Commercial Playground Equipment

Vital safety measures for playgrounds

When it comes to residential and commercial playground equipment, safety features stand out as a key differentiator. Commercial play equipment is required to meet strict safety regulations and guidelines set by local organisations like Standards Australia. This involves having protective barriers, surfaces that absorb impact, and play areas tailored for different age groups. We also take great care in planning the zoning, allowing children to socialise and make happy memories while parents can have peace of mind knowing their little ones are always safe.

Let's explore some other key areas where commercial and residential playground equipment differ:

Fabrication and durability

In Australia, commercial outdoor playground gear is crafted to endure extensive usage and adhere to stringent safety regulations. These playground structures are fabricated using top-quality materials like galvanised steel, robust plastics, and weather-resistant coatings to ensure resilience and long-lasting performance. The utmost care is taken to select premium materials, ensuring minimal upkeep in kindergartens, schools, parks, residential zones, shopping centres, and eateries.

Installation and maintenance of commercial playgrounds

In Australia, commercial playground equipment regularly needs expert installation and routine playground assessments to ensure adherence to safety standards. Playground upkeep is usually handled by dedicated and skilled staff. On the other hand, private homeowners can install residential playground equipment and might need less frequent maintenance, though regular inspections and care are still advised.

Playground Cost

Commercial-grade playgrounds tend to be more costly than residential equipment, as they are generally larger, made with higher-quality materials, and require compliance with local safety standards. Commercial playgrounds in Australia are designed to withstand heavy use and need frequent maintenance, making them more expensive.

Types of playground equipment

When designing or updating a playground, there are many decisions to consider.

Which style will you choose? Should a theme be incorporated? What user group are you targeting? How many pieces of equipment do you need? What is the capacity of the site? Should certain play activities be prioritised? What is the budget? Do you want to incorporate nature play?

Your specific playground will be influenced by these key questions. And with more than a thousand products to choose from, it can seem a little overwhelming. But here is some inspiration to help guide you:

Classic playground equipment

Classic play equipment encompasses freestanding play structures like slides, seesaws, swing sets, and springers. This standalone equipment injects amusement into compact playgrounds at a modest expense. They also serve as excellent additions when revamping your existing play area. Within our equipment collection, you have the option to select between single-user playground gear or multi-user play formations available in diverse styles, themes, materials, and colours - all at varying price points.

Predesigned play systems

Play systems are the perfect way to get the most out of your space. With plenty of play activities arranged in one place, one piece of equipment can facilitate hours of play. Our play systems include playground equipment that can take many forms and sizes with multiple functions and can hold many children playing at once.

Climbing rope playgrounds

Large rope net climbers are filled with play activities that support children's physical, social-emotional and cognitive development. Research posits that climbing structures prompt increased levels of physical activity in tweens. Tween boys, and especially tween girls love to climb - the more areas available to hang out on the climbing structure, the better. To maximise use, we recommend placing a climbing structure away from the main playground area so they will feel encouraged to start climbing and get active.

Natural playgrounds with wood

Intentionally connecting with nature allows children to play, explore and develop their instincts. There are many benefits to nature play; our nature-inspired playgrounds give children a play environment with enough room to play and explore. Nature playgrounds are also an excellent way to soften urban environments with beautiful, natural elements.

Sports and fitness playgrounds

In Australia, we are facing a crisis of sedentary behaviour and record numbers of lifestyle illnesses. Establishing a self-determined and healthy relationship to exercise early in a child's life is critical to improving overall and lifelong health. Children require physical activity to develop strength, coordination and balance, and outdoor fitness equipment allows them to build essential motor skills and promote these key bodily functions. Children are still attracted to playgrounds as they age, especially if the challenging fitness equipment play structures are placed away from play areas with younger kids. Multi Use Games Areas are perfect for Aussie schools and community centres as they meet the demand for sports and games in young people.

Custom playgrounds

Most of our products are configurable on our website so that you can change size, accessibility and play activities. But if you have a unique idea for a custom product that can't be made from our configurator, we have a dedicated team at the KOMPAN Design Studio who can bring your vision to life with a bespoke play solution. KOMPAN Design Studio is a team of highly experienced designers, architects and engineers. They aim to create one-of-a-kind, personalised playground equipment, taking your play area to the next level.

Where should you start? Our playground equipment specialists are here to guide you in the right direction. They are also available to offer tailored advice to ensure your success in creating the best playground for your community.

Choosing playground equipment: what to consider

Firstly, you'll need to identify and define the purpose of your playground. Considering the specific age groups, needs and interests of the intended playground users is vital. Also, defining your budget early on can significantly benefit your overall project's success. After that, you're in an excellent position to start looking at equipment. A close inspection of your location and terrain is needed to ensure your site is safe and up-to-code. Search for ongoing support and services needed and check out funding or grants available in your area. Download our playground planning checklist to learn more about the playground planning process.

Why go with KOMPAN?

KOMPAN has been a pioneering force in innovative commercial playground equipment manufacturing for over five decades. Our journey began with the visionary work of artist Tom Lindhardt. Since then, a talented team of architects and industrial designers have been instrumental in creating distinctive designs used in playgrounds worldwide. From the very outset, we have emphasised the needs of the end-users – the children. To achieve this, child development experts were integrated into the KOMPAN team, collaborating closely with designers to incorporate invaluable feedback from children into the product development process. This commitment drives us to create playground equipment that not only sparks imagination and fun but also fosters the holistic development of children. Our dedication to excellence extends to bringing these innovative solutions to playgrounds across Australia. The KOMPAN Play Institute serves as our in-house research centre, diligently collecting data on our products and their positive impact on children's development through play. Our exceptional playground equipment is designed to support every aspect of a child's growth, stimulating physical capabilities, fostering creativity, and nurturing cognitive and social interaction skills. Guided by the insights from the KOMPAN Play Institute, our standard and custom play solutions are consistently evidence-based and functionally superior. As specialists in inclusive playground planning, we take pride in developing accessible play equipment that caters to diverse needs and ensures an enriching play experience for all. Our extensive research has set new global standards for ways to play and innovating new play equipment for children of all abilities.

Strengthen your play area

A new play structure can be all the children need, but consider your site's overall look and utility. We want parents and children to stay and have fun for as long as possible. Therefore, parents need somewhere to hang out while the kids are playing, and now and then, the children also need to take a break and retreat for a cool drink and a snack. That is why creating a truly recreational outdoor activity space should involve outdoor furniture, picnic tables, benches, and shading. Our commercial playground shade structures are the ideal solution.

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 contact us.

Designing an appealing play structure is essential, considering your site's overall aesthetics and functionality. We aim to create a recreational space that keeps parents and children engaged for extended periods. We offer outdoor furniture, picnic tables, benches, and shading to facilitate relaxation for parents and provide children with rest areas for refreshments away from the harsh Australian sun.

We provide complimentary design consultation and support for your playground project at every step. Feel free to contact us for personalised guidance throughout the planning, purchasing, and installation process. Get in touch with us today and embark on your exciting playground journey.