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A Selection of our Summer Commercial Projects to Inspire You….

News Cominstall Featured | A Selection Of Our Summer Commercial Projects To Inspire You.... | Creative Play

We have been extremely busy during this summer completing many projects for all of our different customer bases. We have chosen a selection of great commercial jobs we have recently completed, take a look below to see if we can inspire you!

 

Bellis Brothers Garden Centre

News Cominstall1 | A Selection Of Our Summer Commercial Projects To Inspire You.... | Creative Play Bellis Bothers Garden Centre contacted Creative Play looking to completely revamp their exiting outdoor play area.

To ensure we provided an area multiple children could use at one time, we installed our Zenith Four play tower full of different play opportunities along with 2 dragon spring riders to allow even more children to play! In addition to the equipment, we laid our Wetpour safety surfacing to ensure the area met all BSEN 1176/1177 safety requirements as well as allow for all weather use. In addition to this, we also added an inlaid hopscotch design for to add a touch of traditional play.

Overall the new play area looks vibrant and exciting and provides an area many children can enjoy during their visit to Bellis Brothers Garden Centre.


Blackpool Coastal Housing

News Cominstall2 | A Selection Of Our Summer Commercial Projects To Inspire You.... | Creative PlayBlackpool Coastal Housing approached Creative Play looking to develop a play area for a family centre based in Blackpool. This area was to be designed to provide a space families can enjoy through playing games and encouraging adventure. With this in mind we incorporated many different games in the area including our Penalty Play Panel and Noughts and Crosses Playboard along with a Wetpour Safety Surfacing 10-pin bowling lane and mini golf area with raised mounds. We also added a roadway to the surfacing design to add an adventure element along with our Teepee. In addition to the above, seating and planters were installed to create a relaxing area for parents to enjoy. Artificial Grass Safety Surfacing was laid alongside the Wetpour surfacing to allow for all weather use.

Overall the area now offers a playful and adventurous area families can enjoy for many years to come.


 Bridge House Marina

News Cominstall4 | A Selection Of Our Summer Commercial Projects To Inspire You.... | Creative PlayBridge House Marina approached Creative Play as they had decided to provide a play provision at their caravan park following their recent expansion.

With a blank grassed area as a starting point, and Bridge House Marina looking for an impressive tower system packed with play features, it was decided to incorporate the highest amount of play value possible. Together with Bridge House Marina, we decided that our Jigsaw range would be ideal. A 3 tower design, with 3 different platform heights, we were able to create a great challenge for children traverse across and conquer. Alongside this, we included our popular Basket Swing and several pieces of trim trail to provide additional pieces for the children to access and enjoy on site.

We worked closely with Bridge House Marina to ensure the installation went smoothly and caused as little disruption as possible to the running of their business, and they are more than happy with the final results!


 Jackson’s Boat

News Cominstall3 | A Selection Of Our Summer Commercial Projects To Inspire You.... | Creative PlayJackson’s Boat wanted to remove all existing equipment and replace with something many children can play on together and something that would be a real focal point of the area. They knew they wanted a boat-themed play area so that is exactly what we gave them!

Working closely with the manager of Jackson’s Boat throughout the design and installation process, the area now provides children visiting with our Quartermaster Ship that is designed to encourage physical and imaginative play over multiple levels. Featuring a deck slide, ships wheel, gang plank and much more, children will be kept entertained for hours.

Overall the transformation at Jackson’s Boat looks amazing and the customer is extremely happy with the results, more importantly so are the visitors!


If we have inspired you to create a new play area or your looking to revamp an existing area, don’t hesitate to contact us. We have a team of friendly advisers waiting to hear from you and offer any assistance we can. Don’t forget we offer a free consultation and design service!

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MumsNet backs #Nowhere2Play Campaign

Playgrounds are an important part of the lives of children. They provide a place where their boundless energy can be expelled through socialising and fun, healthy activity. Experts have found that engaging in regular play activities is vital for both the mental and physical wellbeing of our youngsters. With this is mind, it goes without saying that more playgrounds should be made available for children to enjoy, and protected at all means.

The Association of Play Industries’ Findings

Sadly, local authorities across the country have been closing down children’s playgrounds, instead of improving and regenerating them. The Association of Play Industries, who represent manufacturers, installers and designers, uncovered that playgrounds are being demolished at a shocking rate. Between 2014/15 and 2015/16, local authorities around England closed down 214 children’s playgrounds. To add to the damage, when asked about their future plans, the councils admitted that their aim was to close a further 234 playgrounds in the future. According to playground authorities, the reason for these playground closures was due to budget cuts, meaning that they were unable to maintain, repair or replace equipment.

There is no longer funding for playgrounds from central government or grants from third sector institutions such as the big lottery fund. This means that the provision and upkeep of play spaces falls unduly on local authorities, whose budgets are also reducing. In response to these findings, the Association of Play Industries began the ‘Nowhere to Play’ campaign and launched the hashtag #Nowhere2Play to help raise awareness and protect families from the impacts of further playground closures. The Association of Play Industries demand that the playgrounds that faced closure are replaced and that the government invest a further £100 million to increase the number of play facilities around the country and help to reduce the growing problem of childhood obesity.

Mumsnet joins the Fight

The Nowhere to Play campaign and the shocking findings of the Association of Play Industries have since gained a lot of media attention. Most recently, Mumsnet, a website that campaigns on issues affecting parents, joined the fight. The site launched #Nowhere2Play as one of their guest campaigns and called on the government to recognise the vital role of public playgrounds. The site reminded parents that active play is vital for children’s development, and that children in deprived areas are suffering a lot more from the closures, since playgrounds provide their only chance for active play a lot of the time.

Raising Awareness

In addition to physical health impact, the shutting down of playgrounds can affect the mental wellbeing of children. Since play is important for emotional and social development of children and their cognitive skill development, shutting down playgrounds can deprive children of these vital experiences. Thus, closing playgrounds will affect children mentally and physically. What is more dangerous, according to the API, is that many of the playgrounds are being shut down in areas where less affluent people live. According to the API, between 2014 and 2016, more than 400 playgrounds were closed across the country.

Pushing Back

More playgrounds have been notified for closure. In addition to enumerating the closed playgrounds, the API has also asked parents to report instances of closed playgrounds near them. Communities are also being asked to get involved in the issue. The Association of Play Industries feels that with more data about playground closures, it can highlight the importance of playgrounds and the negative impact of closures. Parents and communities do not have to wait for playgrounds to close to report them. If authorities have notified a playground for closure, parents can report it to the API. More involvement from concerned people is bound to help search for solutions.

 

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Why Wooden Playground Equipment is Beneficial for Children

Playgrounds are loved by children all over the world, helping to entertain and develop children’s social skills. There are many playground materials being utilised these days, but some are beginning to leave behind natural materials like wood. We love combining modern design methods with age-old favourites. Many benefits of wooden playground equipment are seen in other materials to some level, but some are best in beautifully natural wooden play items:

Adaptability

Wooden playgrounds provide children with unlimited number of chances to be creative with their play hence reducing the chances of getting bored. There is a range of different ways that some wooden playground equipment can be arranged and fit together, offering a more flexible range of options.

Visual preference

Studies have proved that children love playgrounds that contain natural materials and forms. By using their vision the children are able to imagine new ideas and interact more within the playground. The wooden playground offers a natural environmental feel that almost resembles the play areas found in national parks and other scenic areas.

Skills of construction

Many moveable objects that include rocks, sand, pebbles and logs can be found in a wooden playground. Children are able to use other equipment such as buckets and spades which complement the playground to learn construction skills. Their creativity is also increased as they play with these tools and offers great enjoyment.

Physical fitness is improved

Wooden playgrounds provide landscapes that are uneven. Exercises such as jumping over barriers or climbing on top of log structures are very beneficial for improving the physical fitness of the children.

Social development

The variety of equipment that can be found in a wooden playground provides the children with an opportunity to engage in large projects. These projects spur social development in children as they unite to tackle bigger obstacles.

Ability to confront risk

Part of a child’s development consists of knowing how to confront risk; wooden playgrounds have the ability to provide an environment of this type. Challenges such as jumping and climbing are some risks provided by wooden playgrounds. They balance these risks with some safety measures such as having landing surfaces that are soft.

Interaction

Teachers and parents can play a key role as observers and guides when children are playing. Research has found out that playscapes that are natural such as a wooden playground encourages the teacher to support the children’s development more than in artificial playgrounds. This is because the play equipment will be of high quality.

Engagement

Research has shown that playgrounds that are natural such as the wooden playground tend to hold the attention and affection of children who spend a lot of time playing on them over many years. This consistent play time results in an increase into the children’s physical fitness and can also improve their mental health and wellbeing.

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Why UEFA Want More Young Girls to Take Up Football

A recent study organized by UEFA showed that girls who play football claimed, on the whole, to have better wellbeing and more self-confidence than those who did not. Football was shown to boost self-confidence amongst girls more than any other sport. The study was conducted on almost 4000 teenage girls. It was organised by UEFA with help from the University of Birmingham and other Sports Psychology experts. The massive scale of the study has thrown light on many aspects of women’s football. In addition to fostering self-confidence, other aspects that were studied included feelings of wellbeing, socialisation, team work, motivation and developing skills that help individuals to deal with challenges that arise throughout life. The participants were from countries across Europe, including England, Germany, Poland, Spain, Denmark and Turkey.

A Range of Benefits

The participants were all teenage girls who were over the age of 13. The study noted the differences in prevalence of football in different countries – not all countries had the same prevalence or focus or interest in the game. However, taking part in football did have a similar impact on the self-confidence of women across the board. The study noted that girls who did play football were more confident than girls who played other sports or played no sports. This is shown by the numbers of girls who associated the game with more self-confidence and less feelings of self-consciousness. They also said it helped them to overcome feelings of low self-esteem. Almost 80% of the participants showed more confidence in their behaviour after playing football with other women. The figures for girls who played other sports stood at 74%.

As well as this, 58% of the participants attributed playing football to their ability to dealing with negative feelings and low self-esteem, while only 51% of girls who participated in other sports reported the same thing. Slightly less than half the participants reported that football has made them feel less self-conscious. Also, more than half the participants agreed that they were not bothered about how other people perceived them as a result of their interest in playing football. For those who played other sports, the statistics stood at 41%.

Future Projections

Football is expected to continue to grow amongst female participants over the next few years. UEFA said that the study proved that girls who played football had more self-confidence. The women’s football advisor for UEFA drew on her own experiences, saying that the feeling of self-confidence that comes with playing football can be very important for growing girls. She said that she hopes the sport can be made more acceptable to girls and thus, attract more participation from an early age. UEFA wants to target more girls for the sport and make girls realise all the benefits of playing football.

It is worth noting that the Women’s Football Development Programme was launched by UEFA in 2010. Since then the game has found plenty of takers across Europe. UEFA members have focused more on the game in the recent years and as a result, the game has found plenty of popularity among women. The organization also aims to launch campaigns to make the sport the top choice for women in Europe by the year 2022.

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What are the Benefits of Adding Music to Play Spaces?

Have you ever thought of integrating musical elements into your play space? If your answer is no, then it may be time to consider this idea. Music and play go hand in hand, but it is only in recent years that we’ve become fully aware of the range of sensory benefits that can come encouraging children to explore their sense of sound. Music is one of the best ways to enliven children, while movement and active play provide a basis for the development of motor skills, agility and cognitive function.

So what features should be included in a musical playground? Sound columns, rainmakers and sound drums are some of the more permanent pieces of equipment. However, if you’re strapped for cash then there are plenty of homemade options that you could explore. For example, you could create a music wall by attaching pots, pans chimes to an outside wall. Anything that makes an interesting noise can be gathered from around the house and used to facilitate play.

The possibilities really are endless when it comes to sensory and music play. We thought we’d take a closer look at some of the cognitive benefits that come from incorporating music into play spaces.

Music & Play Spaces

For children, the use of music can work well both in a group situation and at an individual level. Experimenting with music as part of a group is a great way for children to experience group dynamics and to practice working as part of a team with their peers. Research shows that music contributes a lot to language development and it can also improve children’s mathematical abilities. Play relaxes and refreshes the mind. Taking some time out from the classroom to engage in music play and be as loud as they desire provides an outlet for children’s energy and makes them more able to solve complex problems.

In essence, a little play increases children’s concentration. Both music and play spaces naturally fit together because the two share many similar qualities. Play spaces should have the ability to engage both your body and mind. Music is in itself a form of play. The elements encountered in music such as joy, repetition can equally be felt in play. If you are at the early stage of design a playground, it is worth considering the impacts of sound elements and how to incorporate music into any type of play space. Installing interactive play elements into your play space will boost its usability.

Interactivity: The key component

It is fun for children to listen to music, but it brings out a totally new experience if they’re able to take part in its creation. As mentioned above, incorporating sound features will achieve interactivity for your play space, which is a vital component. In addition to this, it will boost both children’s cognitive and social capacity. It is more important for kids to be engaged rather than playing a passive role of listening. Engaging in the creation of music has been found to be contributing a lot to neural-processing ability. In addition to this, those students who engage in musical creation were found to outshine their peers’ reading abilities.

Therefore, interactivity is a key component for those looking forward balancing their playing experience and music experience. A range of physical and mental benefits can be achieved through incorporating music into your play space. It is not easy to transform fun into education but adding musical elements to play spaces helps you achieve this. Music into a play space improves your imagination. As children go about climbing and sliding consider adding musical elements as it will make them more involved.

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University of Cambridge Appoint First ‘Professor of Play’

In January, the University of Cambridge advertised what could possibly be the most coveted job in education, ever – the Professor of Play. The new academic was tasked with investigating the role of playfulness in children’s learning and development, which is a relatively under-researched area. The post also includes leading Cambridge’s newly established PEDAL facility; a centre for research on Play in Education, Development And Learning. Both PEDAL and the professorship are being funded by the Lego Foundation. The charity, which owns 25% of the Lego business, gave a £4 million endowment to the University.

The university have now appointed Paul Ramchandani as the Professor of Play, Learning and Development. Professor Ramchandani has a lot of experience in areas such as children’s mental health. He has been working at Imperial College London, and is considered ideal for the role in many ways. Professor Ramchandani also works for the NHS Mental Health Trust, and has considerable experience in treating children with serious mental health conditions. He has also published research, which is considered to be pioneering in many ways, in several journals.

An Interesting Role

The salary of the professor will not be different from what others at the university earn. But with the Lego tag associated with his job, this is a coveted role for many people, and most people are sure to be congratulating the professor on his appointment. The stated goal of the Lego Foundation is to ensure that children have the skills needed to deal with challenges in the modern era. These skills include solving problems, working as part of a team, and being able to moderate their own behaviour.

Increasing Knowledge

Professor Ramchandani admits that his current knowledge about the importance of play in education is limited. Many people have researched the role of play in education but there are many unknown factors that require further study. Professor Ramchandani underlined the importance of knowledge, since it can enhance further development of children’s education. The research is expected to help to develop a curriculum for children based on play as a method for teaching. This is acknowledged as being very important for children’s overall development.

The team will also look into how children can be motivated to play within their homes and educational institutions, considering the impact that play has on children in every area of their daily lives. It will also study the neurological aspect involved in the activities relating to play. Professor Ramchandani’s research is expected to have a critical role in helping shape educational policies around the world, discussing matters such as the right to play. Other education experts have expressed high hopes about the future of the research to be undertaken at Cambridge University. They feel it will uncover new information on the importance of play in education of young children. As far as we’re concerned, that has to be a good thing with exciting possibilities.

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Most Amazing Indoor Playgrounds around the World

Indoor play areas provide children with a safe and vibrant space to embrace their imaginations during those rainy days when outdoor play just won’t permit. For many of us, the self-contained indoor play spaces at restaurant chains such as McDonald’s hold many fond memories. There was really nothing like the novelty of running, climbing and building with huge foam blocks indoors, before diving headfirst into a nest of brightly coloured balls.

Since the 1980s, indoor play areas have come on in leaps and bounds. Advancements in technology mean that their designs are becoming even wackier and ground-breaking than ever before. Here are some of the most amazing indoor playgrounds around the world, that are guaranteed to leave children with a lot of good memories.

 

Manitoba Children’s Museum, Winnipeg, Canada

The playground, one of Canada’s best, was built in 2011 and designed by Toboggan. The place provides a miniature world for both children and adults to enjoy. Children’s sensory perceptions are tested by the Illusion Tunnel which is a giant slide that resembles a kaleidoscope. The place offers a unique way for children to learn.

 

MobiVersum, Volkswagon campus in Wolfsburg, Germany

This playground, built on the Volkswagen campus in Wolfsburg, has an immense design. It was built to reflect the identity of the firm. The interior has networks of slides, tunnelling passageways, stairs and nets that are nicely sculptured to make it more attractive and also allow the employees to rest during their breaks.

 

Chicago Children’s Museum, Illinois

The Chicago Children’s Museum is renowned for its innovative indoor play facilities. Most notably, the museum boasts a huge climbing structure that encourages children to take risks and test out their agility. The three-storey high faux-ship rigging ushers the children from the cargo hold to the nest of the crow. The floor of the ship contains tropical fish which provides a spectacularly vibrant view from the top.

 

The Commons, Columbus, Indiana

This impressive playground was built in 2011 to replace an Indiana mall called The Commons. This new design was made after public surveys and community meetings that supported it had been carried out. The playground has a tall Tom Luckey climbing structure made from beams of steel and about 10 miles of steel aircraft cables that are coated with rubber. Huge windows spanning from floor to ceiling allow natural light to enter as the children play.

 

Kindergarten, Zaragoza, Spain

This Spanish kindergarten is filled with pretend mountains that can be scaled, with caves underneath for the children to crawl in and out of and use as dens. There’s also a gigantic chess board with moveable pieces that can be used for games. The stepped seating cleverly includes storage space for the children’s books and games, keeping the whole minimalist design of the nursery looking spic and span.

 

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In Some Cities, Waiting for the Bus is Fun

Learning Elements Park City Utah | In Some Cities, Waiting For The Bus Is Fun | Creative Play

Everybody that’s queued for a bus in a city will know the frustrations that it can bring. When you’re having to entertain children at the same time, it adds a whole other set of issues. Trying to keep energetic children occupied in what is often a busy setting with many vehicles around can be testing to say the least.

That’s why, in places such as Montreal and Utah, a new trend has sprung up and started to gain popularity; the playful urban bus stop – where waiting for the bus to show up is made fun. The local councils in these places have introduced a number of inventive elements that can be enjoyed by adults and children alike. From swings and puzzles to basketball hoops and games of hopscotch, such measures have been put in place to try and unite the community and curb littering and graffiti. Here are some of the best examples of cities that have been transformed into a continuous landscape of play and adventure.

 

Musical bus stop swings, Montreal, Canada

21 Balançoires (21 Swings) was a project by the Canadian design collective Daily Tous Les Jours, who were already known for their wide variety of interactive public installations and experiences. The musical swings became so popular that residents and tourists requested for even more to be installed. Pre-recorded sounds from xylophones, pianos, and other instruments are programmed into the colour-coded swings. Notes can be played when the swings are in use, and when two people are swinging in unison with careful cooperation, more complex melodies and harmonies arise. The vibrant combination of playground equipment with music is a great way to unite the community, and it provides children with a backdrop for singing, dancing and having fun.

 

Hopscotch rubbish bins, Lucerne Switzerland

This street game was introduced around the city of Lucerne as part of a campaign on behalf of the city council to prevent littering and motivate people to make use of the bins from an early age.  The game has been a hit amongst little ones, who actually began to get excited about putting their litter into the bin. As a way to involve adults in the playfulness of the scheme, the council also suspended basketball nets and bins from lampposts and signposts, challenging passer-by to slam-dunk their litter into them.

 

Learning elements, Park City, Utah

This stone abacus was set up next to a bus stop in Utah as a way for parents to keep their children entertained while waiting for the bus. Puzzles and playing panels are very beneficial for children’s mental and physical development, as well as providing fun, active play. The city council also installed sound columns and rainmakers at other bus stops, providing children with the opportunity to take part in varied sensory play wherever they are.

 

Exercise facilities, Japan

In an attempt to make travel more active for commuters, a local council in Japan installed exercise bikes and other fitness facilities at bus stops and park benches. Through engaging in light exercise such as this, adults can find time to keep active whilst sticking to their busy schedules. Outdoor fitness is especially beneficial for the elderly. Light exercise is the best way to work fragile joints and get the blood pumping whilst taking in some Vitamin D under the rays of the sun. The light-hearted manner of exercise facilities such as these means that older residents can get out of the house and chat with new people.

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Adult Playgrounds: The Rise of the Outdoor Gym

Vibrant exercise machines and work-out trails are becoming much more of a common sight in green spaces around the country. Now, it’s not just children who get to have fun and stretch their limbs during a visit to the local park. Outdoor gyms, or adult playgrounds, are gaining rapid popularity and uniting the young and the old.

Outdoor fitness began in China, where the government installed exercise equipment in parks and beaches to maintain fitness amongst the aging population. It soon became a worldwide phenomenon, as other governments realised the benefits of offering fun exercise facilities that were easy to use and completely free of charge.

The growth and popularity of outdoor fitness here in the UK is often attributed to the Great Outdoor Gym Company. This was among the very first companies to start providing this equipment to local councils up and down the country. Initially, cost and accessibility were the greatest barriers for people who wanted to exercise. But according to Charlotte Tarrant, an employee at the company, adult playgrounds eliminate all of these barriers and make the idea of exercising a lot more light-hearted. This is the main reason why outdoor gyms are becoming increasingly popular. According to research by carried out local councils, about 25% of people who now use outdoor gyms to exercise had never been in a regular habit of exercise before.

Nudge Theory

Richard Thaler is an economist who believes that the idea of government-funded outdoor fitness is rooted in ‘nudge theory’. The main idea behind nudge theory is that humans are naturally lazy and they’ll always be more inclined to select the default choice. The ‘nudge’ is something that governments put in place to gently guide us in the right direction without giving direct orders to be followed. This could be for our own good or for the benefit of society.

According to the Department of Health, every adult needs at least 150 minutes a week of physical exercise. However, very few people in Britain manage this on a weekly basis. Outdoor gyms are different because they take peoples priorities into consideration. This explains why most of them are located near to children’s playgrounds. In essence, parents get a chance to exercise while their children enjoy playing. Even those without children can feel relaxed when in exercising in open parks that people might pass through on their way to work or the shops.

Further Advantages

Adult playgrounds and outdoor gyms are a refreshing way to keep fit and meet new people. People are less inclined to just put in their head phones and ignore what’s going on around them. They’ll want to chat to others and build friendships as they work out. Outdoor gyms are also designed in a very uncomplicated way, so that elderly people can make use of them. The over-60s make up the age group who are most often deterred from using high-tech gyms. The light-hearted nature of outdoor fitness has been a hit amongst the elderly, with some outdoor gyms being built specifically to provide light exercise for elderly joints and ease heart conditions.

Adult playgrounds are also completely free of charge, meaning that you won’t have to dedicate a monthly sum of money to paying for a gym membership. Many people believe that the popularity of the adult playground will soon be on par with children’s playgrounds. If you are looking for a way to feel energised and revitalised, then get outside and make a visit to one of these playgrounds.