The playground does more than just providing an interactive place for children to have fun. This recreational area — typically composed of swings, seesaws, monkey bars, and commercial playground slides — is an ideal environment to enhance different facets of childhood development, including motor, social, cognitive and emotional skills.
The slide, in particular, offers huge benefits:
It helps develop a child’s spatial awareness
It promotes balance and body coordination skills
It strengthens the upper and lower body strength
It serves as a healthy cardiovascular exercise
It fosters vital socialization skills
Given the perks commercial playground slides give, it is but important to wisely choose only the best for your playground. Get the most out of this playground equipment and take into account these factors:
Size
The area of your playground is one of the most important considerations in choosing the perfect slide. You have to make sure that the slide you want to buy fits in the available space in your playground — whether this is located in a school setting, a park, or just a backyard. Don’t forget to take proper measurements of the playground, and ask for the precise dimensions of the slide you’re planning to install.
Type
Slides generally fall into two categories: freestanding and composite. The former offers more flexibility because the slides are not attached to any other playground equipment. The latter, on another hand, is part of a network of play structure that allows for a more interactive, engaging and creative way of playing.
Design
Commercial playground slides come in various designs, which include the following.
Straight slide. This simplest and most basic form of slide features a flat slide that goes down at a straight angle.
Wavy slide. This slide is crafted with waves in its shape, letting players to slightly go up and down while going down.
Spiral Slide. This type puts a twist — literally and figuratively speaking — to the usual form of a slide. It is a slide wrapped around a pole, forming a descending spiral.
Tube Slide. The shape of this slide can take any form (spiral, wavy or slide), only that it is enclosed to make a tube.
Material
A slide can be made up of three major components: steel, plastic, and fiberglass.
Known for its durability and slipperiness, steel is the classic material used in making a long-lasting playground slide. If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative, plastic-made slides are an option — just keep in mind that they are generally less durable and less safe.
Fiberglass slides aren’t a typical sight in community and backyard playgrounds. Because they are on the expensive side, these are mostly used for high-end establishments and water parks.
Safety
Not all slides are suitable for young children. If you want to create a fun yet a safe recreational place for children across all age brackets, you should invest in equipment with reliable safety features.
Apart from these features, you should also consider the so-called “use zone,” which refers to the required space around a playground equipment. This guarantees the safety of the playground’s users as it creates ample space for them to freely maneuver around the equipment.
General Recreation Inc. delivers top quality commercial playground slides. Whether you will put it in a small park or large scale playground, we make sure we give you a fun, durable, and safe slide.
