Childcare and Preschool Playground Equipment 

Give the children at your child development center, child care, or preschool new ways to learn and develop by adding playground equipment that supports your center’s goals. Play is an incredibly important part of how kids grow. As they climb, jump, slide, and swing with friends, they’ll be doing more than having fun — they’ll also be developing key mental, social, physical, and emotional skills.

Kiddie Academy of Urbandale

What To Look for In a Preschool or Childcare Playground

When you’re considering playground equipment for a preschool or childcare, several factors should be taken into account to ensure the safety, engagement, and development of the students using it.

  • Outdoor Classroom Area: Outdoor classrooms are a vibrant and stimulating environment designed to spark a child’s curiosity and nurture a love for learning. With nature-inspired play structures and interactive learning stations, this space fosters exploration and hands-on educational experiences that seamlessly blend with the beauty of the great outdoors.
  • Line of Sight and Safety: Choose playground equipment that doesn’t hinder supervision so that supervisors have a clear line of sight across the playground.
  • Age-Appropriateness: Choose playground equipment that offers appropriate physical challenges to your students.
  • Inclusivity: Choose equipment that allows children of all abilities to play together.
  • Budget: We know budget is an important factor. Beyond the equipment itself, freight, installation, and surfacing should also be considered.
Kiddie Academy of Mt. Prospect-IL-Site View 02-WEB

Case Study A Playground to Increase Child Care Enrollment?

Check out how Grounds For Play incorporated STEAM elements into Kiddie Academy of Mount Prospect's playground to help increase enrollment.

Kiddie Academy in Mount Prospect, IL, faced the challenge of standing out in a competitive market for child care services. They needed a unique and educational play environment that would attract more enrollments and provide a distinctive advantage over other local child care centers.

Read More

Budgeting Resources for Preschools and Childcares

Explore budgeting strategies and discover available funding resources to turn your playground vision into reality.

Budgeting Guide

Not sure where to start when budgeting for your next playground? Our Budgeting Guide outlines the budget areas that should be considered when purchasing a new playground. 

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Playground Grants

There are both state and national grants available to fund playground equipment. Download our handy state-by-state grant guide to see what’s available in your area. 

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Buying Cooperatives

We have secured opportunities for government-funded pre-schools or child cares to utilize purchasing cooperatives to bypass the bidding process and (in most cases) receive discounts on our playground equipment.

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Playground Sales

Take advantage of our seasonal playground sales! We offer popular playgrounds at steep discounts throughout the year. 

Planning Tools

Make shopping for your next play environment easier with the use of our planning tools.

Design Process

Learn about our design process and what steps you’ll take to build your play environment.

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Maintenance Plan

Download our Maintenance Guidebook to start creating a maintenance plan for your playground.

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Catalog

Want to see all our playground equipment in one place? Check out our catalog.

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Frequently Asked Questions for Preschools and Childcares

What playground equipment is best for child care centers?

The best playground equipment for child care centers is designed specifically for early childhood development and supports children from infancy through school age. Common features include low-height play structures, toddler climbers, sensory panels, slides, musical instruments, and dramatic play elements. Many child care centers also choose shade structures, trike tracks, and interactive ground-level activities that encourage safer exploration, movement, and social play for young children. 

Playground size for a daycare or child care center typically depends on the number of children enrolled and local licensing requirements. Many state guidelines recommend 75 to 100 square feet of outdoor play space per child. Designing separate play zones for infants, toddlers, and school-age children helps ensure safety while allowing each age group to engage with developmentally appropriate playground equipment. 

A childcare playground should include age-appropriate equipment, impact-absorbing safety surfacing, proper fall zones, and secure barriers or fencing. Equipment designed for young children often features lower deck heights, guardrails, and easy-to-navigate climbers. Proper supervision areas, shaded spaces, and clearly defined play zones for different age groups also improve overall playground safety for daycare environments. 

Toddler playground equipment focuses on sensory exploration, balance, and early motor skill development. Popular options include toddler climbers, crawl tunnels, sensory activity panels, small slides, musical instruments, and toddler swings. These features help young children build coordination, confidence, and social interaction while playing in a safe and engaging environment. 

Shade structures are highly recommended for child care playgrounds, especially in warm or sunny climates. In fact, some states require a portion of the playground to be shaded in order to be accredited. Playground shade helps protect children from UV exposure and keeps equipment surfaces cooler during hot weather. Many childcare centers install shade over play structures, swings, and outdoor learning areas so children can safely enjoy outdoor play throughout the day. 

Playgrounds support early childhood development by encouraging physical activity, social interaction, creativity, and sensory exploration. Climbing structures help build strength and coordination, dramatic play areas support imagination and communication, and sensory or musical features stimulate cognitive development. Outdoor play environments also help young children develop confidence, independence, and problem-solving skills. 

Yes, playgrounds can be designed to serve multiple age groups at a child care center. Many childcare playgrounds include separate areas for infants, toddlers, and preschool and school-aged children. Each zone uses age-appropriate equipment such as infant exploration areas, toddler climbers, and larger play structures for older children. This approach improves safety while ensuring every child has opportunities for developmentally appropriate play. 

The most common playground surfacing options for daycare playgrounds include poured-in-place rubber, rubber tiles, artificial turf, and engineered wood fiber. These materials provide impact protection to reduce injuries from falls while also meeting safety standards. Many childcare centers choose poured-in-place rubber or turf because it is durable, accessible, and easy to maintain. 

Play and Child Development

It’s hard to overestimate the importance of play in early education and development. Children learn so much about the world through unstructured play. At Grounds For Play, we seek to encourage, inspire, and empower children through our play environments. Children will learn through the four important types of play: physical, music and artistic, dramatic, and natural play. Child development goes back to the experiences a child has on the playground, in the backyard, in his or her bedroom, or hanging out in a playroom with other kids. From stretching muscles while climbing ladders to processing emotions through imaginative play, growing and developing is a critical aspect of child recreation. Grounds For Play offers a wide variety of durable, innovative playground equipment specifically catered to child development and play. This is why owners choose our playgrounds for their child care development centers — using them to complement educational goals like promoting maturation, responding to developmental delays, and more. For playgrounds that support child growth through enjoyable recreation, come to us.

Learning Playgrounds to Foster Development

What makes our playgrounds special is that they provide the finest learning and recreational experiences a kid can have on an educational playground. Our catalog includes musical, dramatic, nature-based, and fitness-focused playgrounds. Plus, you can customize colors and features to suit your location and needs. Whichever playground you select for your site, count on it to be a quality structure that encourages play and child development for the ages for which it was created.

Request a Quote or More Information

Let’s chat! Have you found a few products you’re interested in for an upcoming playground project? Fill out the form below and we’ll put you in touch with a sales representative in your area.