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 on 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 give 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:
Children's play corner
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.
The tree is 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 acrylic varnish on water based 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 are easily electrified; in the open air, microcracks appear in them within 1-2 seasons and hygiene is lost. 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. Good for him plastic barrel. 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 is also not a suitable material 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 the 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 sandbox, swings, slide and 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.
Safety area of a typical playhouse with a slide
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 the determining value for comprehensive development they no longer have a 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:
- The site must be within sight of the most habitable room. In private households this is usually the kitchen;
- All structures on the site, including their safety zones, must be within a 45 degree viewing angle. This roughly corresponds to the possibility of viewing a housewife employed in a position arranged according to the rules fire safety slabs;
- 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;
- 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;
- 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;
- Whatever the location of the playground, the sun should not blind the eyes of children engaged in active games or sports exercises;
- The sandbox is located first in order of distance from the exit to the site. If he is not there, go first from home;
- The sandbox should not be located under a tree(s);
- Swing Directions hanging swing and rollouts from 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;
- The same directions should not go to the roadway;
- 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;
- 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.
Layout diagrams for a playground with different locations relative to the house
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 at standard solution cannot be done, and the full complex leaves no room for a sandbox. It would seem that home sports in a small area does not shine.
Projects of children's sports complexes
However, it is Russian specialists projects for children's sports complexes were developed open air based on the conditions of the Russian Federation, namely, the high endowment of segments of the population left from the USSR with average and lower incomes, land plots. 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.
Compact safe children's sports complex
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.
Playground fencing
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 a pond 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.
An almost ideal soil base for a playground is a seeded or rolled grass lawn: it dries quickly enough after rain, brakes well when it rolls and dampens when it flops, and does not overheat in hot weather. 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.
Sandbox with awning
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 affairs 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.
Sandbox car and sandbox ship
House with a slide
About children's playhouses a lot has been written before. 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.
Plastic slides for children's slides
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 standard design(see above) refuse 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.
Profile and dimensions of the slope for a children's slide
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 from 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 
Hanging swing seats
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 would be better suited a swing cradle made of tires, suspended flat: here it’s already 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. Spring - from a small shock absorber passenger car or a motorcycle, depending on the age and weight of the rider.
Balance swing and spring swing
About labyrinths
A labyrinth for children's games must satisfy the following conditions:
- To be one-dimensional, i.e. from partitions standing on the ground.
- 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.
- 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 children's playgrounds are most often made from tires trucks. 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.
Crafts for playgrounds made from tires
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, precisely those who in childhood did not have the opportunity to express the natural masculine, conditioned by the eras biological evolution, inclinations in a harmless way, when they grow up, have a much greater chance of failing to manifest them in an adult way, up to the highest measure of responsibility under the legislation of the place where the act was committed.
Mini flowerbeds made of tires for children
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.
Pieces of wood
We won’t dwell on snags or roots painted to look like animals: it all depends on source material, the appearance of which is impossible to predict, and already known creations cannot be repeated either - no two driftwood are identical. 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.
Simple crafts from logs for the playground
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.
Drawings of wooden figures for decorating a playground
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 put it on a mini-pond. 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?
Video: DIY playgrounds
Video: ideas for playgrounds
The arrival of a child in a family radically changes the usual rhythm of life. married couple. The main attention is paid to the child, and the changes associated with this affect all aspects of everyday life, including relaxation in the country. It is unlikely that a child will be interested in spending time among the beds with cucumbers and tomatoes; wooden playgrounds for the dacha will help correct the situation.
What should a playground be like?
In principle, despite the differences in layout, all do-it-yourself playground ideas for a dacha include the same elements.
- sandbox;
- swing ;
- children's playhouse(can be replaced with an awning for protection from bright sun or a tent);
- pool ;
- For children's games you will need a table and chairs, it is best to show your imagination and organize the table, for example, from a tree stump.
As for the layout issue, the main focus here is on the safety of children.
Children's playgrounds must meet the following requirements:
- the entire space of the playground should be perfectly visible from the place where parents spend most of their time;
- the territory must be flat, all stones and branches must be removed from it (unless these are decorative elements);
- part of the site should be in the shade;
- to create a cozy environment, it is recommended to fence it off from the street with green spaces;
- if there is a swimming pool on a summer cottage, then between it and the place for children to play there must be an insurmountable barrier (an ordinary fence or green space).
At the planning stage, you can prepare drawings of a playground for your dacha with your own hands or use ready-made options. It is necessary to at least roughly estimate the general location of the main design elements of the site.
Note!
It is not recommended that any communications pass through the territory of the playground (even if at first glance they are well protected).
Children may injure themselves or damage communications during their games.
Choosing material for the playground
You can go the most in a simple way and just buy plastic elements for the site design. But it’s better to spend a little time and do everything yourself, especially since it’s not that difficult. In addition, plastic does not always fit into the design of the site; only country houses from a block of containers.
It is most convenient to work with wood; in addition, this material is environmentally friendly and fits perfectly into the design. summer cottage. From wooden beams and boards can be used to make most of the playground structures.
Building a sandbox
The technology for constructing a sandbox is not limited to digging a hole and filling it with sand, because the sand must always remain clean and dry, even after a heavy rainfall.
- the contour of the sandbox is marked on the ground using pegs and twine (for 2-3 children, dimensions of 1.7 x 1.7 m are sufficient);
- then removed upper layer 0.25-0.3 m thick, and the bottom of the pit is leveled with a layer of sand;
- a filter material, for example, geotextiles, is laid on top of the sand layer;
- bars with a cross section of 50x5x5 cm are hammered into the corners of the sandbox;
- With outside board shields are attached to these bars;
- the seats will be the sides, which are constructed from the same boards approximately 10 cm wide.
Note!
The main danger for children is poor wood processing.
If the boards are not smooth, then parents will have to regularly pull out splinters, and the holiday will be hopelessly ruined.
The price of such a structure is low, and the sand will remain clean in any weather. If desired, you can equip the sandbox with a lid so that cats and dogs do not leave traces of their activity in the sand.
A children's house is every child's dream
Children have no problems with imagination, so even a small, simple house will give them a lot of fun. Therefore, it is a rare children’s playground in the country without such a structure.
During its construction, the basics of technology are used frame construction, but the process itself is greatly simplified, because the child will not live in this house, its main function is street games. Therefore, all the work comes down to building a frame and sheathing it.
Considering the small load on the frame, a foundation as such is not needed, and small posts are used only to level the future house. The work begins with assembling the beams of the lower trim. In the corners they can be connected in the simplest way (half-wood) and further strengthened with a wooden dowel.
At the corners of the resulting structure, they are also installed vertical bars, for additional rigidity they can be attached to bottom harness steel corners. After this, the top trim is mounted. Any playground for children in the country will benefit from such a construction.
As for the frame itself, it is used thin bars, which are attached to the upper and lower trim with self-tapping screws or using steel corners. Standard frame construction technology requires cutting grooves in the beams, but in our case this can be neglected.
After this, all that remains is to assemble the frame for the roof from wood and sheathe the resulting “skeleton” with boards or a block house. Just like when building a sandbox, everything wooden surfaces should be perfectly smooth, and sharp corners should be rounded.
Modifying a children's house
Children's playgrounds for the dacha should constantly keep the child in good shape, but the house itself will quickly get boring for the child. Therefore, if possible, it should be combined with other elements of the playground design. Houses are most often combined with sandboxes; in addition, you can arrange a slide.
When building a house combined with a sandbox, beams are simply dug into the ground, and the space on the lower floor is not built up. Otherwise, the construction technology remains the same. Additionally, the house can provide shelves for scoops, toy buckets and other things that are illogical to store in the house.
Going down a slide is one of children's favorite activities; it is logical to equip this very descent from the second floor of the house. Some try to make it wooden (most often OSB boards are used), but wood in this case is not the best choice. Therefore, even a do-it-yourself playground for a summer cottage must be equipped with this little thing that will be pleasant for the child.
In order to protect your child when sliding down the slide, it is better to purchase a ready-made plastic slide. Moreover, there are many options for descents on sale different forms(spiral or straight) open and closed type.
One end of such a descent rests on the ground, and the other is attached to the exit from the house. No additional intermediate fasteners are needed.
About the correct installation of a swing
When children's playgrounds are created at the dacha with their own hands, one of the first questions that arises is about the correct placement and. This is potentially one of the most dangerous elements on the playground, so their design must be approached with special attention.
Any swing must meet the following requirements:
- there should be no foreign objects in the path of movement of the seat with the child;
- the structure must be as rigid as possible and withstand strong vibration amplitudes.
Option with metal stands attractive because the metal is highly durable. But at the dacha, swings are most often made of wood; a metal structure will require welding, and renting a diesel generator for the dacha will make the playground too expensive.
For the frame of the swing, a beam with a cross-section of 10x10 cm is used. Its length is selected based on the fact that at least 0.5 m of its lower part will be dug into the ground.
For additional rigidity, the side supports are made in the form of triangles and are additionally connected approximately in the middle with a wooden plank. The crossbar can be metal or made of timber of the same cross-section as in the racks.
It is best to equip the seat itself with a backrest, it will be safer. You can use a purchased option or make it yourself, for example, in the form of a bench.
The instructions for making such a seat are quite simple:
- first, a frame is assembled from wooden corners;
- then the frame is simply covered with wooden planks.
It is recommended to use a metal chain to hang the seat. Any rope will fray over time.
Summarizing
The article provides only basic recommendations for arranging a playground. Additionally, an inflatable, open shower made of PVC tubes, decorate it with funny figures. In general, everything depends not even on the budget, but on the imagination and desire of the parents to please their child.
The video in this article describes some tricks in decorating children's playgrounds in the country.
A children's playground is an integral attribute of any dacha or private home if children live in it. Buying a swing, sandbox and other attributes is a rather expensive process. It is much cheaper to build a playground with your own hands. We’ll look further at how to quickly and inexpensively build a playground with your own hands from available materials.
Do-it-yourself design and diagram of a playground
The first and main rule of constructing a playground is to design it in such a way that the playground is a reliable and, most importantly, safe place for children to relax. In addition, when choosing a place to set up a playground, focus on an area with good visibility for adults.
Also, it is unacceptable to have electrical appliances, wires, etc. on the playground. sharp objects. The playground should not be located near ponds or swimming pools.
Try to have shade from the trees on the playground during the day, and in the evening it is well lit. The place for arranging the site should be level, it is advisable to arrange a sand cushion on it, which will reduce the risk of injury to children if they fall.
When choosing materials for building a site, we recommend choosing wood. This product It is characterized by environmental safety, harmlessness, ease and practicality. In addition, wood is easy to process, so it can be used to construct almost any design part. Having painted wooden crafts V different colors, you will be able to get an aesthetically attractive playground.
We recommend that you initially create drawings of playgrounds with your own hands on paper. The project must indicate all dimensions of each element located on the site. In addition, it is necessary to determine the safe angle of inclination of the slide and its height.
DIY playground: photos and ideas
The choice of design for a playground should be compared with the age of the children and the individual characteristics of the area in which it will be built. Most often, the main components of any playground are a sandbox, a slide and a swing. In addition, you can also add slides, a children's playhouse, and a carousel. In general, all components of the playground should be interesting for children to play.
The most important element of any playground is the sandbox. Its creation must be approached with special responsibility. When choosing the size of the sandbox, you should take into account the number of children who will play in it. If the area is not in the shade, then it is preferable to make a sandbox with protection from sunlight. And if you have pets, such as dogs, then it is better to build a lid on the sandbox that will close it at night and during the winter.
Any child will be delighted to have a slide on the playground. However, this element must be especially safe. The slide must have handrails installed to prevent the child from falling. The steps should be designed in such a way that the baby can easily climb them. The angle of the slide itself should not be too sharp, as the baby may fall off it. At the bottom of the slide, you should come up with protection that slows down the child a little during the descent.
If the slide is made of wood, then thoroughly sand the surface and treat it special compounds, which will rid this material of roughness. The main qualities of a good slide are stability, strength and safety.
Try to ensure that there are no sharp corners or loose nails on the structures. Cover wooden structures only necessary environmentally safe materials. It is preferable to use sand or lawn grass to cover the site. Great option- covering the site with synthetic artificial turf. Under no circumstances should the playground be built on a concrete foundation.
Technology for constructing a playground in the garden with your own hands: making a sandbox
When choosing a place to install a sandbox, consider the following requirements:
- the place where it is installed must be open to parents;
- It is not recommended to install a sandbox under a tree, as leaves and various debris will fall into it;
- make sure you have protection from direct sunlight;
- Calculate the size of the sandbox so that children can fit in it freely.
When choosing the shape of a sandbox, it is best to give preference to a square. This design Easily constructed from wood. When choosing wood, choose pine, as this material tolerates moisture, temperature changes and solar radiation well. In addition, the resin found in wood has an antimicrobial effect.
The standard size of a sandbox, convenient for several children to play, is 200 by 200 cm. Initially, care should be taken to prepare the area for the sandbox. To mark, you will need a cord and pegs. After marking, it is necessary to remove the top layer of soil, approximately 20 cm.
Next, you should prepare the base for filling the sand. It is best to cover the bottom of the sandbox with dense material, since mixing sand with soil will lead to a loss of its attractiveness. A sand cushion about 5 cm thick is placed at the bottom of the sandbox. Next, geotextile material or plastic tiles should be laid on the bottom of the sandbox.
Please note that the use of polyethylene is unacceptable, since after rain moisture will accumulate inside the sandbox, which will not allow the sand to dry out. Geotextile materials, in turn, easily allow moisture to pass through, but do not allow insects and spiders to pass from the soil into the sand.
When using film or plywood, it is recommended to install drainage holes in them. At the corners of the structure, a frame of 5x5 cm thick beams should be installed. To treat the parts, use an antiseptic, and it is recommended to treat those fragments of the sandbox that will come into contact with the soil with resin or bitumen.
To close each side of the sandbox, do pine boards. At the same time, it is recommended to choose boards 25 mm thick and about thirty centimeters wide.
Please note that there should be no knots or various kinds of burrs on the surface of the wood; it must be well sanded. For greater convenience for children while playing, we recommend building sides on the sandbox. They will serve not only as an additional seat, but also as a showcase for various types of sand structures.
As an additional convenience, you can build a lid on the sandbox that will protect it not only from rain, but also from debris and pets. To make the lid, you should build a shield from the same boards, which is fixed on additional bars and hinges. Please note that even a child should be able to open the doors, so do not make the lid massive.
DIY playground photo:
It is possible to equip the sandbox with an awning or a shelter in the form of a fungus, for example. These structures will also protect the sandbox from moisture. In order to build a fungal leg, you will need a beam with a cross-section of 10x10 cm. In order for the leg to be stable, it is buried in the ground at least 80 cm. To treat parts in contact with the soil, use hot bitumen or resin.
Next, you should purchase sand for playing in the sandbox. We recommend choosing the river version. This sand contains practically no foreign inclusions. However, any sand must be sifted before being placed in the sandbox.
There are special varieties of sand with a high clay content. It is easier to sculpt castles and other structures from them. However, the cost of such sand is more expensive.
DIY playground: building a slide
In order to make your own wooden slide, you will need:
- four wooden beams, dimensions 10x10x60 cm;
- one beam 50x50x80 cm;
- three standard floor boards, 6 m long;
- five boards measuring 4x13x60 cm;
- two slats with a round cross-section;
- two fiberboard sheets and wood linings used in the finishing process;
- fasteners and screws.
In addition, it is necessary to prepare tools such as a hammer, screwdriver, grinder, electric drill, plane, saw, level, tape measure, wood cutting machines, etc.
Instructions for making a playground from wood with your own hands:
1. Initially, you need to create a plan for the slide. The project should indicate the specific dimensions of each part. You can use ready-made slide drawings.
2. In relation to the drawing, the tree is sawn into individual parts. Logs must be sanded and planed. Bevel the wooden parts to avoid injury to children.
4. Make a 65 cm deepening in the ground. Coat the wooden parts of the tree that are installed in the ground with waterproofing mastic or resin.
5. Use a router to make grooves in the posts. The depth of the grooves should be at least 2 cm. Use grooves to connect supports and boards. To tighten the boards, use bolts with self-tapping screws. The result is a frame structure.
6. Connect two wooden racks, in which the grooves are made. In order to install the floor, you must use a floorboard.
7. Please note that a small gap must be left between the boards to compensate for the expansion of the wood as it gets wet. Use steel angles to connect the boards to the floor.
9. In order to build the frame, process the upper and lower parts of the slide using boards.
10. Sides are installed on the side, the height of which is about 30 cm. To finish the slope, a sheet of plastic, a sheet of galvanized steel or a linoleum coating is used.
12. In order to build a ladder for a slide, use wood 5 cm thick. Initially, build a stringer on which the steps will be fixed. Use self-tapping screws to secure the boards.
13. Install the ladder; use self-tapping screws and stands to secure it to the slide. Don't forget to strengthen the beams. Next, the baluster is installed on the stairs; its height is about half a meter. Install railings on it. Their installation is mandatory.
14. Install plywood or fiberboard walls at the bottom of the slide. They are fixed in groove joints. The presence of a parapet will protect the child from accidental falls. You should also install a roof on the slide; it will protect the kids from the sun in hot weather.
How to decorate a playground with your own hands
In the process of designing a playground, it is not necessary to use expensive purchased materials. A few cans of bright paint and available materials are enough. If you have old tires, plastic bottles, toys made of rubber and plastic, wheels lying around at home, then you can use all these elements to decorate the playground with your own hands.
Let's start with the sandbox. In order to give it an unusual and non-standard appearance, arrange sides on it that have different heights. Possible use case old tire as a side for a sandbox. At the same time, it needs to be decorated with different colors.
If the sandbox has a lid, decorate it with paints. At the same time, you can decorate the playground in a certain theme, for example, in the form of a ship, forest, flower bed or garden.
If there is a house on the playground, its walls are painted different colors. The discs can be used as mirrors or paintings. Install a table and chairs in the house so that children can relax and have tea. If you have old curtains lying around in your closet, feel free to hang them in your home. Place artificial flowers on the windowsills. Girls will especially like this design.
The option of construction on the machine site is possible. To make its frame, use old boards, and the wheels will be old tires. A seat and a toy or real steering wheel should be installed inside. To make the car happy for the kids, decorate it in their favorite color.
To add palm trees to your playground, build them from plastic bottles. If you have old stumps, build paths from them. Using old tires you can make garden figures for the playground in the form of swans, frogs, wolves and hare.
Try to ensure that each element of the playground performs a specific developmental and educational function. It’s enough to show a little imagination and a playground made by yourself will become bright, beautiful and sunny.
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D For the normal development of children, they need to actively spend their free time - running, playing, having fun. When creating playgrounds, the main attention is paid to their safety and functionality. To build on suburban area or creating a playground with your own hands, photos of which you will find in this article, you will need some tools, carpentry, construction and plumbing skills.
Homemade playground
Decorating children's playgrounds with your own hands, photos of which are posted on the Internet, requires the presence of certain equipment. If you don’t have something, don’t be upset, here are some ideas that will help you equip your playground.
Making a slide house
A do-it-yourself children's playground at the dacha, a photo of which you can find on the Internet, always includes a slide or a house slide. The base of the slide is a frame of 4 vertical racks. You can use only 2 stands, but then the possibility of creativity is reduced and the slide will be limited to one slope and one rise. On a frame of 4 posts you can make a slide with one slope and several rises. Make one climb in the form of a ladder, another with normal steps, and the third with a rope.
This design will seriously diversify children's leisure time. For a slide with a straight slope, it is undesirable to make the angle of the slope more than 30 degrees relative to the ground in order to avoid excessive acceleration and injuries.
Helpful advice! If possible, use a plastic ramp, which is sold in stores. With its help, children will receive More fun than from a straight wooden slope.
What to make a slide house from
For this you will need:
Preparing the base
Find a place for the slide and prepare a hole for the foundation of the frame. We recommend making a square frame with a distance between posts of 1 meter. The side size of the pit should be 1.5 meters, the depth should be at least 20 cm. Compact the bottom of the pit and pour a 10 cm thick layer of crushed stone (fraction 15–25 mm) there. Compact it. You can also make do with small holes under each block. In this case, the depth of the pit should be at least 50 cm. Soak the lower edge of the beam with diesel fuel and molten bitumen, the treated part should rise above the ground by 1.5–2 cm. Place a crushed stone cushion on the bottom of the pit - fraction 15–25 mm, thickness 5 –10 mm. Insert the pillars into the hole, level them and ensure their correct orientation - their edges should be parallel to each other (this is not required with logs or round bars). Then pour concrete.
Helpful advice! The less water in concrete, the stronger it will be. To make thick concrete more flexible, add plasticizers to it, which can be bought at a hardware store.
Bottom harness and ramp
Tie the bars with a 50 mm thick board at the floor level of the house, and also install one longitudinal jumper. Attach the boards to the bars using self-tapping screws no less than 100 mm long. Make a tray for the ramp from a 25 mm thick board. To do this, cut 2 boards, the length of which is slightly longer than the length of the slope. Mark the angles of contact with the framing frame and the ground, then cut the board using a circular saw or jigsaw. Place the boards against the trim to make sure you have done everything correctly. Then cut the lintels from the same board. The length of the jumpers is equal to the width of the slope. Lay the long boards on the ground and use self-tapping screws to attach the lintel to them from the bottom.
The distance between the jumpers is no more than 30 cm, and install the first and last jumpers 5 cm from the edge. Make a cutout in the upper edge of the board so that the slope rests on the frame as if on a shelf, and the jumpers are flush with the frame. Attach the ramp to the harness using the corners of the bolts with nuts and self-tapping screws. Install the corners so that children do not get scratched. Attach the corners to the slope using bolts and nuts so that there is nothing protruding or sharp on the side of the slope. Sew up the slope with plywood using self-tapping screws. They must be recessed by 0.5–1 mm, then puttyed and sanded. Secure the bottom edge of the ramp using pegs or anchor bolts driven into the ground.
Ladder
Cut two pieces of 50 mm thick board, the length of which will be slightly longer than the length. Mark and trim the angles of contact with the harness and the ground. Cut 24.5mm wide grooves into these boards to accommodate the steps, then cut the steps to the required width and assemble the stairs. Attach the steps to the side boards using self-tapping screws. Attach the ladder to the harness and the ground on the side opposite the slope. Attach supports and railings to both sides of the stairs. They can be made from 25 mm thick boards. Supports and railings must be processed using manual or electric planer to remove sharp edges, then sand thoroughly. The top edge of the railing must be attached to the posts.
Additional entrances, roof trim and roof
On one of the sides, make a ladder from the same block that was used for the racks. Process the cut bars using an electric planer to slightly round the edges. Attach these bars to the posts at a distance of 20–30 cm from each other. Screw the first block at a distance of 20-30 cm from the ground. Prepare for an extreme climb to the lodge. To do this, make the same tray as for the ramp, but installed at an angle of no more than 20 degrees relative to the posts. Tie the posts at the ceiling level of the house using a 50 mm thick board. On the side of the extreme entrance, strengthen the strapping using steel corners. Cut and lay plywood on the floor, then line the ceiling with plywood. Cover the outside of the house with plywood, making round or oval entrances. Determine the size of the entrances/exits yourself so that the child is comfortable. To make the roof, cut 4 rafters from 25mm thick boards. Determine the angles of the rafters based on the height of the roof. Attach the rafters to the corners of the frame and connect them together from above using metal corners. Cut the plywood into pieces of the required size and sew up the roof.
Cutting plywood with a jigsaw
Final works
After finishing the work, be sure to sand all the places where a child could get a splinter. Then treat the ramp, steps and extreme climb parquet varnish. Attach a 10–15 mm thick rope to the top harness on the extreme climb side and tie knots on it every 20 cm. Paint the house so that it looks beautiful.
Do you want to please your child? There is nothing better than building a playground for children! Remember yourself as a child. Didn't you enjoy spending time in the sandbox, on the slides and swings? It was probably like everyone else’s – your child’s heart simply rejoiced! So, why not please your children with a wonderful playground where they can play and have fun? Moreover, you can make your childhood dream come true yourself!
Where do we start? Naturally, from an idea! You will also need time, patience, diligence, some knowledge and some funds. Yes, just a little money, don’t think that a children’s playground is expensive. Not everything beautiful can be measured in money, and in the construction of a playground you can use everything that is not lying around on your garden plot.
Making an action plan
In order for an idea to have any shape, you will have to develop an action plan. If you have good memory, then all the events will be stored in your mind. But to be more convincing, you can create a project, which will allow you to clarify the details with your household. Also consult with your children. Tell them about your plans, maybe they will make some changes to the project. And, in the end, who should spend time on the playground if not them?!
First of all, think about where exactly on the site the site will be located.
There should be both sun and shadow here. After all, it is not very beneficial for children to be in the sun all day, as this can threaten them sunstroke. In addition, the location you choose should be protected from the wind.
Excessive distance from home is also not welcome, because it is better for children to always be in sight of adults. It is also worth guarding against great childhood curiosity.
The playground should be located on a more or less flat surface. This will protect children from injury.
Do you want children to be able to run around the playground barefoot? Then take care of landscaping the green grass mat.
Raspberries, rose gardens, blackberries and other thorny plants must remain away from the children's playground. If you plan to develop a love for sports in your child, then you can equip it rubber tiles, which is non-traumatic and aesthetically attractive. In addition, install a basketball hoop, horizontal bar and other sports equipment on the court. If you can spare some space for the area, consider creating a gravel garden covered with small pebbles. Children love to play with gravel as much as sand. Draw a scale diagram of all planned objects.
Safety precautions
If you decide to make a swing, then keep in mind that they need additional free space - at least 2 m. To protect your child from injury, take care of the covering on the playground. This could be a rug of green grass. But if you wish, you can also use synthetic surface, sold in specialized stores in your city.
Swings, slides, houses and other structures should be buried no less than 0.5 m into the ground. They should also be carefully reinforced, for example, with metal “crutches” or concreting. Any reliable method will be appropriate here.
If you use on the playground wooden parts, then sand them thoroughly first. Then cover them frost-resistant paint or varnish.
The dimensions of all structures must be appropriate for the age of your children. For example, a sandbox measuring 1.7 x 1.7 m is sufficient for 2 and 5 year old children, and the height of the slide should not exceed 1.5 m. If your children are younger school age, then the slide for them can have a height from 2.5 to 3.5 m, a swing - from 2 m.
Whatever you come up with, the mandatory attributes of every playground are a sandbox, swings and slides, a children's hut or a house. And remember, first of all, it is important to follow safety precautions to minimize the possibility of children getting injured on the playground!
We are building a sandbox for kids. Let's take into account the important things!
The main types of sandboxes are limited to only two options: closed and open. But here you can bring your exclusive ideas to life!
To create a unique sandbox that differs from its traditional counterparts, you can use the following ideas:
- A sandbox that is easy to install and dismantle. To do this, select about 40 stumps that are as identical as possible. Treat them with an antiseptic and dig them into the ground. Here the shape of the sandbox can be very different. Everything here depends on the scale of your imagination. For example, you can create small sand paths for your child to run along.
- Sandbox made from a tractor tire. It can be arranged in the form of a sailboat. To do this, select a wooden stick that will serve as a mast. Then attach it to the tire and decorate it with a sailboat.
- Sandbox in the form of a table. This unusual solution will be the baby's workplace. Here the child will be able to create sand houses and sculpt different figures.
If you decide to make an open sandbox, then, first of all, you need to prepare a place for its arrangement. Then dig a hole. The most common size is 2x2x0.4 m, the last number here indicates the depth of the pit. After the recess is ready, make a pebble, crushed stone or rubble cushion that will serve as drainage for the sandbox. Drive 4 bars into the corners of the pit to serve support pillars for construction.
Now nail the planed boards on all sides. Of course, they should be soaked first antiseptic, and then paint it with frost-resistant paint or varnish. If you want to create seats in the sandbox, then attach several more horizontal boards prepared in advance to the edges of the nailed bars. Now the design is ready. All that remains is to pour sand into it in a layer of about 20 cm.
It is better to use quarry, river or store-bought sand. This is explained by the fact that these types of sand contain a minimum amount of construction waste, such as stones, glass, etc. Before adding sand, strain it through a special sieve with a fine mesh.
If the open sandbox does not quite suit you, then you can make a closed version of it. To do this, you will need planed boards with a length of about 1.2 m (4 pcs.), as well as a meter-long block that needs to be sawn into pegs. In addition, door hinges, agrofibre and plywood sheets will be useful to you.
So, when building a closed sandbox, you need to repeat the same processes as when arranging an open sandbox, up to and including the moment when you nailed wooden boards on all sides of the pit.
After this, nail another tier of boards to the support bars. Now you can start making the roof. To do this, measure the sides of the constructed sandbox and cut out the corresponding dimensions of the plywood sheet. Cut the finished sheet in half and screw the hinge hinges to it.
Attach agrofibre to the sides; it should be spread on the bottom of the sandbox. Attach both plywood sheets to different sides of the structure using loops. This way you will fix the agrofibre. Now the sandbox roof will be ready! Paint it in bright color, and after the paint has dried, fill it with sand. Now children can play in their new sandbox!
By the way, the roof can also be made from wooden planks. To put it simply, it should be done according to the principle of a door consisting of two parts.
The main advantage of a closed sandbox is that it is protected from small debris. In addition, cats and dogs will not be able to arrange a toilet in it.
A few more ideas:
Setting up a house or children's hut
Children love to keep secrets, hide from the whole world and create their own secrets. If you are a skilled craftsman, then creating a house from the boards and roofing material will be within your power. But if you wish, you can also buy a ready-made structure, for example, made of plastic, wood or fabric.
Children's happiness will know no bounds if you make a tree house for them. However, for this you need to have a tree with spreading branches on the site. And the house needs to be positioned so that it is safe for children. But, believe me, your children will rejoice at its most primitive analogue, made of fabric.
You can make a simple hut from branches, sanded boards or regular stretched blankets. To be simpler, set up a regular tent for the children. It is well ventilated and protects children from the scorching sun on hot summer days. The only limitation is that a house made of film will keep your children in a greenhouse that is dangerous to their health!
If you decide to build a fabric house yourself, first make a frame for it. It is recommended to make a prefabricated frame. Its main advantage is the ability to quickly remove it if it starts to rain. You can also quickly install it when the time comes. sunny days. If you are not limited financially, then it is better to buy a ready-made fabric house, which is equipped with windows, chairs, loopholes, pull-out tables and other useful accessories. Although you can do all this yourself, of course, if your imagination works and you have the appropriate skills.
Maybe you want to make a home for your child that resembles the one in which your family lives? Then you will need more durable materials. Wood, plastic and foam are best suited here. The house can be above ground, on piles or wooden legs.
If you decide to make a house for your baby at a height, then do not forget to make a ladder, a rope and loopholes for it, thanks to which the baby can climb inside the structure.
To create coziness, add a slide, a hammock and a table with chairs to the house.
Swing. We make them comfortable and attractive!
When creating comfort on the playground, do not forget about building a low rocking chair, which can be made in the form of fairy-tale animals, for example, a pony, a sheep, a cockerel or a donkey. Making a rocking chair is not that difficult.
To do this, you will need concrete mortar, a shovel, a large spring and a figure of an animal that your baby will saddle. First, dig a hole to lay the foundation. Fill it with solution and insert the spring into it to a depth that ensures good stability of the future structure. After the solution has cooled, attach a figurine to the upper edge of the spring. It is important that it is equipped with a seat, because this way you can ensure the safety of the child when swinging.
If you have limited yourself to arranging a classic swing, then you need to prepare in advance for this 2 beams with a length of 3 m. In addition, you will need a galvanized pipe with a diameter of about 7 cm. You also need a rope and a seat with a backrest. First, dig 2 holes. Install pre-treated wood blocks in them and fill them concrete mortar. After the base has hardened, attach a galvanized pipe to the crossbars on top, to which you will subsequently attach the ropes with the seat. To ensure greater safety, take care of the seat angles. It is better that they have a streamlined shape.
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