Outdoor seating is an essential part of any playground’s design. Providing your guests with seating lets them relax and get comfortable while their kids play. It also allows for activities at the playground that wouldn’t be possible without places to sit.
Having outdoor seating can pull together the aesthetic look of your playground, making it look more inviting for visitors of all ages. Recreational activities benefit from having a few places to sit for parents and their kids.
Learn more about why every playground should have outdoor seating and a few examples that could transform your space.
Outdoor seating is an important part of any playground. Both kids and adults can benefit from having a place to sit and relax, especially for guests who want to spend more time at your facilities.
There are some key advantages to adding outdoor seating to your playground’s setup:
Outdoor seating is a great way to improve and make the most of your playground. Incorporating different places to sit benefits your space and the people who visit it.
There are a few popular options for playgrounds when it comes to outdoor seating. Benches and picnic tables make for a useful addition to any play equipment.
Benches should be comfortable and durable, so visitors can relax as needed. Having seating can transform your setup and encourage more people to spend time on your playground.
Picnic tables are another prevalent type of outdoor seating. They are convenient for people who bring food or toys to the playground, giving community members a place to sit at a table. This comes in handy for outings like picnics or parties.
Choose benches and picnic tables in weather-safe materials and consider features like shade structures, built-in umbrellas or child-friendly seats.
Outdoor seating at a playground can be highly functional for many activities.
Installing a bench or picnic table near your playground allows visitors to enjoy a fun gathering. Picnics let families get a breath of fresh air and some vitamin D while enjoying yummy food together. It is a low-stress activity that doesn’t take much to set up.
Meeting at the playground for a picnic can be an engaging two-in-one activity as kids can play on the equipment before meeting at the picnic table to eat.
Playgrounds are an awesome location for a party or get-together that involves children. However, it can also be a tiring and inconvenient place to gather without proper outdoor seating.
Picnic tables are great for outdoor parties. You can use them to set up food or presents, and many picnic table materials work well with temporary decorations. Guests can have somewhere to relax and eat. Kids will love being able to play and spend time with loved ones.
Time spent playing outdoors can be exhausting. Outdoor seating gives parents and kids a place to rest when they feel hot or tired. Visitors with a place to take breaks at your playground are more likely to stay longer. A few minutes sitting on a bench can be enough to refuel youngsters who want to continue playing on the equipment and offers much-needed rest for the busy parent.
One key use for outdoor seating at a playground is providing guardians with a place to oversee their kids on the equipment.
Supervision is essential, especially for younger kids. Having a space where people can comfortably watch over will allow parents to relax while their kids burn off some energy. If adults have a relaxing spot to sit, kids often get to play for longer.
Optimize outdoor seating by installing seats, tables and benches in areas with a full view of the playground.
In addition to outdoor seating, there are a few different playground amenities your visitors will enjoy and appreciate.
Incorporating shade structures into your playground design allows for more inclusive play. Those with sun sensitivities and allergies can play for longer, and they offer a great deal of relief on hot, sunny days. Shade structures can go over seating, making for a great spot to relax, or they can cover a piece of equipment so kids have a place to play out of the sun.
About 90% of Americans consider littering a problem in their state. Trash and recycling receptacles are important features of any playground. They help regulate the waste around your equipment and are a great convenience for parents and guardians.
Tossing water bottles and snack wrappers is easy when receptacles are close by. Those who are supervising kids will not have to travel for a trash can or stuff waste into their bags to throw out later.
Bike thieves stole nearly 100,000 bicycles in 2020 alone. Without proper racks, people have to either leave their bikes untethered or inconveniently tie them to another object like a tree or bench.
Installing a bike rack near your playground is a great way to offer your community a secure place to store their bicycles. Plus, racks make it easier for families to ride to the playground together, allowing them to secure their bikes when they get to their destination.
Public health and hygiene have never been more important. It is beneficial to add hand sanitizing stations near surfaces that many people touch and interact with, like playground equipment.
Visitors will feel more comfortable knowing there is sanitizer nearby for killing bacteria and viruses. This is also convenient for kids who want to eat snacks after playing on shared equipment.
Another fun amenity that pairs well with a playground is a grill. Picnics and parties can benefit from having a place to cook food nearby. Having a grill may attract more visitors and encourage them to spend some time near the playground, and it is great for bringing all age groups together.
Incorporating a variety of site furnishings into your playground design is a great way to accommodate your visitors and offer them more features to enjoy.
In addition to making the space look more inviting, site furnishings make it possible for visitors to spend hours on end at the playground in comfort. Providing your guests with places to sit down is essential for inspiring people to use the equipment for longer.
A guardian that has to stand beside the equipment while their child plays is more likely to tire out than someone who has a bench to sit on. Likewise, giving kids a place where they can take a break while they play allows them to re-energize and get back out there.
Besides seating, other site furnishings make it possible to stay at the playground for longer periods. Grills or shade structures, for example, make an afternoon spent outside easier and more comfortable. Playgrounds with site amenities can accommodate more guests as well. Sanitizer stations and trash cans make the space cleaner and more welcoming while seating makes the playground more accessible.
Site furnishings are beneficial for playgrounds that want to attract more guests and the people who want to visit them.
Including trash and recycling receptacles as part of your playground site amenities has many benefits for your visitors and community.
Parents will appreciate conveniently located bins not too far from where their kids are playing. They can use the receptacles as a lesson for their kids, teaching them which items are recycled and which go in the garbage. This is a valuable lesson to teach young children, especially since litter is a major environmental concern. Including trash and recycling receptacles help maintain a cleaner environment around your playground. Your community will thank you!
Making trash disposal convenient can also reduce the chance of attracting any wildlife or spreading germs.
Site amenities allow communities to gather at your playground. Everything from picnic tables to grills can help your neighborhood come together in a shared space and spend time together. Kids are likely to foster their social skills while meeting new peers on the playground. Seating is a perfect place for parents and guardians to mingle with each other.
There are some negative implications for playgrounds without site amenities. Spaces without trash receptacles are more likely to accumulate garbage around the premises. If there is no place for visitors to throw away waste like used diapers or empty water bottles, these things can get left behind.
Having trash pile up can attract unwanted bugs like flies and mosquitos. Food scraps and garbage draw in vermin such as mice. Plus, trash accumulation is unsightly and can discourage people from visiting your playground entirely.
Certain site amenities can make your space more secure for visitors. For example, if a playground doesn’t have a bike rack, your visitors’ bicycles may easily be stolen. Sanitizer stations can give parents and guardians peace of mind when sharing the equipment with other kids.
Families are less likely to visit playgrounds without site amenities, especially those without seating. Amenities are helpful for parents with children in various age groups. For instance, older kids may want to play on the equipment, while younger kids may want to snack in the shade. The more flexible your playground is, the more visitors you can accommodate.
In the digital age we live in, it is important to differentiate your playground from others with useful site amenities. People love to research places on the internet before visiting them, and your playground’s online reviews matter! Amenities help accommodate more visitors and enhance your space, and happy visitors are more likely to share those positive experiences with others.
Playworld offers various site furnishings that are sure to please visitors at your playground. We understand the need for more than just play equipment at a playground. Here are some of the accessories we offer:
We also offer various styles of benches so you can find the right fit for your space and its design. Whether a classic option like our in-ground mounted bench or something with a little pizazz like our perforated swinging bench works best with your space’s theme and setup, we have options for you.
We also offer many styles of picnic tables constructed with PolyTuf plastic lumber. Many of our tables are available in different sizes so you can find the one that fits your playground the best. Explore our picnic table options to find the style and measurements to complement and enhance your space.
Outdoor seating is an essential component of any playground. Other site furnishings improve your space and make it more enjoyable for your visitors. At Playworld, we understand the importance of an inviting setup that draws people to your play area. Our furnishings are beautifully designed to be comfortable and look great in your outdoor space.
We believe in creating highly durable products for all your playground needs and prioritize our craftsmanship to ensure your equipment looks great for years to come.
Interested in learning more? Browse our selection of site furnishings and request a quote from Playworld today!