Playground Equipment - Soft Surfaces

Benefits of Trim Trails for Physical Development

Posted on May 23, 2024July 8, 2024 by Elliot

Creating a play area that challenges the children mentally and physically can be a really hard thing to do. You may not know what equipment needs to be used or how challenging it should be for them. Trim Trails are a great method for dealing with this problem as they offer a variety of challenges whilst also being achievable.

Today’s post will look into the benefits of Trim Trails for physical development and how to create the best one for your pupils.

Talk To Us

School Trim Trail Equipment

School trim trails are made up of a variety of play equipment to create an interesting and challenging course for pupils to try and navigate. The key point is that the equipment is varied and offers different challenges as well as improving a whole spectrum of skills. They encourage independent learning and cooperation depending on how the equipment is used. Some popular items include:

Wooden bridges – Connecting two points together on a wobbly bridge, this obstacle encourages kids to improve their balancing skills and to watch their footing. An incredibly popular piece of equipment.
Ropes/climbing nets – Climbing is a vital skill as it can improve muscle development, hand-eye coordination and encourages a positive attitude towards the challenge. A lot of recent playgrounds have got something like this installed.
Climbing walls – Again, climbing has many benefits but these walls help with footwork as well as providing an improvement on grip and muscle. Climbing walls have been a classic feature of most playgrounds and will stay around for much longer. Visit this post for more on the benefits of climbing for children.
Balancing beams – Simple yet effective. Working on balancing skills, balance beams are incredibly successful in helping kids understand how to traverse tricky obstacles whilst also having no threat of pain if failed.
Monkey bars – Another classic. Monkey bars help with upper body strength and help with producing a positive mindset. This is the ultimate test of determination as this obstacle will push kids to try and make it as far as they can.
Stepping stones/blocks – A more unique choice. Stepping stones can be tackled in a variety of ways. Whether it’s taking your time and slowly moving to each one or running over them as quickly as possible to try and conquer it. They’re so many ways to approach this one.

As shown above, each piece of equipment tries to utilise a different skill/factor to help pupils develop into more well-rounded people. This is usually why school trim trail equipment does well and has become so popular over recent years.

By creating your own custom trail as well, you can really cater towards certain skills that you want your students to improve on! For any queries, you may have on a trim trail, make sure to pop us a message as we will be able to provide some of the best information in the industry.

Building Children’s Strength and Coordination

Of course, trim trails are more physically intensive than most pieces of equipment that you will find located around the playground. This is due to how many of the obstacles require the children to have a good level of strength and coordination. Through the activities carried out on the trail, however, children can practise and develop their own motor skills.

Kids can meet the Ofsted requirements for physical activity as the trail will require running, walking, jumping, climbing, balancing and even more activities depending on how you customise the course. Ofsted really likes trim trails for this solid reason as they can offer a wide variety of exercises with no issues.

As well as this, coordination can be built upon as obstacles like climbing walls and balancing on beams will direct the pupils with visual aids to help them understand where their next step must go. Through this, it becomes a lot more natural for kids amongst this age group to perform activities like these with hardly any problem.

Improving Confidence on the Playground

Performing physical activities can give a boost to children’s confidence around the playground and throughout the day. By committing to an activity, children feel a lot happier with themselves when they can perform the activity with no problem. Exercise is known for improving confidence on the playground and encouraging children to interact with each other. These structures can also be used as props in role-playing and imaginative playground activities where kids make up their own games and scenes.

As well as this, the feeling of satisfaction of completing a difficult task can be achieved through these types of activities. Knowing this, it’s easy to see why students can feel an increase in confidence on the playground and how supervisors and carers can notice this change. Out of most activities, trim trails always seem to do a great job at engaging children’s attention and helping them build on their confidence.

Get in Touch

Trim Trail Designs for All Ages

When it comes to picking trim trail designs, it’s important that you understand the age group that you’re dealing with. You want to aim for a challenging yet possible course for your pupils to complete. If you make it too easy, you can end up with the students completing it too quickly and therefore feeling no sense of accomplishment.

If the trim trail is made too hard, then none of the students will attempt the course and those who do will have a massive decrease in self-confidence as they feel like they can’t complete it properly. It’s vital to keep these two points in mind as they will dictate the success rate amongst the children.

For those who may be stuck on how to construct a trim trail for your pupils, here are a few rough ideas on trim trail designs for all ages that you can adapt and alter to help create your ideal trail.

Nursery/pre-school – For this group, the trim trail doesn’t have to belong. As the pupils are only little in age and size, creating a simplistic trail is incredibly important. However, you need to try and make it look interesting as well. Using wooden bridges and stepping stones are great as they can help spark imagination and lead to a more engaged pupil. See more nursery playground designs here to get some ideas.
Primary school – At this point, a lot of the children have developed their physical and mental state and so you can add more challenge to the course. Monkey bars and balancing beams can push children physically whilst rewarding them with a sense of achievement If completed. You want to create a challenge, but not too much.
High school – Many of the pupils have started to have the mindset of an adult and the physicality of one as well. More advanced equipment like climbing walls and nets can be installed to make sure that the kids are getting the exercise that they need as well as providing that positive mental energy when completed.

Overall, it really is up to you how you design your trim trail. Keep in mind the age of the pupils and you’ll create a great course in no time! If you have any troubles with designing one or want a bit more information about them, then feel free to contact us here at Soft Surfaces.

Find Out More

No one knows how to get the best from your pupils like us. With over 20 years of experience, it’s no wonder why more and more people are starting to realise that there is no one else like us in the industry. As you can see there are so many benefits of trim trails for physical development and mental health in schools.

School Adventure Trail Designs

Posted on May 23, 2024July 8, 2024 by Elliot

Bring out the child in your planning, as you get imaginative with the playground space. It’s amazing how easy it is to turn land into an exciting obstacle course. There’s an assortment of advantages to utilising the playground area- adventure trails and other obstacle courses can make the most of little room- this in-turn enables more kids to play, all at once.

Contact Our Team

School adventure trail designs can be exhilarating school inclusions and as the years go on, we are seeing more and more introduced to school premises. A trail design can consist of various kinds of play area equipment including ‘monkey bars’, balance beams, traversing and climbing apparatuses.

Each of the previously discussed all come with their own advantages too, not only do they enable a school to make more of the space, but also give kids the opportunity to develop their coordination, physical and cognitive skills.

Learning may seem as though it is all classroom-based, but you’d be wrong to assume that is where lessons finish. The playground provides many a lesson, not only for motor skills but for social and problem-solving too.

Read on to find out what types of trails, equipment and playgrounds are available, as well as the potential benefits they can have for little ones.

Activity Trail Surfaces for Schools

Activity trail surfaces for schools can be designed in a number of ways and there are also factors that should be taken into account, this extends further than the aesthetics and design- it should also include safety.

What do we mean by safety? Playgrounds often spring to mind when we talk about accidents at school, and they can’t be completely avoided. Nonetheless, precautions are imperative. As well as rules, regulations and play area monitors, it also comes down to the surroundings.

That is why we recommend wetpour and rubber mulch solutions for the ground, especially surrounding playground equipment. Both have been carefully cultivated to offer extra protection in case of a fall. Don’t worry the base shock pad, isn’t obvious and actually appears as normal concrete or flooring that we’re used to, only it does provide our children with a safer area.

Two of the safety-orientated, robust and sleek types of surfacing that we are referring to, are discussed in more detail below:

Wet Pour Surfacing– Wet Pour is also a rubber surfacing that you often see in schools and nurseries. Most of the time you will hear it called ‘soft tarmac’ or even rubber, it is made of two layers including a shock pad and helps prevent injuries.
Rubber Mulch– Ideal for muddy playgrounds, with a lot of grip, a soft surface and a natural look. The rubber mulch flooring is another great way to implement safety precautions for children’s school play.

Get a Free Quote

Equipment for Adventure Trails

Soft surfaces are important, but you’ll also want to know more about the equipment for adventure trails. There’s no end to equipment, there are many different choices and just browsing them will have you feeling young again.

It’s all about ensuring that the kids get to enjoy their surroundings whilst simultaneously developing their physical attributes.

Some of the equipment for school trails includes:

EY Adventure Trail
Fitness Equipment
Lumber Stacks
Jungle Gyms
Traditional Play

There’s no reason to stick to just one of the above, all of them are exhilarating for children and by incorporating them, you can accommodate more pupils at once.

There are endless options for them, and the above categories allow for swings, balance logs, bridges and obstacles. Combined with a safe surface, they can be great for all students. The general age range is from five years old to twelve, ensuring that the entire primary school can embrace all that an adventure trail has to offer.

Talk To Us

School Playground Obstacle Course

A boring outdoor space can be transformed into an exciting domain for children to progress, socialise and channel their energy. Obstacle courses can be made up of various apparatus, whether they are made to climb, duck-under, balance or simply sit on.

Use fitness-related play or assault-style courses that require a great setup for playground activities. You’ll be able to add the likes of duck and dive posts, chin-up bars, log pass, stairs, slides, traverse, netting and more.

As you delve into the possibilities, you become astonished with how many diverse obstacles and fun equipment are available at our fingertips. Schools don’t need to be dull or limited by space, instead they can be made enjoyable with good value courses sure to keep children fit and healthy.

Benefits of Adventure Playgrounds

It may seem as though these playgrounds are there to incite children into a frenzy before they begin their next class. There’s more to it than simply allowing pupils to have their one-hour to blow off steam. Instead, it has great value for each and every child.

Each individual will have their own preference, to what course or type of equipment they prefer. Regardless, there’s a long list of advantages. This includes physical health as well as much more.

Some of the benefits to adventure playgrounds include:

Motor Skills- All obstacles and playgrounds entail problem-solving, this creates skills in solving problems as well simultaneously improving motor skills. This could be holding and gripping small bars, as well as gross motor skills such as jumping and playing. Check out this post to learn more on the benefits of sensory activities.
Coordination- Similar to the above, different types of courses and playground games allow children to progress their skills. Different bars to hang from or beams to balance on, enable them to aid their eye-to-hand coordination.
Physical & Fitness Health- One of the more obvious benefits, has to be fitness. By introducing a playground with obstacles and equipment, it offers more reasons to run around and stay active.
Social Skills- Enjoyable physical tasks will encourage children to play together. They will soon get involved with helping each other finish the course, as well as giving each other tips. It’s a great way for them to come together and socialise.

Benefits of a Mud Kitchen for a School Playground

Posted on May 23, 2024July 8, 2024 by Elliot

School playgrounds have, in many ways, changed hugely over the years to incorporate various types of equipment like mud kitchens. However, it is still likely that you will find some staples, such as slides, swings and monkey bars, commonplace across the UK.

Get a Free Quote

While these playground toys are big hits with children, there are more inclusive ways for children to play and to learn how to gain social confidence and develop fine motor skills during break times.

Mud kitchen playground facilities are becoming more and more popular with modern schools. While they may sound messy and unhygienic, they are perfectly safe for children of all ages to explore and dive into.

There are plenty of benefits of mud kitchens for school and nursery age children. What’s more, these playground staples are often some of the most accessible to children with hidden disabilities.

What is a Mud Kitchen?

A mud kitchen, as you might imagine, is an outdoor, pretend kitchen space. Instead of cooking up edible treats, however, children are encouraged to explore how they might use a kitchen with their imaginations, and with mud and sand. A mud kitchen not only helps to encourage children to work together to solve problems and collaborate on play ideas, but also to expand their scientific and mathematical abilities.

What’s more, mud kitchen EYFS equipment is a fantastic tool for harnessing the imagination. While children are not making food in a real kitchen, they can pretend they are creating some truly wonderful dishes and treats! A mud kitchen is an outdoor play area that is fantastic for imaginative play, which is healthy and encouraged in younger Early Years children. They can have fun making mud pies out of natural materials as well as developing creative thinking skills.

Mud kitchens are wonderful sensory playground facilities that may appeal to a wide variety of children. They are inclusive and open, meaning that children with some learning disabilities, or physical disabilities, can still join in the fun. Ideally placed near a nice patch of mud, mud kitchens are completely safe for children, though supervision is of course encouraged.

Talk To Us

The Importance of Messy Play

In a world where we are more conscious than ever about bacteria, viruses and disease, the idea of messy play might seem off-putting. However, with clear supervision and guidance, messy play is perfectly healthy and sanitary, and in fact, it is likely to be an essential part of a child’s development.

Getting messy is exciting for kids. The world around them is still so new and appealing! Therefore, the ability to get deep and stuck into some sand, clay or mud is likely to be really enjoyable. Children likely won’t care about making a mess until they are much older!

Therefore, it’s so important to harness these moments as early on as possible. Messy play is fun, sensory and exploratory. Most children develop through direct experimentation. Rather than simply learning through direct teaching and lecturing, it is always a good idea to let kids explore the world around them with careful supervision.

How Can Messy Play Benefit a Child?

Messy play can help to support the development of young children in a variety of different ways.

Children engaging in messy play can improve their hand-eye coordination. In a mud kitchen, for example, children may need to create specific shapes or flatten mud and sand into the form of a cake.
Motor skills also receive plenty of development through messy play. Children can learn more about how the movements in their hands and feet change the objects and items they come across.
Muscles and balance, too, receive support and development. In a mud kitchen, they may need to carefully pour water into a bowl to mix with mud. Mixing the mud, too, is going to need a fair amount of strength! Therefore, a kitchen will also help to improve muscle strength.
Messy play, not just mud kitchens, holds plenty of benefits for the mental and physical development of a child. What’s more, it is wide open to all children, regardless of their learning speed.

Mud Kitchen Activities

Which mud kitchen activities are likely to appeal to children the most? The possibilities are endless. A great mud kitchen might mimic the look of an everyday kitchen space. For example, you might use wooden ‘hobs’ to pretend to heat up mud soup. Children might also choose to bake a mud cake, but first, they are going to need rolling pins, spoons and measuring jugs!

The best mud kitchens allow for a wide variety of games and activities to take place. Crucially, it is all about making sure children have the access and availability to let their imaginations run riot. While you are going to need a mud kitchen to point children in a specific direction to some extent, it should never stifle their creativity or their sense of fun!

Therefore, a mud kitchen could make all the difference to an inclusive, open and fun school playground. Create a space for kids where they can safely explore the wonderful natural world around them.