Playground Resources

Downloads

• ADA Accessibility Guidelines - 36 CFR Part 1191, Final Rule. The ADA law as it applies to buildings, facilities and play areas.
• Age Appropriate Play Equipment - Playground design should accommodate the differences in cognitive and social skills of children preschool (0-5years old) and school age (5-12 years old) children.
• Community-Built Playgrounds - Using the resources available you, community “ownership” can be increased and a playground project cost can be significantly reduced.
• U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Handbook for Playground Safety - The CPSC Publication 325. These guidelines describe appropriate safety surfaces, safety zones, age appropriate design.
• Creating a Community-Built Playground - A step-by-step instruction booklet on doing a community build playground in Hawaii. Features the Honowai District Park project.
• Initial Playground Safety Audit Form - An extensive audit form for accessing playground equipment.
• Playground Accessibility / ADA Compliance - A “plain English” explanation of ADA law.
• Recycled Materials for Play Equipment - By choosing playground equipment that use recycled materials you can do your part for the environment.
• Playground Safety - A good reference document for playground planner and supervisors.
• Playground Surfacing - 70% of all playground injuries involve a fall to the surface. Some very good information on playground surfacing.
• Safety Audits and Maintenance Inspections - Once you have built your playground, regular inspection and maintenance are essential. This will help you and your staff develop an ongoing program.

Links

Playground Standard of Care Guidelines

The American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM) is a not-for-profit organization that develops and provides voluntary consensus standards, related technical information, and services having internationally recognized quality and applicability. It is one of the federal guidelines used by playground designers and manufacturers.

• F1951-99 Standard Specification for Determination of Accessibility of Surface Systems Under and Around Playground Equipment
• F1487-01e1 Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Playground Equipment for Public Use
• F1292-04 Standard Specification for Impact Attenuation of Surfacing Materials within the Use Zone of Playground Equipment
• F355-01 Standard Test Method for Shock-Absorbing Properties of Playing Surface Systems and Materials

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. The CPSC's work is to ensure the safety of consumer products, such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals.

• Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)

The Americans with Disability Act (ADA) gives civil rights protection to individuals with disabilities similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications.

• Americans with Disability Act (ADA)

National Playground Organizations

• Keiki Injury Prevention Coalition (KIPC) - KIPC/SAFE KIDS Hawaii's mission is to prevent and reduce injuries to children in Hawaii. Over 130 local agencies support and contribute to the fantastic work that KIPC does for Hawaii’s Keiki.
• National Program for Playground Safety (NPPS) - NPPS is a non-profit organization dealing with playground safety information in the United States.
• National Playground Safety Institute (NPSI) - NPSI provides a certification program for playground inspectors.
• Boundless Playgrounds - Boundless Playgrounds projects benefit children with and without disabilities by providing opportunities for all children to play together side-by-side.
• InternationalPlayground Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA) - IPEMA is the playground industry watchdog. This site houses information on ASTM compliance on every playground manufacturer.

Fundraising/Funding and Other Resources

• School Grants for Playground Funding - Nuts and bolts of writing a successful playground grant.
• PTO Central - Parent Teacher Organization resources for Hawaii.
• Foundation Center - Locate a foundation in Hawaii to assist you in building your playground.
• Hawaii Daycare Licensing Requirements - Requirements for Daycare centers in Hawaii.
• Today's Playground Magazine - An extensive national directory of several playground resources.
• Samuel N. & Mary Castle Foundation - The Castle Foundation has been very generous in assisting many playground projects in Hawaii.
• Hawaiii Community Foundation - A comprehensive information source of Hawaii grant seekers.
  

Playground Research Documents

• Equipment Fall Heights and Injury - Surfacing Characteristic, Equipment Height, and the Occurrence and Severity of Playground Injuries.
• Surfacing Material Testing - Comparative performance of playground surfacing materials including conditions of extreme non-compliance.
• Arm Fracture Prevention - Are current playground standards adequate for preventing arm fractures?
• Hazard Prevention - An intervention to prevent playground equipment hazards.
• Risk Factors in Playground Injury - A case control study of risk factors for playground injuries among children in the Kingston area.
• Injury Prevention and Policy - New Zealand Injury Prevention Research Unit: helping shape injury prevention and policy.
• Loose-fill Surfacing Testing - Testing the impact attenuation of Loose-Fill Playground Surfaces.
• Gender Based Injury Research - Injuries in Childcare Centers: gender-environment interactions.
• Injury Data - Study on Playground Injuries.
• Sand and grass as a playground surface - Severity of Fall Injuries on Sand and Grass.
• Motor Skills and Playground Equipment - The effects of Playground Activities and Exercising on Playground Equipment on the Motor Skill Coodination of Preschool Children.