For the playground with your own. Children's playground: ideas, materials, diagrams, implementation, design

The dacha is one of the most popular places for family vacations in the warm season. Far from the bustle and noise of the city, you can breathe fresh air, admire nature, gather with friends and family for a picnic, or grow your own fruits and vegetables - as you like. If there are kids or teenagers in the family, then it is necessary to provide them with interesting leisure time in nature, and the best option would be a playground for children in the country. It can vary greatly in equipment and size, which depends on numerous factors, but, most importantly, it must be safe and meet the interests of the child.

No. 1. Age of the child and playground equipment

The first thing you should focus on when organizing a summer cottage for children is the child's age and needs:

If in the family several children of different ages, then the ideal solution would be modern modular play complexes that can be arranged in different ways, rearranged, supplemented with new elements and, thus, make the playground interesting for kids of all ages. Complexes equipped with facilities for young children and teenagers will make it possible to forget about the constant problem of modernizing the playground and will meet all the needs of children for a long time.

No. 2. Choosing a place for a children's playground in the country

The safety of the child and his comfort depend on how correctly the place for the playground is chosen. It is advisable to find such a plot in the country so that it met the following requirements:

• the playground should be as high as possible away from outbuildings, thorny bushes and various;
• if there is a pond on the site, it is better that it is separated from the children's area or by a hedge;
  
• the site should be good viewed from the windows of a country house and from any place where adults spend most of their time (beds, recreation area, etc.);
• there should be a children's area well lit, it is not allowed to be located in dense shade, on the north side of the house, in lowlands, in areas of high groundwater - it will always be damp, and after rain everything will dry out for a long time. On the other hand, there should not be excess ultraviolet radiation. Ideally, a playground for children should be located near fruit trees that provide diffuse shade, preferably only on a third of the children's area. If there are no trees, then you can arrange a small shed or build a small house - such a solution will allow children to play on the playground even in light rain;
  
• it is also worth considering the advantage wind direction in the region and protect the site from drafts with a hedge or small fence;
• it is better to locate the site on flat surface, but if this is problematic, then the area for the children’s area will have to be terraced. Even a seemingly small slope can cause toys to roll down and the water to be distributed unevenly;
• under the inflatable pool, if provided, it is better to lay a special dense base or even paving. It is possible to install a pool on the ground, but there have been cases when grass has sprouted and pierced the bottom of the pool: at first, water, of course, will not flow out, but the structure will eventually turn into a sieve;
• It is allowed to organize a site in close proximity to the main fence of the site, and the fence can be used for mounting a board for drawing with chalk.
  

No. 3. Size of children's playground in the country

In order for the playground to be functional and not dangerous, it is important to create a project, where to mark all structures to scale, taking into account the free space around them. Depending on the size of the space allocated for the playground and the age of the child, the dimensions of the equipment and its quantity will be different.

In order to organize everything correctly, you first need to decide how much area is allocated for the children's area, then decide which play equipment is a priority, what dimensions it has, and draw up a plan on paper, taking into account the following safety regulations:

It turns out that if you install a separate slide, you will need at least 15 square meters. m of space, for a carousel - about 20 sq. m, swing – 15 sq. m, spring rockers - up to 10 sq. m. If there is not so much free space on your summer cottage, it makes sense to purchase a ready-made children's play complex. Its equipment can be completely different, and such a structure occupies an area of ​​15 square meters. m.

In addition, to ensure maximum safety, you should get rid of sharp metal corners, carefully sand and varnish or paint all wooden parts. To be sure, swings and some other carousels are buried in the ground and...

No. 4. Material for covering a playground

The flooring of the children's play area should not be too hard so as not to injure the child in case of a fall. It should also be non-slip and environmentally friendly. Best suited for dacha conditions:

• - the most natural option, besides, it’s pleasant to walk on the grass even barefoot. For sowing, you need to choose a grass mixture that is resistant to trampling and has an increased density of shoots. This type is usually used in stadiums, but even in some places it will be trampled over time, so the lawn will have to be reseeded, and it also needs to be mowed and watered regularly. After rain, the playground will be unsuitable for play;
  
• sand large fractions, in which the foot will not sink - a natural material that softens falls. It is often used to organize sports grounds. The advantages include accessibility, and you don’t have to think about a special sandbox. Among the disadvantages are the difficulty of cleaning, the ability to spread throughout the area and the need to wait for the sand to dry after rain. The basis for the sand coating is a 5-7 cm layer of granite screenings, covered with a geogrid. The layer is from 2 to 10 cm;
  
• bark- not a very common material for covering playgrounds, but still found. Bark is a natural material that does not stick to clothes and shoes and softens falls well, but cleaning the area will be difficult. The durability of the coating is limited to 2-3 years, but the bark is inexpensive. To equip such a site, you need to dig a hole about 20 cm deep, cover it with geotextiles, cover it with 15 cm of sand, lay down geotextiles again, and then pour a 5 cm layer of bark;
  
• artificial turf devoid of many of the shortcomings characteristic of previous materials. This is a rolled material on an elastic basis, the coating of which quite accurately imitates natural grass stems. It is easy to lay it with your own hands, its care is minimal, it does not trample, has a soft surface, allows water to pass through, is durable, all-season, wear-resistant, does not stain clothes, but is expensive and does not soften impacts as well as grass or sand. The artificial lawn is laid on a concrete base, and when choosing a covering, take into account the height and thickness of the blades of grass, as well as the density of the covering, because artificial stems should not impede the child’s movements;
  
• - one of the most modern options. The material is absolutely safe for children, springy, softens falls, does not get dirty, is easy to clean, allows water to pass through and dries quickly. The tiles are available in different colors and even with funny designs - an excellent solution for a children's playground. Maintenance of the coating will be minimal, because it is durable, does not wear out, and can be laid on almost any flat surface and even soil;
  
• self-leveling rubber coating, like tiles, consists of rubber crumbs and a polyurethane binder. It has all the same advantages, but does not have seams, and its organization requires the use of special equipment, so it is not often used in dachas;
• modular plastic covering consists of individual elements that are simply and quickly laid on any base and connected using a special lock. It can even be disassembled and moved to another place. The modules are made from high-quality safe plastic, which is not afraid of sunlight, moisture, can withstand heavy loads, and due to the holes, rainwater drains.
  

No. 5. What should be on the playground?

The equipment of a playground for children in a country house depends on the area allocated for it, the interests and age of the child. Most often, the playground is equipped with the following elements:

• the sandbox is a mandatory attribute of the playground for the little ones;
• swings, carousels, bungees, rocking chairs of various sizes and levels of difficulty;
• slides;
• houses;
• ladders, rings, parallel bars and other sports equipment;
• swimming pool and trampoline.

Some playground items can be purchased separately. If you have the skills, you can build swings, a sandbox and even slides with houses yourself, and the easiest option is to buy a ready-made play complex.

No. 6. Children's play complex for the dacha

Domestic and foreign manufacturers offer modern parents a huge selection of ready-made children's complexes for their summer cottages. Typically, they consist of several modules and are easily assembled, turning into a real construction set. If necessary, an additional module can be purchased and the existing site can be modified. Some companies offer custom-made production of such platforms, taking into account all requirements and wishes.

The equipment may vary greatly, and the choice depends on the age of the child and the available space. Standard set includes bench, sandbox, slide and swing. More complex complexes can be equipped with houses, fortresses, bridges, webs, nets, tunnels, labyrinths and ropes. For older children there are sports and gaming complexes, which include a wall bars, horizontal bars, rings, and simple exercise equipment.

As a material can be used:

Modern play complexes improve a child’s physical fitness and develop imagination, but the main thing is that the design is safe:

As for manufacturers, then it is better to pay attention to the products of such companies: and compact a layer of stones - this is drainage. A box of sanded boards is laid along the edges of the pit, and everything is covered with clean sifted sand. You can lay geotextiles between the drainage and the sand. All that remains is to place an umbrella nearby, and the sandbox is ready. Instead of a frame they are sometimes used

playhouse It’s more difficult to build, but quite possible. To build the frame you will need a wooden beam, and the walls and roof can be made of picket fence. The interior and exterior decoration of the house depends on your imagination;

the simplest swing can be constructed from a strong peeled board or tire, which are attached with chains or ropes to a thick tree branch, wooden or metal frame. Metal crossbars will have to be welded and the base concreted. The rope or chain is attached to the swing seat using special fasteners - repair bolts with hooks;

the final touch - site fencing, which can be made from cut down more or less thick and even branches. If you give them the shape of a pencil and paint them in bright colors, they will turn out very interesting.

You can organize a functional playground for children in your country house for any budget - the main thing is to follow safety rules and find a suitable place.

Summer is coming, vacation. How to organize leisure time for children in nature, in the countryside, in the countryside? We make a playground for children ourselves!
In the summer, most parents try to take their children out of dusty, polluted cities into nature. If you spend the summer months at the dacha with your children, then you need to make sure that their summer vacation is not only beneficial, but also enjoyable. To prevent your child from getting bored at the dacha, make a playground for him with your own hands. This will require very small financial investments plus your time and imagination. Be sure to involve the children themselves in creating the playground. Firstly, joint work helps to unite the family and strengthen the relationship between parents and children, and, secondly, designing a playground is a creative activity that will be useful for the overall development of the child.


Any child will prefer natural materials (for example, wood) to artificial plastic when playing. Therefore, we will focus on creating crafts for the playground from natural materials.

The required components of any children's playground are as follows:

- sandbox
- water
- green spaces
- children's playhouse (tent, awning)
- swing
- natural materials for play (gravel, stones, tree cuts, cones, twigs, plants, etc.)

1. DIY playground. DIY sandbox

All children get a lot of joy and pleasure when playing with sand. Playing with sand provides unlimited opportunities for a child's development. You can make Easter cakes from sand, build castles and tunnels, cook “soup” for dolls, and it can be transported in cars. Another fun thing to do is bury various objects in the sand and then dig them up. You can sprinkle dry sand on the beetle, and then watch how it gets out of it. It is interesting to draw pictures and write letters on damp sand.

Making a children's sandbox with your own hands is not at all difficult. First of all, you need to choose a suitable place for it. The sandbox should not be in the sun, but at the same time, a too dark, damp place is not suitable for it. If the child is still small, the sandbox should be near the house so that the baby is always in your sight.

You can fence off the sandbox using logs, stumps, and boards. If the sandbox is large enough, you can divide it into several play areas (see photo below).


To protect from the sun, you can make a canopy.

2. Children's playgrounds for the dacha. Swimming pools

Just like with sand, children only like to play with water. The best option is to combine games with water and sand. Make sure that your child always has a source of water near the sandbox. Even a small bowl of water will be enough.

Of course, any child will be delighted to have a pool at their dacha.


Another good fun is to spray each other with water from a hose on a hot summer day. Or you can ask your dad or grandfather to make an outdoor shower from PVC pipes.





3. Children's playgrounds. Children's playgrounds photo

When creating a playground with your own hands, you cannot do without all kinds of logs, stumps, tree cuts, and boards. You can make tables and chairs from stumps and surround the sandbox with them. Stumps and logs can be used as sports equipment: it is useful for children to learn to walk on them while maintaining balance. The tree cuts will make a nice path.

A child's imagination can turn a simple log into a bridge spanning an abyss, into an airplane, a car, a horse, etc. Such games with object replacement are very useful for developing children's creative thinking.















4. Decoration of the playground. DIY playground photo

A prerequisite for a good playground is the presence of greenery: trees, shrubs, grass, flowers.

Large trees provide protection from the sun on a hot summer day. They are fun to climb.

Sometimes trees have to be removed for various reasons. However, you should not cut down the tree at the very root - turn it into an interesting decorative element - a fairy-tale “house”.

The base of large trees is the best place to create fairy houses. Making such a fairy-tale house from any available material will be interesting for every little girl.







Be sure to help your child make his own flowerbed, which he will take care of on his own.




Even if you yourself prefer not to plant anything in your dacha, make sure that your child has his own small garden. Just a couple of beds where he can grow unpretentious and tasty plants, for example, green peas.


5. Crafts for the playground. Decorating a playground with your own hands

Decorating children's playgrounds is an interesting and creative activity. Handmade crafts made from wood, tires and plastic bottles are suitable for decorating a children's playground. Here are some ideas for decorating a playground with your own hands. Be sure to involve children in the process of creating crafts for the playground.










6. How to make a playground. Playground ideas

When creating a playground with your own hands, be sure to give your child a secluded corner where he can be alone or in the company of his friends, dream, play, read, and finally take a break from you, the adults. This could be a purchased children's playhouse or tent. Or you can make a children's house (tent, pavilion) with your own hands. Here are some interesting ideas.

DIY children's house made of wood

Children's houses for dachas. Children's houses tents.

The easiest way to make a children's house with your own hands is to stretch a rope between two trees, pillars, between a tree and a fence (see photo below) and throw a thin blanket over it. The ends of the blanket must be tied with ropes to pegs driven into the ground, or pressed with stones.



DIY children's house.

The most interesting way to make a children's house for a summer cottage is to “grow” it on your own plot. Any climbing plants with lush foliage, such as beans, are suitable for this.

Using the same principle, you can “grow” a children’s house from sunflowers. Sunflowers are a good plant to grow with children. They have large seeds, grow quickly and are very unpretentious. Plant sunflowers around the perimeter of the circle at a distance of 10 cm from each other. When they grow to 1.5 meters, collect their tops and tie them together - your sunflower house is ready! Yes, don’t forget to leave room for entry when planting!


7. DIY playground. Children's playground made of wood

As we already mentioned at the beginning of the article, be sure to make sure that the child has natural materials available for play: sand, water, large stones, small stones, twigs, pine cones, plants. Games with natural materials are of great importance for the development of sensory perception, motor skills, creative thinking of the child, and have a beneficial effect on the physical and mental health of children.




8. DIY playground ideas.
Concluding our review article “Do-It-Yourself Playground,” we will share with you a few more useful ideas for decorating playgrounds.

Plexiglas easel.

Many mothers know how useful games with paints are for young children. But most do not very often allow children to draw at home, because... After such activities, you have to wash both the child and the apartment.

Games at the dacha in warm weather have one great advantage - a child dressed in only panties, no matter how dirty he gets, can be very easily washed right on the street, by watering, for example, with warm water from a hose. And at the same time, you don’t have to worry about the cleanliness of the carpet, furniture, or floor. Let the children at the dacha have plenty of fun with dirty materials, with the same paints, for example. A homemade plexiglass easel, which can be washed using the same hose, will provide you with invaluable help.


It's a good idea to hang a chalk board on the fence. Don't forget to give your child crayons, a bucket of water, and a rag.


Taking care of the physical development of children, you can make a rope bridge and a bungee for them. And from an old chair you can make a comfortable swing.




Good luck in fulfilling your plans!

A playground made by yourself will become a favorite place for children in the garden, where they will feel like full owners, a place of games and real adventures. For parents, this is a chance to show their skills and earn popularity not only among their children, but also among their friends. By showing a little imagination and courage, you will get a favorite place for children to play - create a reliable base for them, and the rest of the splendor will be added by the bright children's imagination.

There are many great playground ideas that you can make yourself, but don't miss the opportunity to involve the children themselves in setting up the playground.

Children's playground with sandbox.

A children's playground with a sandbox is a favorite place for little ones to play. To keep the sand clean, you can make a closing lid for the sandbox, which when open turns into a bench.

Just a little imagination and by adding a triangular box for storing toys to the sandbox, you get almost a ship.

All that’s left to do is install a strong staircase mast and decorative sides.

Another option for a children's playground with a sandbox. Isn't it fun to have a chalkboard next to the sandbox for kids to draw on? On the other hand, an additional wall will shield the playground from both the wind and the sun.

DIY playground made from stumps and branches.

Climbing trees is a favorite activity for children; such a playground made from old wood will be a real adventure for your child and his friends.

Children's playground with swings.

How great it is to run and jump, and then relax on your favorite swing. A beautiful garden, the aromas of summer, the chirping of birds - it’s so nice to enjoy all this while swinging on a swing on a wonderful summer day.

DIY playground made from old pallets.

All children love houses in the garden, especially if they themselves helped build this house from pallets, and for the first time held a serious tool in their hands.

DIY children's house.

For those who want to make a children's house at their dacha, our drawing with exact dimensions will help. By installing this house in a cozy corner of the garden and painting it beautifully with your children, you will bring pleasure to your little ones.

Children's playground with slide near the terrace.

An ordinary terrace can become a beach-style children's playground if you install a slide on it and make a sandbox below. Kids can play in the sand for days, and if you can't spend the summer with them at the seaside, you can bring the beach home. In hot summers, you can install an inflatable pool nearby for the little ones.

On a hot day, real adventurers will find life-saving coolness in a small tunnel equipped with a small door and similar to the famous hobbit house.

DIY playgrounds in the shape of a ship.

Such playgrounds will not only bring pleasure to children, but can also become an interesting element of the landscape design of your dacha.

Children's playground and gym under the high terrace.

The place under the high terrace can be equipped as a sports ground for older children, so they will have the opportunity to engage in regular training every day.

Children's house under the terrace.

For the little ones, you can make a playhouse under the terrace, where they will feel like complete masters, because... No one else can enter there except them.

How to make a playground next to your house with your own hands.

Previously, the space under the terrace was not used and was a spontaneous warehouse for all sorts of “useful things”. Because There are two exits from the terrace, and the terrace is quite high. It was decided to make a children's playground. In addition to the slide and sandbox, under the terrace there is a cozy place with a children's playhouse, and on the wall of the house there is an additional drawing board and a shower with a tap for washing hands and feet.

The space under the terrace will later be partitioned into two parts - in one there is a children's playground, in the other there is a place for storing garden tools. First, taking into account waterproofing, a wooden frame was made for the platform.

Then the soil for the sandbox and the area near the slide was removed. This is the hardest part of the job.

In the area under the sandbox and next to the slide, ebbs were made and sand and crumb rubber were poured for children's playgrounds.

Children's playground under a canopy.

A cozy playground can be made from a regular canopy by adding a small raised platform for a slide.

Bright do-it-yourself playground.

No matter how simple your playground design is, you can always add some cheer to it with bright, bold colors.

A simple wooden playground.

Even if you have no construction skills at all, you can always find a simple and interesting option for a playground that you can do.

Dream playground - treehouse.

A children's tree house is a wonderful idea that not only children, but also adults fall in love with. Such sites are not made on fruit trees - because the fasteners go straight into the tree, but if your site is located next to a forest, this is the best idea for a playground.

How to make a tree house with your own hands.

Usually, fairly large trees are taken for a tree house; if there are no such trees in your garden, you can make a platform for the site, which will be mounted both on the tree and on wooden posts in the corners.

Instead of driving several small bolts into the wood, it is better to use one larger one.

The order of work is as follows: first, two beams are attached to the tree, then a frame under the platform is installed on them, which in our case is reinforced with posts at the corners of the platform.

And no matter how complicated the site plan may look for a young dad, in reality it is a small square platform on which a children’s house is being built.

Such a platform is a simple and attractive design that looks good in any corner of the garden.

DIY children's playground in a rustic style.

This children's playground is made according to the same principle, but instead of a children's house, a beautifully decorated gazebo is made on supporting posts, which also serves as a canopy for the sandbox on a hot day.

Children love summer most of all because they can spend almost the whole day outside. Children's playground projects can be completely different - from the simplest to the fantastically beautiful. But in any case, a do-it-yourself playground will allow you to truly fulfill one important dream of your baby.

Every parent knows from his own example how difficult it can sometimes be to get children interested in something so that they do not interfere with their household duties. For those who spend time at the dacha or permanently live in a private house, there is an ingenious solution - a do-it-yourself playground made from scrap materials. It will captivate your child and contribute not only to physical, but also intellectual development. It's not difficult to build. You can do this from available materials, such as boards and logs, tires, fabrics, etc. Be smart, and your child will not be torn away from the new play place.

Choosing a location and plan for creating a children's recreation area

There are few rules for choosing a place, but their implementation is mandatory for the safety of the child and your peace of mind:

Do-it-yourself playgrounds in the country from scrap materials

Before you start building a playground, you need to decide on the territory and draw up a project.

Site size

The size of the playground depends on the age of the children and their number. For very small children, a small space of 4–5 m2 will be enough. On them you can install a sandbox, a few simple shells and a small pool. It would be nice to fence off such an area so that the children do not run away, and you can calmly go about your business. To do this, you can use improvised (wooden sticks) and purchased (chain-link mesh) products.

You can’t lock older children behind a fence. He will be redundant. They will be interested in something really worthwhile, a more serious projectile, a greater selection of entertainment and, of course, a lot of space. Ideally, 10–12 m2 is needed in order to create a comfortable playground for such children.

Photo gallery: variety of site fencing

A fence with a gate will give parents confidence that the child will not run away from the playground A colored fence that you can trust the children to paint themselves Playground fencing option

Site plan using improvised means

Now draw a general plan of the future site. Think about what will be located and where. To do this, it is not necessary to make an exact geometric drawing.

Photo gallery: layout options

The playground plan can be schematic indicating the dimensions If desired, the playground plan can be drawn You can entrust the drawing up of a playground plan to the child himself.

Preparing the terrain and covering the site

First of all, the place needs to be well cleared and leveled. Then you need to decide what kind of coating you will work with. There are several options:

If you are limited in finances and make everything from scrap materials, then choose the second option.

DIY playground: ideas

What equipment to place on the playground is up to its owners to decide. There are some elements that you just can’t do without.

Sandbox

This is the most common children's fun that can be found in every yard. There is no child who would not be fascinated by the creation of sand cakes and the construction of all kinds of caves. In the sandbox, your child will develop his imagination and learn to create new objects. Previously, they looked like a square box made of unplaned materials. Today the situation has changed, adults are increasingly concerned about the convenience and safety of their children. The main innovation is, of course, the creation of a lid that hides sand from pets.

It is important to choose the right location for a given area. It should not be in the sun, but it should not be placed in an area that is too dark, so that the sand in it is not wet and cold. It is ideal to install it under the canopy of a large tree. But if this is not possible, then you will have to come up with a canopy.

The most common material for making a sandbox is wood. For boys, this could be a hand-made boat or a car for the playground.

A large tractor tire is also suitable for making a sandbox.

Photo gallery: sandbox made from an old tire, in the form of a car and other options

Children's houses

A very popular entertainment for children is the house. This could be a hut made of branches or a simple tent. The children will hide there. This could be their "headquarters". Thanks to this, a children's corner at the dacha made from scrap materials will become very cozy.

You can also build a house on a frame. This is also easy.

1. The frame is erected on a columnar foundation.
2. The lower and upper trims are made for the floor and ceiling, respectively.
3. Then it is sheathed, for example, with boards.

You can show your imagination and make a porch, windows, hang curtains, put an old carpet inside, knock down a couple of chairs and a table. In general, a miniature version of a real house. The more you try, the more interesting it will be for your baby to play there.

Photo gallery: “housing” for children

A fabric hut will protect children from the sun and rain You can build a hut using natural materials together with your children If desired, the hut made of branches can be disassembled and moved to another place A children's wooden house can be a copy of a country house Porch, windows and door are desirable elements of a children's house

Slide

Slides are no less popular among children. They come in straight and spiral shapes. But what is this pleasure made of? There are several options:

• stainless steel is good, but a little expensive, and you shouldn’t leave expensive metal unattended;
• ordinary steel - rusts too quickly;
• a plastic tray is a great option, just try to find the right size;
• wood - it needs to be sanded well or sheathed with something more slippery, for example, a piece of linoleum.

Few people make a separate slide. Most often it is built as part of a complex with ropes, ladders, horizontal bars, etc.

Swing

Swings are the most popular type of entertainment in the children's recreation area. Building them from scrap materials is not difficult. To do this, you just need a chain or rope, as well as a seat (board, wheel).

If you decide to use a rope for a swing, then it must be periodically checked for strength, since exposure to sunlight and precipitation has a detrimental effect on it. Chains will be more reliable, but the links may move during swinging and pinch the skin of your hands. The sensations are very painful. That's why in places where you need to hold on, you can put some kind of hose on the chain. The rope can be attached to the crossbar with a carabiner, which can squeak unpleasantly over time, or with the help of a bearing, but it must be welded.

Why children need a playground is probably worth explaining only to someone who was born six feet tall, wearing a business-like three-piece with a tie, crocodile shoes and a cigar in his mouth. The cigar is, of course, electronic. Even the smoke from it is not chemical, but depicted by holography and is clearly visible without harmful anamorphic glasses.

There are plenty of manuals on how to build a playground for posterity. And in them - really valuable and necessary instructions on safety, reliability of fastenings, quality of materials, etc. However, having reviewed many of these, something like what appears in Fig. below. Paradise, no doubt. Okay, palm trees, a huge stump (it looks like no less than a 100-year-old eucalyptus tree). Maybe they have palm trees like we have quinoa, and they give away high-value industrial wood to everyone for free, just to take it out of sight.

However, in both cases, a middle-income householder who decides to please his children by making a playground for them with his own hands immediately faces the question: where to get the space? No less than 2 acres of land went into such a monumental structure, but what if there are only 6 of them at the dacha? Or even less in your personal local area? A playground for children is built when the economy has already been established. Therefore, next we will consider, first of all, how to correctly arrange everything that children need for joy, trying to keep it to 1 hundred square meters or less. But, of course, the very components of the playground for children will not be ignored.

The most difficult case

The most difficult thing to arrange is a children's playground in the country. In addition to the acute lack of space, she remains unattended and unguarded throughout the cold season. That is, in addition to resistance to external conditions and environmental friendliness, the material of the structure should not provide much temptation to possible thieves. At least a temptation worth the trouble of dismantling. Hence, the entire country play complex must be compact and strong and upon completion is inconvenient to approach with a tool. What if they end up being stolen or succumb to bad weather, this shouldn’t bring big losses.

A successful version of a children's play corner at the dacha made from scrap materials is shown in the photo:

The main material in this case is quite reliable, high-quality and affordable - construction pallets (pallets). Occupied area – only approx. 5 sq. m. Behind the climbing frame is a 2-story secret shelter. If one of the younger members of the family is a person of the fair sex, then the car is unceremoniously expelled to the green parking lot, and the garage is transformed into a boudoir, kiosk, doctor’s waiting room, etc. If there is sufficient area in front of the building, a ladder or slide can be attached to the captain's bridge.

About materials

The above case is not trivial. The materials at hand are used mainly for the design of the site; We will return to this issue later. But for its key structures (see below), high-quality construction materials are needed, because we are talking about the safety of the child.

Tree– coniferous without signs of rot, mold, cracks, or falling knots. Load-bearing elements – timber from 130x130 mm or log from 120 mm. Boards – edged or tongue-and-groove from 20 mm. Before assembly, the parts are treated with an oil water repellent (water repellent) or twice impregnated with a water-polymer emulsion. The best finishing coat is water-based acrylic varnish on a well-sanded surface.

The second most important material is metal. In addition to fasteners, heavily loaded elements are made of steel, for example. in sports facilities. In this case, it is preferable to connect the parts by welding: any protrusion is dangerous. The urchins manage to get caught on the seemingly completely smooth head of the bolt with clothing that seems completely unsuitable for this. Metal parts must be painted with a primer and twice. The best paint coatings are acrylic.

Plastics They are easily electrified; in the open air, microcracks appear in them within 1-2 seasons and hygiene disappears. And since plastics are also low-tech at home, it is better to avoid them altogether in a homemade playground. Perhaps the only place where plastic is appropriate on a playground is a manhole pipe. A plastic barrel works well for it. It’s better to take a white, translucent one so that you don’t get scared, start panicking and get stuck. Glass and other breakable or brittle/delaminating materials (composites, for example) are absolutely unacceptable.

Stone The material is also unsuitable for a playground: if you fall down hard, you can seriously hurt yourself on it. If borders are required on the site, then they need to be laid either soft or homemade wooden, or planted phytoborders from soft hardy plants, for example. sedum (sedum).

Separately, it should be said about ropes. In terms of childhood injuries on playgrounds, the top three are consistently occupied by rope railings/fences, entanglement mazes and climbing nets. Over the first ones, they are overweight, not yet able to correctly assess by eye the stability of the support, fall head over heels and are seriously injured, even breaking their neck. The nets do not leave parents inconsolable, but they cause a lot of fractures and dislocations. Prostitutes do not seriously injure physically, but due to fright and hysteria they can leave an indelible mark on the psyche. Therefore, ropes on the playground are applicable only as hangers for swings, stretchers of awnings and vines - a gymnastic rope with knots.

Note: fabric and non-woven textile products in children's playgrounds are used for awnings and soft fencing. In any case, the fabric should be stretched so that there are no rinsing sides.

Basic and extended equipment

A traditional typical playground minimally consists of a slide and a fungus. The latter are now most often combined in the form of a 2-story playhouse with a balcony, an air passage, an observation deck, a climbing frame and a ladder. This allows you to create a greater variety of entertainment in the same area, see fig. However, it is impossible to create a sandbox on the first floor of the house: the stomping overhead will in no way benefit the development of very young, “sand-age” children. The sandbox must be separate.

So, we get a basic set of a sandbox, a combi house and a swing. He is able to last from the first top to the time when it turns out that girls, in general, are not meant to be pulled by their braids. If possible, the following are added to the mini set:

• Free space for quiet games, children's picnics, in winter - for making a snowman, etc.
• Decorative elements for the development of aesthetic sense.
• Boom, that is. push runner.
• Inflatable pool, bathtub, trough or basin for bathing.
• A secret refuge corner.
• Sports complex.
• Playground for sports games.
• Mini flowerbed or mini flower garden.
• Hut or tent.
• Labyrinth.
• Children's carousel.

Many other additions are possible, provided there is free space and the imagination of the parents. But they no longer have a decisive significance for the all-round development of the child, so we will limit ourselves to the remark that most of them and some of the above can be quite placed in the gaps between the safety zones of the main structures, see below.

Selecting a location

Ideas regarding the artistic and decorative design of the playground can be anything; Some of the combinations of business and pleasure will be discussed below. There are no regulations/requirements regarding the appearance of structures on the children's playground. However, when selecting a place for it, certain rules of safety and comfort that promote the proper development of children:

1. The site must be within sight of the most habitable room. In private households this is usually the kitchen;
2. All structures on the site, including their safety zones, must be within a 45 degree viewing angle. This approximately corresponds to the visibility of the housewife, who is busy at a stove located in accordance with fire safety rules;
3. If the site borders a passage, incl. internal (your own, yard), between him and her there must be a permanent fence insurmountable for children, regardless of the presence of a fence of a different type;
4. Reservoirs, wells, utility yards, etc. should also be demarcated. sources of possible danger. In this case, the fence may be light, but necessarily insurmountable for children;
5. The site should be located in sectors from north to southeast. Otherwise, the youngest in the sandbox and children engaged in active play should be protected from harsh afternoon light;
6. Whatever the location of the playground, the sun should not blind the eyes of children engaged in active games or sports exercises;
7. The sandbox is located first in order of distance from the exit to the site. If he is not there, go first from home;
8. The sandbox should not be located under a tree(s);
9. The swinging directions of hanging swings and rolling out of the slide should not cross the sandbox. Otherwise, the distance between them should be at least 3 m for swings and not less than the height of the slide;
10. The same directions should not go to the roadway;
11. Between the sports complex and the sandbox there must be a playhouse or swing, or other permanent (immovable) structure, or there must be at least a 3 m distance;
12. Safety zones of capital structures should not overlap.

Note: The safety zone of a children's play structure is assumed to be 1 m by default. The slide-out zone is 1.5 x 1.5 m. The safety zone of a swing is equal in length to 1.5 times the height of its suspension, and in width is at least 1.5 m; carousel - its diameter. The safety zones of sports complexes are indicated in their projects.

Examples of layouts of the basic modules of the playground with different orientations according to the cardinal points are shown in Fig. The house is conventionally designated by a gray circle with a star of directions and half-points. The safety zone of the swing is shown by a mustard-colored rectangle; house with a slide - thick green. What is a sandbox with an awning, see below.

About sports complexes

In Fig. Below are projects of children's sports complexes with a house and a slide (on the left) and only a gymnastic complex of the most compact T-shaped design. From there you can see that less than 30 sq. area is not enough with a standard solution, and the full complex does not leave room for a sandbox. It would seem that home sports in a small area does not shine.

However, it was Russian specialists who developed projects for children's open-air sports complexes based on the conditions of the Russian Federation, namely, the high endowment of middle- and lower-income segments of the population with land plots left over from the USSR. In the West, only a very rich person can afford to have 6 acres outside the city for recreation.

Drawings of one of these children's sports complexes are shown in Fig. below. Material – steel pipe (27-30)x2. Its features are an extremely narrow, but completely justified safety zone, only 0.5 m along the contour. No matter how you play around with this design, its ergonomics are thought out perfectly: even if you hurt yourself, it won’t be too bad, but you won’t hurt the little ones nearby. The second is the correct configuration. This makes it easier to place the complex on the site, as can be clearly seen in Fig. with layout diagrams: a site with opportunities for sports does not “climb out” anywhere for 1 hundred square meters.

About fences and dividers

In addition to a protective fence, in a playground for 2 or more children, it is highly desirable to delimit zones. If the space allows, a labyrinth will provide a lot of fun and useful skills; see below for more information on it. The traditional solution to the issue of dividing zones is a fence, and tires or logs inside the area, also see below. But the fence, albeit very cheerful, as in Fig. just below is a clear prohibition, which is generally not good for children. The strongest and most reliable discipline is a conscious one, understood with one’s own mind. And from the obvious prohibition during the “holiday of disobedience” you can even tear off a board. And climb where you shouldn’t at all, without even realizing what it entails.

When you need to isolate yourself from the roadway, there is no choice, because... The safety of children in this case depends not only on them. But, for example, a pond or utility yard will not enter the site on its own. In this case, if the platform is made of wood, the ideal lightweight protective fence is wattle fence. First of all, it is not difficult to weave, and free material is found almost everywhere in nature. Secondly, a fairly high fence is very difficult to overcome even for an adult well-trained person. Don't believe me? Try to climb over. It is not for nothing that temporary fortifications - fascines - were once made from wattle fence. In the same way, a bull is not capable of breaking a properly made fence, much less a man. Thirdly, the wattle fence itself is an excellent decoration for a suburban area.

But the most important thing is that children do not perceive the fence as a prohibitive sign. Why? And you can peek through it. Just looking at the pond - well, the water lilies there are beautiful, well, a frog climbed onto a leaf and is croaking. And through a crack, stealthily, a fairy-tale world appears, populated in the imagination by amazing creatures. Okay, we don't have one yet. But then, if a gloomy pig or an angry gander turns to the fence from the other side, you can be scared to your heart's content, without really risking anything. Rest assured, children perfectly distinguish toy fear, on the basis of which reasonable caution is developed, from real fear.

About the soil

An almost ideal soil base for a playground is seeded or rolled: it dries quickly enough after rain, brakes well when it rolls and dampens when it flops, and does not overheat in the heat. One “but”: it can turn clothes green because they don’t wash well. Therefore, the soil on the playground is often covered with fine gravel. It drains and brakes even better, but it gets hotter under the sun and can get scratched. The ideal backfill would be small, up to 1.5-2 cm in diameter, well-rounded pebbles. But, alas, this is a very expensive material, and its predatory self-procurement is punishable by law.

Modules and elements

Sandboxes

First, what is a sandbox with an awning, which is necessary when the site is located in sectors from the south to the northwest? See fig. There is no need to make the canvas very large and lower its edges too low: it is enough for the awning to shade the sandbox from the high midday sun. Closer to sunset, if the children are still playing at this time, about half of the box should be shaded so that the little ones themselves can settle down where it is more convenient for them.

The second thing that will be very useful if there are two or more children with a sufficient age difference is a sandbox-truck, or, depending on the inclinations of the older one, a sandbox-ship. In the latter case, the wheelhouse with the navigation bridge is located, like on any decent “transport vehicle,” in the stern. Then the younger ones will go about their sandy business without feeling intrusive guardianship, and the older “parent” will be able to fulfill his duties literally playfully, without getting bored. And if he ever takes the wheel or stands at the helm professionally, it has already been deposited at the level of reflexes: the main thing in a flight is passengers and cargo.

House with a slide

Here we will fill in something missing. The first is the slopes of the slides. They are most often bought ready-made, made of plastic. There are basically 3 designs to choose from: straight, spiral, see figure, and pipes.

It is better to ignore the latter: a children's slide is not a water park, water lubricant does not flow through the pipe. Children in tube ramps often get stuck with everything that follows. In terms of the degree of psychological trauma, tube rays are almost on par with prostitutes.

Of the others, if there is very little space for a platform, it is better to take more expensive spiral ones. Their use allows, in a standard design (see above), to abandon the roll-out zone, because it will be to the side, within the general safety zone. And rolling with a screw is more fun and “cooler” than just like that.

However, as stated above, it is best to avoid plastic in the playground. Therefore, for fairly skilled home craftsmen, we give in Fig. on the left is a profile of a children's slide made of sheet metal. The sliding line is highlighted in red, the sides of the trough-shaped chute are highlighted in brown, the straight protective side with a bend outward is highlighted in blue; green - elastic pad on it made of smooth rubber. The latter is necessary to brake with your hands. The width of the ramp gutter is 600-700 mm.

Note: It is unnecessary to remind, but for the sake of the seriousness of the moment, let us recall that the overlaps of the sheets that make up the gutter and sides should be directed down the slope. Otherwise, the overlaps will turn into knives.

Swing

The cradle (seat) of a hanging swing is often made from tires. Then, if the children are boys, it is better to hang the tire vertically, on the left in the figure, so you can “crawl” to your heart’s content. For girls, a swing cradle made from a tire, hung flat, is better suited: here it’s convenient to sit in a circle and gossip like a woman.

The cradles of sports swings, on the right in the figure, are made hard, in the form of a flying trapezoid with rings, and soft. Making rings separately is recommended only for children who are already involved in athletics and have had some success in this: many beginning gymnasts were quite seriously injured trying to make a cross on the rings without sufficient physical training.

If there is enough space, little ones will really like and find the balance swing, inset in Fig. below. If there is not enough space, and the child shows the makings of a dexterous and strong little one, they can be replaced with a spring swing. The diagram of their device is shown in the same figure. The spring is from the shock absorber of a small car or motorcycle, depending on the age and weight of the rider.

About labyrinths

A labyrinth for children's games must satisfy the following conditions:

1. To be one-dimensional, i.e. from partitions standing on the ground.
2. The partitions should not be solid or high: older people should see over them and be able to climb over them, and younger ones should see below them and crawl up.
3. Plant labyrinths are not allowed for children to play; they can get lost in the bushes out of fear and get hurt.

funny beauty

Tires

Functional, i.e. Suitable for games, decorative elements of playgrounds are most often made from truck tires. Let's leave aesthetics to the adults. Children are pragmatists, it is important to them that it is elastic, springs well, and does not break if you hit it. Try to use only solid tires: cut tires often have traumatic cord ends sticking out over time. Or regularly check the tire structure and go over the protruding wires with a grinder and a grinding wheel.

A classic product of this kind is the boom runner. It can also be a zone delimiter or a barrier between the sports complex and the sandbox if there is not enough space. So, in all respects it is better to dig tires for it not lengthwise, as is customary, but across, as in pos. 1 pic. at intervals of approx. 30 cm:

• We clearly see the gap where there is no need to step.
• If your foot slips, it will slip sideways. Anyone who knows about sports physics knows that then the first thing to come into contact with the underlying surface without any grouping skills will be not the face, but the fifth point.
• It’s convenient and safe to push: the legs themselves rise to the position of the strongest support, and if the leg slips, then everything is as before. case.
• Anyone who is pushed does not fall backwards, risking injuring his back or hitting his head, but to the side, which is safe for children.

For small ones, if there are several different tires, you can simply pile them up, pos. 2. For those who are older and more skilled - an “advanced” climbing frame in addition to the usual one, pos. 3. Pos. 4 is actually a godsend: an old, but real steering wheel, and if you sway, it’s like driving a tractor over potholes.

Pos. 5 – the well-known sun made of tires and bottles is actually not just a decoration. PET bottles are an excellent, stable target for darts, arrows and generally anything thrown. And don't be afraid that children will grow up aggressive. On the contrary, it is precisely those who in childhood did not have the opportunity to express natural male inclinations, conditioned by the eras of biological evolution, in a harmless way, when they grow up, have a much greater chance of failing to express them in an adult way, up to the highest measure of responsibility under the legislation of the place where the act was committed.

For girls, and perhaps not only for them, a mini-flower bed made of tires, on the left side of the trail, will suit well and decorate the entire area. Fig., or a flowerpot made from a worthless wheel. In the latter case, in view of the above-mentioned risk of injury from the cord, it is better to turn the flowerpot with scallops down, as on the right there. What it lacks in aesthetics here and there it makes up for in coloring.

They make a lot of other things out of old tires. For children, without any obvious functionality - different figures. For example, what kind of crafts there are for the playground made from tires in the form of different animals, see.

Video: crafts made from tires for decorating a playground

Pieces of wood

We won’t dwell on driftwood or roots painted to look like animals: everything here depends on the source material, the appearance of which is impossible to predict, and already known creations cannot be repeated either - no two driftwood are alike. Let's deal with what is more or less stable in its original form: logs. Not necessarily business measures; any dead wood or waste from tree trimming will work for crafts for children made from logs. Simply by sawing logs out of them, and not very carefully, you can already build a good zone delimiter, on the left in the figure, a sandbox, in the center, or a furniture set for a doll picnic, on the right.

And with a little more effort and skill, make figures for a composition that has independent meaning or, say, for a children's carousel. Drawings of some of these are shown as an example in Fig. below.

Another idea

The arrangement of the playground is still the same, without going beyond 100 square meters. m and without interfering with anything else there, another thing can be completed. Let’s say you still have a baby bath, but you don’t intend to have any more offspring. The old adult bathtub is too deep, it is better to let it sit. Or there’s a leaky trough lying around in the barn. Or, let’s say, you came across an ad: “Used culinary equipment for sale,” and in it – “Donut pan 1100x650x100.” In general, you need any tub with a length of 80-90 cm, a width of about half as much and a depth of up to 15 cm.

Why do children need this? Let the ships go. For adults, applying patches to construction or aquarium silicone and painting, if rusty, is not a difficult task. It won’t take much water, so you can simply change it more often without excessively using disinfectants that are not always safe. If you keep the baby mini-sea in the sun, and throw a couple of grains of potassium permanganate or methylene blue (pharmacy blue) into the water until it turns barely pink or blue, and cover the pond with film at night, a week of uninterrupted navigation in it is guaranteed. Children get a lot of delight and fun from it. There will also be a lot of splashes and wet clothes, but there’s no need to get angry here, or were you not like that yourself?

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