Playground Equipment

Key considerations when choosing playground equipment 

1. Establish Your Play Area Goals

To enhance your park with suitable playground equipment, start by clearly defining the goals for your play area. Consider the age groups, interests, abilities, and needs of the target users. By understanding who will be using the play area, you can choose equipment that effectively engages the user group, thereby reducing the likelihood of vandalism. 

2. Plan Your Budget

Develop a budget early in the planning process to help narrow down the available playground equipment options. Additionally, seek ongoing support and services and explore whether funding or grants are available in your area. Learn more about how much playgrounds cost.  

3. Evaluate your site Location and Terrain

While the idea of installing new playground structures can be exciting, it is crucial to conduct a thorough evaluation of your geographical location and terrain. Ensure that the site meets industry safety standards (EN1176) before proceeding with any equipment installation 

4. Inclusion and Accessibility

In the UK, one of the key factors in designing a playground is its inclusivity and accessibility. Consider whether children with physical and mental disabilities will be using the playground. Inclusive and accessible playground equipment enables all children to interact socially with their peers without feeling excluded. For example, providing ramps for wheelchair access and sensory panels for children with mental disabilities is essential. 

By following these steps, you will be well on your way to selecting the most suitable KOMPAN playground equipment for your play area. For further guidance, consider downloading our Playground Planning Checklist to assist with the planning process. 

Playground equipment for all industries  

KOMPAN supplies and manufactures playground equipment for all sectors, catering to a wide range of environments and needs. We offer customers in the public sector eye-catching equipment that is safe, encourages community engagement, promotes physical activity, and includes everyone regardless of abilities (inclusive equipment). Additionally, we provide the private sector with safe equipment that stands out to their customers, includes thrill-evoking play features, and offers customisation to reflect their business. 

See below some examples of what we can offer you: 

• Schools: Educational equipment for schools, encouraging the habit of learning and development throughout the school years. 

• Public parks: Themed equipment to complement a park’s surroundings. 

• Leisure: GIANT play systems to provide the ‘wow’ factor to your business and attract more customers. 

Whether you’re a hotel, school, campsite, or nursery, KOMPAN has the play equipment and accessories for you. 

Equipment safety features 

Commercial playground equipment is subject to strict safety regulations and guidelines. KOMPAN adheres to BS EN 1176 regulations for playground equipment and fencing, ensuring safe play equipment and accessories for children of all ages. These measures include protective barriers, impact-absorbing surfacing, and age-appropriate play areas. Additionally, we prioritise the strategic zoning of play equipment and park benches during the planning process to facilitate social integration for children, while ensuring that parents can easily watch their kids and always be assured of their children's safety. 

Playground Inspection and Maintenance Services 

Commercial playground equipment requires professional installation and regular inspections to ensure compliance with safety standards (BS EN 1176). KOMPAN provides a range of inspection and maintenance services to support playground equipment that has endured constant use, harsh UK weather conditions, and vandalism. Services we offer for play equipment include: 

• Playground parts and equipment replacement

• Playground safety inspections: Routine, operational, comprehensive

It is advisable to conduct regular inspections. However, you should consider whether your play area may require more frequent checks. For example, school playgrounds will need more inspections throughout the year due to wear and tear from school children. 

Durable materials for playground equipment 

KOMPAN designs and manufactures outdoor play equipment using a range of high-quality materials. Our thorough internal research has led us to select commercial-grade materials for our products. Built to withstand the harsh UK weather and heavy usage, our equipment also meets stringent safety standards. For enhanced durability and long-term performance, we use robust materials like Robinia wood, galvanised steel, durable plastics, TEMPERED COROCORD ROPES and weather-resistant coatings. We select only the finest materials to ensure minimal maintenance across various settings, including nurseries, schools, parks, holiday parks, shopping centres and restaurants.

Types of playground equipment 

Designing or upgrading a playground involves many decisions, and with thousands of KOMPAN products available, we understand it can be challenging to know where to begin. Explore KOMPAN’s park playground equipment product range to learn more about our play equipment and how we can help you. Additionally, here are some suggestions to help you choose the right playground equipment for your outdoor space: 

Classic Playground Equipment – KOMPAN’s stand-alone play equipment includes slides, seesaws, swing sets, and springers. 

Preassembled Playground Equipment – Maximise your space with KOMPAN’s multifunctional pre-built play systems, which encompass multiple play activities. 

Rope Climbing Playground Equipment – Encourage outdoor physical activity and engage teenagers with KOMPAN’s rope climbers. Available in both large and small sizes to accommodate all outdoor spaces. 

Wooden Nature Playground Equipment – Stimulate children’s natural desire to play and explore with natural robinia equipment. Made from 100% sustainable materials, KOMPAN’s nature equipment connects urban environments with nature. 

Sport and Fitness Playgrounds – Explore KOMPAN’s challenging fitness equipment and play structures. Expose children early to healthy exercise to enhance their overall health. Alternatively, dive into our Multi Sport Games Areas, which offer facilities to accommodate various sports and activities. 

Planning, buying and installing a new playground is exciting and overwhelming. To help guide you during the process, we offer free design consultation and support at every step of your journey - click here to get in touch with us.

Play equipment features & accessories 

KOMPAN integrates a variety of features and accessories into our play equipment, allowing you to create a playground filled with diverse play activities. Our product range offers multiple ways to play, each designed with a specific purpose. For instance, sensory-focused playground equipment encourages children to engage their senses while developing essential cognitive skills such as memory, reasoning, and problem-solving. You can also find audio accessories, bouncing equipment, spin features and various other interactive components. 

Outdoor playground furniture  

To keep parents and children happy and engaged for longer periods, it is recommended to include areas where parents can relax while their children play. Additionally, providing a space where children can take a break and enjoy a refreshing drink or snack is a good idea. Therefore, creating a truly recreational outdoor activity space should involve outdoor furniture, picnic tables, benches, shading, and meeting points. 

Playground signs 

Using KOMPAN’s sign concept, you can customise signs to include practical information or instructions about playground use, opening hours, ideal user/age groups, sponsors, contact information and more. 

Why choose KOMPAN  

For over 50 years, KOMPAN has led the way in producing innovative commercial playground equipment. It all began with the artistic efforts of Tom Lindhardt, and since then, teams of architects and industrial designers have collaborated to create distinctive designs that are used in playgrounds around the globe. From the start, great attention has been paid to the playground equipment's users – the children. Child development experts were added to the KOMPAN team to work with designers, integrating feedback from children into the product development process. 

Read through some of our customer reviews to gain insights into their experiences and see how our playground equipment has positively impacted their communities.