Children's area on suburban area is an integral part landscape design. Every child dreams of their own corner where they can play, jump, run, sunbathe, swim.
Having two children, I always thought about creating a playground that would not only allow me to develop physically. I know that such playgrounds should enable children to learn how to make friends, explore the world and be completely safe.
How to pick up a place on the site for the playground?
I have two children, with a difference in age of 9 years. My first attempts at creating a children's area had some mistakes. In order for the child to be completely safe, it is necessary to place the playground in:1. Maximum proximity to home. This allows you to constantly control what the children are doing.
2. When choosing a site, you need to immediately understand which games will prevail in this zone. You should not combine a sandbox, a swing and devices for outdoor games and sports. This can be traumatic.
3. When choosing equipment, you need to consider the age of the children.
5. The selected site for the site must be protected from drafts.
1. Sandbox from improvised materials.
This option is suitable for those areas that are located near a reservoir, where nature has created all the conditions for outdoor activities. In my case, this happened, our summer cottage is located on the banks of the river. This arrangement made it possible to avoid the care and construction of the pool.
A children's sandbox can be made from low logs. They are buried in the sand, thereby enclosing the playing area. It is important that the sandbox is in the shade. If this option is not possible, then it is necessary to consider a cover. At home, I installed a small structure and pulled the grid. It provides excellent shade and protects children from the sun.
Since cats and dogs always live in the country besides children, it is important to protect the sandbox from their penetration and emptying. The best option would be a sandbox, which is closed at night or at the time of departure with a wooden shield. This will ensure that your sand is always clean and safe for your baby.
2. Water slide.
If there is no water nearby, then the best option would be the construction of water slides. Children prefer to play in the summer with water than to sit in the hot sand.
To solve the problem with the supply, many make a supply to the playing place. Here you can make a small pond or control and open water as needed.
But every parent must remember that water is a place that attracts not only children, but creeping creatures. In the case when you are sure that vipers and snakes live in the summer cottage, it is better not to do this type of playground.
3. The construction of slides, swings, carousels.
Such play complexes are always liked by parents. You can also build them yourself, but you need to remember that these sites are traumatic.
All structures in such complexes should not have sharp corners. The best option would be to make castles with slides and round swings. Each wooden detail in the structures must be carefully sanded. The procedure for sanding and processing wood in playgrounds will have to be carried out every year to protect children from damage.
When installing such a platform, you need to think about a soft surface on the ground. I recommend sowing special grass. For those who can afford financial investments, you can buy a special rubberized base that looks like grass. It is soft and protects against damage when dropped.
4. Original design.
Creating a playful atmosphere, allowing your children to plunge into a fairy tale is the main task that every parent should set for himself. At my dacha, I found an original solution - creating game compositions from old car tires.
There is no limit to the fantasies of every parent. From old tires, you can also build a beautiful bird yard, invite fabulous animals to visit.
I had a great idea with plastic caps. For a long time, my two children made a path to the playground from plastic caps. Here, too, fantasy can give beautiful ornaments, if there is no desire to draw up schemes for such ornaments, then you can fix them in the ground in any order and they will look original.
5. Swing for the playground.
When constructing a swing for children, it is necessary to choose a place so that the swing amplitude is maximum.
The simplest version of the swing, which you can make with your own hands, will be a rope swing. For this, an ordinary strong rope and a plank are suitable.
A more convenient and practical swing option is a hammock. To make it, you will need 2 hooks, a rope and a thick fabric. I really liked the swing in the form of a web. I carefully considered their manufacturing option and installed it on my playground. As a basis, I took the rings from the playpen for children, and wove the web from a dense linen thread.
A children's area in the country is a must. Its correct layout, filling will allow the child to create a fairy tale in which it will be pleasant and fun to be.
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If you have a dacha where you spend a lot of time with your children, then you just need to set aside a small piece of land for a playground. In such a playground, children will be able to feel like full-fledged owners and relax. Emphasis on the playground must be placed based on the age of the children who will spend their free time on it. For very young children, it is enough to build a sandbox, a small slide and the simplest swing. For older children, you can build more complex swings, a steep slide, a hut on chicken legs with a ladder. Of course, no playground can do without even the smallest canopy.
Sandbox
The highlight of any playground can be a sandbox, especially if it is made in a non-standard form. For example, a sandbox made of old tractor tires or a wooden frame sandbox imitating a yacht mast and a canopy in the form of a sail will look great in a summer cottage. An interesting sandbox can be made from pegs driven into the ground and a canopy roof can be installed over it. For older children, a sandbox table may be the best option. The main advantage of such a sandbox is that the child can show his architectural abilities in an impromptu workplace.
rocking chair
Rocking swings are perfect for small children. They are quite safe and allow the child to move up and down with a slight bouncing effect. Seats for such a rocking chair are best made in the form of a horse, sheep, donkey or any other animal. This will give the child the impression of riding. Such a rocking chair can be designed for two children, and for one. In order for the swing to be stable, half of the spring of a suitable diameter must be embedded in concrete, and a seat in the form of an animal should be attached to the upper part.
Vertical swing
In order to independently make a vertical swing on the site, it is necessary to dig holes under the support pillars, about a meter deep. There can be not only two but also six support pillars. In this case, three on each side. Three pillars are set in the form of a pyramid and deepened into the ground at an angle. Install the support posts and screw the crossbar to them. A galvanized water pipe or a durable wooden beam is perfect as a crossbar. It remains only to fasten the rope to the crossbar and install the seat. For the safety and comfort of the child, it is better if the seat has a back. It is also recommended to smooth out any sharp corners of the seat. An old tire can also be a good option for sitting. The swing with six supporting pillars is very durable and will appeal not only to children, but also to adults.
Fabric huts and houses
It is simply impossible to imagine a children's playground in the country without a tent or a hut, which can be bought at any specialized store. A hut can also be made using willow twigs. A good option would be a small wigwam, which can be built from several bedspreads. The main thing is that in such tents and huts the children should not be too stuffy. And so the film is like construction material, won't fit.
Houses and huts made of fabric can be made independently. As a rule, a metal or wooden frame is taken as the basis. It is best if the whole structure is folding. In this case, in bad weather, it can be assembled in a matter of minutes. If you creatively approach the creation of a hut house, you can equip it with windows, doors and various manholes. Various fabric houses are widely represented on sale, in which there is already a folding table and several chairs. Since the sizes of huts and houses made of fabric are small, they will fit perfectly into the playground in a small summer cottage.
Cabin-hut
Any child will be happy with a house resembling a real one. You can make a house-hut yourself from siding, wooden boards and even foam. You can attach various ladders and slides to the finished house, and make several laziks in the walls. With the help of piles, you can make a hut on "chicken legs". Such a house can be made not only on the ground, but also on a tree. In this case, ladders are used to enter the house. Such houses can also be purchased at the store. The designs of finished houses are thought out to the smallest detail. As a rule, they already have a table, benches, ladders and a balcony. Such eccentric structures will no doubt appeal to every child.
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Dacha is a place where you relax with all your heart. Beautiful views, clean air, vegetables from your own garden and fruits make the dacha indispensable for every inhabitant of the metropolis. The opportunity to go out into nature and relax with your family after a hard working week is priceless.
You especially begin to appreciate a house outside the city when children appear. Here they are a real expanse. And on a bicycle you can ride a lot, and go to the forest for mushrooms, and to the river. There is just one small nuance. Adults also need time to relax, and what better way to distract a kid than a playground in the country?
We make a playground with our own hands
If you think that building a playground in the country with your own hands is easy, then you are mistaken. It is necessary to take into account many nuances, draw up a project, make markings, and only after that put the shells, fill the sandbox with sand and install the swing. The main thing is to adhere to standards that guarantee your baby a safe pastime.
How to make the site safe
There are quite simple and effective rules that guarantee the safety of children. First of all, a playground for a summer residence should be located at a decent distance from dangerous places, these include:
- decorative electric lamps,
- barbed fence,
- deep pond or pool
- greenhouse,
- well and so on.
Particular attention should be paid to the location of the playground in the country. To begin with, children should be able to play whenever they want, so the sun should only shine on the square in the morning and evening.
Attention ! It is impossible to allow the rays of the sun to illuminate the playground for summer cottages at noon. This can cause heat stroke in children.
Attention ! The playground should be located in such a way that the parent can see the children from anywhere in the site.
The builders of children's playgrounds for summer cottages in the process of their work developed a number of rules that you should follow so as not to worry about the health of your kids:
- The territory of the future site must be carefully leveled. Remove bumps, large stones, take care that there are no large roots.
- The main structural elements must be deepened into the ground by at least 50 centimeters. These include supports for slides, houses, swings and so on. They also need to be concreted.
- Swings must have safety zones in front and behind. This is approximately two meters of free space.
- Each wooden structural element must be well sanded.
- The paint used for the coating must be non-toxic.
- The condition of the carabiner, with which the swing is attached to the hook, should be checked every six months.
Separately, you need to talk about the coverage of the playground for giving. It needs to be made soft. Children often fall while playing. And this must be taken into account. Also, the surface must be quick-drying, as excessive moisture can cause a cold in a child.
Rubber-based playground surfaces are best suited. They guarantee complete safety even in the event of a fall. In addition, this coating minimizes the risk of slipping.
The only problem rubber coating for a playground in the country - this is its cost. Moreover, in nature you want something more natural and authentic, and a rubberized platform will not look very harmonious against the background of trees and tomatoes.
It is much cheaper and more practical to lay a lawn from resistant varieties of grass. Its depreciation effect is quite enough to protect children from broken knees. You can also use combined coatings for playgrounds in the country.
Advice ! Sand can also be poured near the slide, Swedish wall and other gymnastic equipment. It perfectly softens the blows when falling.
The self-leveling seamless floor from colored crumb rubber. It can have any configuration and fit on any terrain. The coating has a long service life, in addition, you can find any color scheme in hardware stores.
The thickness of the bulk coating for the playground should be at least 1-2 cm. In areas with increased injury risk, it is recommended to increase this parameter to 10 centimeters. This way you create airbags for children.
Additional advantages of rubber crumb for a playground in the country include an elastic surface and the absence of seams. Such a coating does not require additional care. It is enough to sweep away the sand and rinse the surface with water from a hose.
Important ! Since the coating is porous, it allows water to pass through, which means that children can play right after the rain.
The size of the playground for giving
When calculating the area, the number and dimensions of game shells are taken into account. Particular attention should be paid to the distance between them. It is necessary to make it convenient for children to move around.
There is a fairly simple and effective form that allows you to calculate the area of a playground for a summer residence. For each child under 7 years old, at least 8-9 square meters, from 7 to 12 - 13-15 m 2.
When calculating the space, it is also necessary to provide a strip for a free run in the project. There must be a safe zone of at least two meters around the swings and rocking chairs.
To install a swing on a playground for a summer residence, you need at least fifteen square meters. For a spring structure, this parameter can be reduced to 10. The slide also occupies at least 15 m 2. Provided that it is not an element of the overall design.
We make a slide
A slide for a playground in the country is a rather complex product. To make it according to standards, you need to take into account many nuances. A huge role is played by the age of the baby. If he is from two to five years old, the height of the slide cannot exceed one and a half meters. For elementary school students, this parameter is no more than 3.5 m. The staircase should have wide steps. However, they should be located close to each other.
Important ! Do not forget to take care of a special anti-slip coating.
If there is a swimming pool next to the slide, the steps without special coating may cause injury. In addition, do not forget about changeable weather conditions. And children always want to go for a walk, and it doesn’t matter to them that it has recently rained.
In order for the staircase on the playground to meet all standards, handrails must be attached to the structure. The upper platform, in turn, is protected by railings on the sides. It also needs to create enough space for games.
Of course, there are very unusual options for stairs for playgrounds in the country. As an example, see the photos below. In the first version, the basis of the structure itself acts as a railing. In the second, instead of the usual wooden ladder, there is a rope structure.
Advice ! Design innovations are very popular with children.
Most of the difficulties arise when creating a slide for a slide on a playground. The fact is that there are many design options, and choosing the best one is really not an easy task.
You need to start with the selection of material. It is most practical to use special plastic. It is easy to mount, it is resistant to any climatic conditions and has a pleasant appearance.
As an alternative material for the slope of the playground, multilayer plywood can be used. But it must first be varnished. Nevertheless, in terms of ergonomic properties, it is significantly inferior to plastic.
Attention ! When buying a plastic ramp, you can choose both a screw and a straight shape.
Making a sandbox
On the playground for giving a sandbox plays a very important role. This is the place in which the baby will spend a lot of time creating high castles or sculpting pastries. That is why the planning of the object must be taken as responsibly as possible.
At the beginning of the installation of a sandbox for a playground in the country, you need to remove the soil by 30 centimeters. Then it is necessary to pour drainage material, for example, pebbles or crushed stone. For children from two to five years old, the size of the arena must be at least 1700x1700 mm.
Advice! Closed sandboxes are very popular these days. Such a precaution will prevent pets or stray animals from making a toilet here.
Additional elements
On your playground in the country, you can recreate a certain fairy-tale scene. Decorative houses in which children will be happy to play can help you with this. To interesting ideas you can also add a craft table and a car in the sand.
Results
A playground in the country allows you to organize a normal healthy leisure time for your child in nature. The main thing is to do everything according to the rules to ensure complete safety.
