Introduction and aim
Play is a natural and essential part of childhood, shaping how children learn, grow, and connect with others through social relationships, peer interaction, and skill development.
When it comes to outdoor play, children often choose the playground as their setting. A community playground can offer children opportunities to connect with peers, practice new abilities, and strengthen relationships. Despite their importance, there is little research-based guidance on how to plan and design this type of playground.
This brief draws on Stanton-Chapman’s (2025) case report from the United States, which presents guidelines for planning, designing, and maintaining community playgrounds. The aim is to offer community members like city planners, landscape architects, caregivers, and playground installers a non-biased plan for community-based playground design and development.
1. Planning the playground
1.1 Establish a budget
Planning a community playground starts with setting a budget. There are several factors that may influence its budget:
- the location of the playground and its topography,
- the number of children and adults who will be using the playground,
- the needs and expectations of the community, and
- the desired play equipment, surfacing, and amenities for the playground.
Choosing the right location is one of the biggest cost factors in building a playground. Factors such as the removal of a preexisting playground, trees, and/or shrubbery, the levelling of the land, water drainage, sewage and runoff, and surfacing needs will influence the playground’s budget.
A playground’s design should match the number of people expected to use it. Too many users can cause overcrowding, wear down equipment, and create parking issues, while too few can make the space feel empty and uninviting.
As a rule of thumb, a community playground should be planned to serve at least half of the residents living within a mile (≈1.6 km). If families are likely to drive in from further away, that number should be doubled or even tripled.
The demographics of a community (e.g., race/ethnicity, age, income level) influence the type of playground that a community may desire.
Research shows (Derose et al., 2017; Das et al., 2017) that some groups, such as African American and Hispanic children and younger girls, may visit parks less often if the equipment doesn’t match their interests. To address this, communities can use surveys, focus groups, or public meetings to learn what families want and design accordingly.
Inclusive design is also essential. Playgrounds can include sensory features like music or braille, wider pathways, or fragrant plants to make it more welcoming for children with disabilities.
At the same time, designs should allow for long-term use, so the playground grows with the community rather than meeting only short-term needs.
The choice of playground equipment has a big impact on the overall budget. The more expensive the playground equipment, the higher the overall budget. Other costs include surfacing, parking, and amenities (e.g., bathrooms, park benches, shelters, trash cans).
While play equipment usually makes up the largest portion of the budget, surfacing, installation, and shipping of the equipment to the playground site must also be considered.
1.2 Prepare the playground site
Once the budget is set, the next step is finalizing the playground location. Each site is unique, so factors like slopes, ground cover, proximity to streets, and existing natural features (e.g., trees, grass, and shrubbery) must be considered.
Preserving natural shade can save costs while keeping children and equipment cooler. Playground sites often have existing or planned utilities like electricity, gas, water, and sewage that must be identified, mapped, and coordinated with providers. Using utility locating services helps prevent damage and service disruptions.
Coordination and obtaining the necessary state and local permits, approvals, and inspections can help avoid delays and conflicts. Finally, the earthwork itself needs attention. Features like soil berms (raised areas made from sand, clay, or soil) can be used to separate spaces, improve drainage, and create opportunities for safe, natural play.
1.3 Design the playground
A key step in community playground design is deciding which age groups it will serve.
Safety regulations set by American Society for Testing and Materials International (ASTM) and International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPMA) require playground manufacturers in the United States to design equipment appropriate for children’s chronological age (a child’s true age based on their birthday).
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), playgrounds can be designed for children aged 6–23 months, 2–5 years, 5–12 years, or 2–12 years. Playground decision-makers must decide whether to focus on a single age group or create separate areas for multiple groups. Once this is set, the layout and size of each play area can be planned.
Guidelines from the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education (NRC) suggest at least 75 square feet (≈6.96 m2) of play space per child over 2 years old. For example, a playground for 100 children should be at least 7.500 (≈697 m²) square feet.
Questions to consider
- Will one play area be larger than the other?
- Will the play areas be the same size?
- Where should each play area be located, given the space available?
- How many children are expected in each area at a time?
1.4 Select the equipment
Three factors are fundamental in selecting playground equipment for a community playground: developmental age,
play value, and safety.
A child’s developmental age reflects the skills they have acquired, rather than their actual birthday age. According to Stanton-Chapman’s study, communities are encouraged to use developmental age – not just chronological age – when selecting playground equipment.
Since children develop skills at different rates, a two-year-old may not yet walk, while older children might still enjoy equipment for younger ages. Designing with developmental age in mind ensures that more children, regardless of ability, can take part in play.
Playgrounds should challenge children physically and mentally, while keeping activities fun and achievable. If the equipment is too easy, too hard, or too limited, children lose interest.
A mix of equipment (e.g., swings, slides, climbing frames, and sensory features) offers variety and encourages return visits. This variety also increases community value, as more children find something that engages them.
Safe design is essential. The National Program for Playground Safety recommends that when designing playgrounds, communities should:
- be mindful of the playground equipment that is selected to minimize potential safety concerns,
- consider the surfacing material installed under and around the equipment and anticipate this cost in the playground budget, and
- select safe playground equipment and ensure that it is installed as directed.
2. Installing the equipment correctly
Even the best playground design can fail if the equipment isn’t installed correctly. Playground equipment should always be installed by experienced professionals who are certified by the manufacturer, follow detailed instructions, and can adapt if parts are missing.
After installation, a playground audit must be carried out by a Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI). The audit creates a detailed blueprint of the playground layout and checks every piece of equipment for safety. Any issues are fixed before opening, and final approval is documented in writing.
3. Equipment maintenance
Once a playground opens, regular maintenance is key to keeping it safe and welcoming. This means routine inspections and timely repairs of equipment and surfacing. Some communities purchase a maintenance package from the installer, while others use checklists based on national safety guidelines.
Inspection frequency depends on usage: busy playgrounds may need monthly checks, while smaller ones may only require quarterly reviews. Inspections are usually carried out by certified inspectors, with all findings carefully documented for safety, insurance, and accountability.
