Adventure Playgrounds

Adventure Playgrounds

What are they and what do they involve?

Adventure Playgrounds are areas designed to encourage play and can be found in many shapes and sizes both inside and out. Typical playgrounds include apparatus such as slides, swings, tunnels, jungle gyms, mazes and seesaws and are meant to be climbed upon and interacted with. 

What are the benefits?

There are many great aspects to adventure playgrounds. They encourage curiosity and physical engagement with the surroundings and are an excellent way of gently developing a desire to exercise in students. Learning through play is an important part of youth; by having fun in an adventure playground students can improve their hand-eye coordination, build up their strength and learn how to judge potential risks in a controlled environment. 

What students is it suitable for?

Adventure playgrounds come in many different varieties, so it's likely there will be venues suitable for students all the way up to late teenage years. You may have to travel a little further to find a place that will entertain older groups, as the most common establishments will cater to the younger student, but everyone can have fun in an adventure playground if it's the right sort, even grown ups!

Costs?

Entry to an adventure playground will vary on costs depending upon the size and variety of the apparatus inside each the venue, but prices should generally be low if not free; you can often find playgrounds in publicly accessible areas that have no entry costs.

Safety Implications?

Young children should always be supervised carefully when climbing upon and using equipment that they could fall from - make sure to take your student group to a venue with appropriate apparatus for their age!

National Organisations?

Play England

See below for a list of venues and providers of this kind: