White paper
Play Value Increases with Sensory Play
How sensory playground equipment affects play
New research from the KOMPAN Play Institute identifies how sensory play items and equipment increase the play value, and play duration in toddlers.
What is sensory playground equipment? It's a set of items on a playground that appeals to the main senses such as touch, sight, and sound. Including sensory elements in your playground project can enrich the play experience by engaging the child in a more thoughtful and involved level of play. While toddlers learn and develop skills through outdoor play - what is the right play stimulation level to ensure development and learning and not over-stimulation?
The KOMPAN Play Institute set out to examine how toddlers play, and specifically, how sensory playground features affect and stimulate play. Observations were done on children from the age of 1 to 4 years old at a nursery and kindergarten in Denmark. The findings were in many ways surprising! Read them in our white paper through the link below. While you're at it, learn more about KOMPAN's inclusive playground equipment.
5 Design considerations for group and pretend play in toddlers
Right ergonomic measures for toddlers - Make sure that they can reach, manipulate, look over, or into items such as mirrors.
Rich tactile and manipulative items for exploration and pretend play. Vary materials and functionalities within play features, e.g. soft and hard materials, movable and stationary items.
Include themes that toddlers recognize (e.g. house, window, mirror, watch, desk, curtain).
Open, ground-level based units mean provide additional play opportunities from the outside.
Sectioned functionalities in units - Sides with or without play features etc. make for varied play opportunities and more groups