Designing and improving school grounds for play and learning opens up positive experiences for children.
As well as stimulating physical activity, playgrounds are the ideal safe environment for young people to develop social and emotional skills.
Being outdoors boosts enjoyment in an activity and whether it is learning or playing outdoors, the change of environment gives children an essential break from structured classes.
Outdoor space can be anything from a hard-surfaced yard to a landscaped garden or open playing field.
Whatever the space available, our wide range of products can instantly transform school grounds into an engaging place for better wellbeing.
Outdoor classrooms
Our outdoor classroom options deliver the attention-boosting benefits of being outdoors with the practical comfort of a shelter or shade to overcome the changeability of the weather.
Our fabric canopies offer waterproof protection as well as a UV barrier and come in a wide range of sizes and shapes.
If smaller groups are able to enjoy class time outdoors then a gazebo or shade sail may be an ideal solution.
And our polycarbonate shelters offer striking designs and modular options to cover spaces big and small.
Fitness zones
Using outdoor space for PE and sports activities can really drive children to achieve their potential.
Our range of outdoor gym products, from our Sunshine Gym division, includes equipment built for users under 4’ 7” so they can try a wide range of exercises and find their favourite activities.
We also offer a number of package deals designed to help schools make the most of the available footprint.
Our multi gyms and multi user arrangements encourage groups to work out together boosting their social connections while our accessible equipment creates equal opportunities for users of all abilities.
A Trim Trail is another great way to fill an outdoor space with activity and learning opportunities.
Clever surfacing can also transform a space with colour and function such as a running track, playground games markings or circuit stations.
Active and imaginative play
An outdoor space can be a place of creativity as well as a place to learn practical life skills through active and imaginative play.
At Hand Made Places our playgrounds are designed to deliver play value, capturing the attention of children time after time.
Our products range from play towers and play units, featuring slides, poles, ramps, bridges, climbing walls and nets.
We even have a range designed for EYFS and nursery settings, created to give little ones the chance to explore and develop motor skills as well as build confidence and independence.
Play sculptures, activity panels and play tables are the starting point for imaginative play as well as aiding learning and boosting skills such as communication.
Social settings
A social space can be a place to relax and unwind as well as a place to collaborate.
But the design is essential to encouraging students to use it.
A canopy with the addition of seating becomes a bustling outdoor dining area or a quiet study or mentoring space away from mealtimes.
The formation and layout of the seating can lend itself to a performance space, or the addition of a stage can inspire new talent.
Modular street furniture in these areas can support different types of use and ensure the space is versatile and comfortable, encouraging users to interact and engage with each other.
Sports arenas
A MUGA, or multi use games area, turns an outdoor space into the venue for virtually any sports or games.
Tennis, basketball, netball, football – with different sets of line markings, robust surfacing and a variety of goals a MUGA can showcase a wide range of skills and talents.
Perfect for social kickabouts, impromptu matches and training sessions, having access to a MUGA encourages more physical activity among young people as well as supporting social development.
It's a facility that can be used by staff and the wider community as well.
Outdoor space at a school offers an opportunity to develop people as much as their environment. Talk to our teams today about how our products can transform your school grounds.