlayLSI

Is your head in the clouds when it comes to unique design?

Perfect. We can help you shape sky-high visions into just-right solutions.

From playful post toppers to concrete-sculpted climbers and colorful palettes to DigiFuse® panels, we can help you turn sky-high ideas into amazing realities. Let’s collaborate.

Request your copy of the 2018 PLAY Book, or browse the virtual PLAY Book. And to see these amazing playground designs in action, watch our video below.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XlEBFdMA-c]

Elevate the excitement

Posted on October 12, 2017 by PlayLSI

On our many trips to the playground, we observed kids shouting “Higher! Higher!” And well, we’ve delivered.

Kids can now climb up, up, up our five new modern and curvy climbers to reach the top of the playstructure. More than delivering thrilling challenge to 5- to 12-year-olds, the 8-foot climbers encourage kids to invent new ways to go across, through, under and over.

Even better, we have an equally thrilling way for kids to get back down to the ground! Three elevated slides continue the breathtaking excitement.

See all of the new climbers and slides here, and get started on a playground design that encourages kids to reach new heights.

Promoting language-rich interaction on the playground

Posted on August 25, 2017 by PlayLSI

There is a general notion that there is a gap between the number of words that lower-income children hear compared with their higher income peers, and that this gap leads to a gap in early vocabulary and kindergarten readiness. But even more importantly, research shows us that the more parents meaningfully engage with their young children, the more their child’s brain will grow and develop. And that is an amazing opportunity.

That’s where Too Small to Fail, a joint initiative of the Clinton Foundation and The Opportunity Institute, comes in. Their goal is to make early brain and language development a part of communities. And to do this, they’ve created the “Talking is Teaching: Talk, Read, Sing” campaign, which brings visually engaging and colorful signs to supermarkets, laundromats, bus stops and playgrounds to encourage talking, reading and singing between parents and young children. The signage is intended to provide families with reminders about the importance of engaging with their young children, as well as provide specific ideas for things to talk about.

We’re proud to partner with Too Small to Fail on the “Talking is Teaching” campaign. By incorporating these interactive play panels, we’re meeting parents where they already are with their children and helping them boost their children’s early brain and language development through play. The panels are strategically positioned throughout the playground design so that children and their caregivers can sit near each other, and use the language prompts to interact with each other. Even better, there is a seamless theme of play and education in these language-rich playground designs, so parents and caregivers are helping their children get ready for kindergarten and set them up for success in school.

To date, Too Small to Fail has partnered with Landscape Structures to open 20 “Talking is Teaching: Talk, Read, Sing” themed playgrounds across the country. Learn more about our partnership with Too Small to Fail by contacting your local playground consultant.

A fresh look for your playground

Posted on August 17, 2017 by PlayLSI

Add a cool aesthetic to your playground equipment with the new HDG Series! What is HDG? Hot Dip Galvanized is a process in which steel is completely dipped into a bath of molten zinc to form intermetallic layers making it highly resistant to corrosion. Even more, the HDG process creates a unique look for playground designs in any environment—urban, sculptural, modern, industrial and more.

And if you happen to live in a coastal area, this durable finish provides an extra layer of protection against the harsh elements. That’s why the City of Corpus Christi in Texas chose to incorporate the HDG Series in one of their seaside parks. Featured at McCaughan Park is all three products of the HDG Series—Venti®, Global Motion® and the Oodle® Swing. Kids ages 5 to 12 explore the modern-looking playground design while being challenged physically and mentally with the nets, slides, belts and climbers of Venti. Freestanding play components like the Oodle Swing and Global Motion encourage cooperative play, and challenge kids’ strategic-thinking and motor-planning skills.

Learn more about the new HDG Series, and see photos of the newly opened McCaughan Park at playlsi.com.

Together We Play

Bringing the magic of play to communities.

Category Archives: Playground Design