One way to make a new park or playground look and feel complete is with amenities and accessories. Benches and seats, picnic tables, and shaded spaces make a park or playground more inviting and comfortable. One study suggests simply adding some benches enhanced the mental health and emotional wellbeing of park visitors.
Read on to learn how to accessorize your park or playground with park amenities that encourage everyone to enjoy your new recreation area.
What are Park Accessories and Site Amenities?
When you design a playground it's easy to focus on things like swings, slides, and climbers to fill a space within your budget. But there are many site furnishings to consider that will enhance your playground’s functionality and visual appeal.
1. Park Benches and Seating
The most common park accessory is seating. GameTime offers many styles of seats, benches, and tables in different colors and materials. Consider adding at least two park benches or seats per playground structure for parents and children to socialize or rest.
Install park benches and seats in a way that encourages people to use them. Make sure they face activities or areas of interest so they are more likely to be used. Consider routes of accessibility to your seating areas and their relationship to scenic views, direct sun, and natural shade.
2. Keep Things Cool with Shade Structures
We often add integrated or freestanding shade structures to help kids stay cooler and more comfortable during play. Shade and shelters can also be installed in seating areas, gathering spaces, or fitness/sports fields. Natural or manufactured shade makes recreation spaces more comfortable and inviting for people of all ages and abilities.
Look for shade structures that block up to 97% of harmful UV rays and have a wind load rating that is appropriate for your area of the country.
3. Use Litter and Recycle Bins to Keep Your Park Clean
Consider adding litter receptacles and recycle bins throughout your park or playground to encourage visitors to dispose of litter and recyclables properly. This saves maintenance and cleaning time and makes the space more attractive to visitors.
If dog owners frequently visit your park, consider adding dog waste bag dispensers and disposal bins.
4. Add Bike Racks and Storage Options
Research shows more people are using bicycles for transportation and recreation. Bike racks in your park or near a playground give cyclists a safe place to store their bikes while walking or playing.
GameTime offers many standard bike rack options. Our Landmark Design team can create custom bike racks to complement any style or color scheme.
5. Provide Hand Sanitizer to Visitors
Hand sanitizer, social distancing, and face masks are commonplace in outdoor recreation areas. Help reduce the spread of germs with outdoor hand sanitizer stations. GameTime's lineup of hand sanitizer lockboxes makes it easy to add hand sanitizer anywhere in your park or playground.
We can also create custom signs, maintenance schedules, and cleaning protocols, to assist your staff with keeping parks and playgrounds in order.
6. Make a Bold First Impression
A custom entrance is a big, bold way to make a first impression on park visitors. Whether you want to display the park’s name, recognize donors, or display directions to different recreation areas, a big, bold entryway will do the trick!
GameTime can help you design a custom entryway that matches the style and theme of your playground.
Site Amenities and Park Accessories Complete a Space
Whether you are building a park, playground, or outdoor fitness area, park accessories help complete the look and functionality of the space. Consider benches and seating areas to give people places to rest and socialize. Shade structures help keep areas cooler and more comfortable.
For visitors who ride bicycles to your park, it essential to provide places to park or store their bikes safely. And everyone will appreciate litter receptacles that help keep things neat and tidy.
Regardless of the park accessories you need, GameTime can help with stylish options that match any color or theme. Contact the GameTime specialist in your neighborhood today to learn more.