Welcome to The Playground Post
This is your biweekly dose of playground knowledge from someone who's spent 20 years inspecting them.
In this issue, I’ll talk about playground maintenance and how crucial it is to avoiding injuries and maintaining your space for years to come.
I’ll also discuss a seemingly-ordinary playground project that was built in a not-so-ordinary location.
All that and more lies ahead in The Playground Post.
Monitoring Minute
Automation Doesn’t Remove Responsibility; It Clarifies It
If you’ve ever had any type of home security system, you know that the mere presence of cameras is one of the biggest deterrents for those who’d otherwise look to rob or otherwise enter your home uninvited. Having visible surveillance says to people that your home is being watched, and any unwanted intrusion will be met with a response.
In a similar way, having QR monitoring for your playground, such as that offered by Playgrounds.com, says to people that you care about your the safety of children who use it. It’s a literal and figurative sign that you want kids to be safe on your playground.
However, actions speak louder than words or symbols, so it’s imperative to actually follow up when people submit issues about your playground. Each and every report needs your full, undivided attention, no matter how small the issue at hand may seem.
Part of truly owning a playground is taking responsibility when kids have less-than-ideal experiences playing on it. Among other things, this means examining and following up on every report you receive from concerned parents.
Will every report be actionable? No. Will kids’ parents and loved ones appreciate you taking their concerns seriously? Absolutely.
Ready to streamline playground safety? Get your free digital inspection toolkit here:
One Thing to Check on Your Playground This Week
If you have loose-fill playground surfacing like rubber mulch or pea gravel, it’s always important to keep adequate amounts of surfacing around your playground. This is especially true in key areas like around swing sets and points of exit and entry around play structures, since these are places where kids tend to fall.
If you have a big playground and lack the time to spot check every square inch of it for adequate surfacing, focus instead on:
Places where kids potentially leap off of swing sets
The bottom of vertical climbers as well as the area beneath them
Pathways where kids run to and from different parts of the playground (e.g., from the swing set to the climbers)
The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends a minimum depth of 6 inches of rubber mulch surfacing in order to maintain adequate cushioning in case of falls, with that number rising to 9 inches or more when placed around high-fall risk areas like play structure.
For more info, check out the table on page 11 of the linked PDF above.
The Case File
Uranus Fudge Factory - The Crown Jewel of Richmond, Indiana
If you drive along Interstate 70 near the Indiana-Ohio border, you’ll probably see signs for the Uranus Fudge Factory. This roadside attraction is one of three in the Midwest, and, along with delicious fudge, it boasts a wide array of knick-knacks, Uranus-themed merch, and fun activities for kids. Their Richmond, Indiana location is easy to spot from the Interstate, and now, so is their new playground.
Much like the Fudge Factory itself, this playground was built to be noticed.
This playground was built with one purpose: to make Uranus Fudge Factory an out-of-this-world destination for kids and parents alike. Whether on a cross-country road trip or a quick trip across state lines, families have yet another reason to flock to Uranus Fudge Factory. This structure is visible from at least half a mile away while driving on I-70, making it a true landmark for travelers in need of physical activity.
Even while visiting the Fudge Factory, I saw at least a dozen kids on the new playground, presumably right after their parents bought them some new toys and sugary treats. So, if you ever find yourself on I-70, roughly halfway between Indianapolis, IN and Columbus, OH, stop into the Uranus Fudge Factory and see the playground for yourself. Sometimes you’ll find cool stuff in what seems like the rear-end of nowhere.
That's it for this issue.
If you’re looking to purchase a playground, ask yourself:
Where can I save money?
Am I able to drive to pick up my equipment?
Can I recruit some handy parents or parishioners to help install the playground?
Are there crowdfunding or grant options I can take advantage of?
These are the sorts of questions that sometimes prove necessary to make playground plans come to life.
If you have any questions on how to get your playground to the finish line, reply to this email and I’ll give you my take.
A playground is a big purchase, and when it comes to completing a project, there’s no such thing as a dumb question.
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Talk soon,
Nic Breedlove
Certified Playground Safety Inspector
20 years in the game. Still learning.