Case Study: Richardson Endowed Primary

The brief

The staff at Richardson Endowed wanted to transform their playground into an interactive play and learning environment for their Key Stage 1 classes. Before Red Monkey arrived, the playground was a square of grey tarmac with a canopy shelter at the centre and a few playground markings - not the most inspiring place for the children to play!

The Red Monkey design team set to work planning out a play area that includes favourites from our play and learning range, while making the most of the features already present in the play area. The final design included one of our popular Pirate Ship play units in a dedicated pirate play area, and a learning zone that incorporated the existing shelter.

From dusty tarmac...

...to a charming play area!

The H.M.S. Richard Endowed sets sail!

The result

The finished play area is a vibrant environment full of great ways to play and learn. The Crow’s Nest Pirate Ship takes centre stage, with palm trees and coloured safety flooring providing a great role play zone for the kids.

Hide away in the Explorer's Den.

The tarmac play area has been replaced with all-weather play grass, and the existing canopy shelter has been incorporated into the design, filled with play grass of its own and ringed by a path with thermoplastic road markings for children to race around.

The canopy itself has been filled with learning and play panels, perfect for taking the classroom outdoors. Some tables and benches have been added to create an ideal outdoor learning environment. 

The scenic story area.

Elsewhere, the new play area features some interactive learning panels, a reading circle feature our reading chair and rubber mushroom seats, an exciting water wall and our Explorer’s Den, a great hideaway for some creative play.

The reception

Both the kids and the staff at Richardson Endowed were overjoyed by their new play area - in fact, it sounds as though some of the staff are looking forward to playing on the H.M.S. Richardson even more than the kids.

Those smiles make all the work worthwhile!

You can see how pleased they are with the play area over at the Richardson Endowed Primary blog - we love to see children smiling on our newly-installed play equipment.

If you’d like to see similar smiles on the face of your kids, all you have to do is call us today on 0116 366 9922 and arrange a free site visit - we’ll bring some Red Monkey magic to your play area, just like we did at Richardson Endowed! If you'd like to browse our range of great play products, click here to view our online catalogue.

Fun with Den Building

Children love den building - provide them with some space and a few basic tools, and they'll be off making great little hideaway dens. But den building isn't just good fun - it's also a great way to get children to socialise and practice their creative play skills.

The benefits of den building

Challenging & creative play

Den building is a challenge that tests children's physical and mental skills - from planning out the perfect den to making the most of the resources available to build a great hideaway.

Social & imaginative play

Dens are most fun when shared with others - children love to get together and act out stories, whether their new den is a hobbit hole or a fairy cottage. As well as encouraging imaginative play, the act of den building is great to get kids to cooperate and work together to build the best den possible. 

Independent play

Den building is a great way to get children playing in a safe environment without adult supervision, encouraging independent play and creative thinking.

Natural play

Den building is a great way to get children interacting with their natural environment - the best dens are those constructed from the world around them. Involve trees, twigs, rocks and leaves in your den building and get children involved in the natural world.

Some simple den building tips

Children really don't need much encouragement or many resources to start den building - they can build a den almost anywhere! Try taking them out to a safe natural environment and providing them with some simple equipment - sticks, poles, blankets, that kind of thing. You'll be amazed how quickly they can put a den together from next to nothing.

Red Monkey provide a great range of play equipment especially designed to encourage den building - from simple den poles to ready-made outdoor den environments. If you're interested in adding some creative den building equipment to your play area, get in touch in the comments, on Facebook or Twitter, or simply give us a call on 0116 366 9922.

Written by Tom for Red Monkey Play. For more play ideas and great play products, visit www.redmonkeyplay.co.uk.

Winter Outdoor Play Ideas

Winter is a great time for children to play outdoors. Wrapped up against the chill, children love to play out in the frost and snow. We've written about the necessities of keeping children's play safe during winter months - now we're brining you some great play ideas to help you make the most of winter playtime!

If we're lucky enough to see some snow this winter, here are a few games your kids will love:

Footprint tag

It's just like tag, with a snowy twist; the chasing player can only step in others' footprints! An extra bit of challenge that only the snow can bring - it's a wintery take on a classic outdoor game.

Snowball target practice

The first thing children do when faced with a garden full of snow is roll up a snowball - so why not give them some target practice? Set up a target and a point to throw from, and they'll have great fun honing their snowball-chucking skills.

Snow hurdles

Snow makes for a natural obstacle course - why not roll up some small balls of snow and use them to set out a hurdle course. Children will love running and jumping over snow mounds, and it's a great way for them to get some exercise too.

Hat frisbee

First you'll need a snowman - that's a whole extra game in itself! Then you'll need a hat. Children take turns throwing the hat frisbee-style onto the head of the snowman - they score a point every time they successfully land it on his head.

These are just a few of the ways you can make the most of the winter months. Winter doesn't mean your children have to stay cooped up inside - get out there and start playing!

Written by Tom for Red Monkey Play. For more play ideas and great play products, visit www.redmonkeyplay.co.uk.

Winter Play Safety Tips

Winter can be a great time for outdoor play, but with temperatures dropping and the long nights setting in it's important to take a few extra safety precautions to keep children safe at play during winter months. Here are a few measures you can take to keep outdoor play safe and fun all winter long.

Wrap up warm

It may seem obvious, but keeping kids wrapped up warm in vital when they're out playing in cold weather. A thick waterproof coat, some good gloves, a hat and scarf are all important. Keep them bundled up underneath, too, with good thick jumpers and thermal underwear for those really bitter days.

Get some good wellies to keep their feet warm and dry in snowy conditions, and try to keep the rest of your child's clothes as waterproof as possible. Wool is better than cotton for this, as well as being warmer to boot. Of course, you can't always guarantee they'll stay dry, so...

Pack a change of clothing

If you're heading away from home for play time, you should pack some spare clothing just in case the children get wet. Nothing brings on a chill quicker than shivering in cold, wet clothing - if your child gets wet in the snow, then they should change out of their damp clothing as quickly as possible. Keeping a spare set of clothes in the boot of the car can save on some very damp and unhappy homeward journeys!

Supervise their play time

It's always important that children's outdoor play should be supervised, but this goes doubly for winter play. Always keep an eye on children playing around snow and water, and make sure to keep them away from any icy patches. And you should take extra care when it comes to outdoor play equipment...

Inspect outdoor play equipment

All good play equipment is designed to be used in any weather, but in wintery conditions you should always check the play equipment your children are going to be using before they play on it. Clear any buildups of snow or leaves, and check for any icy patches or sloppy surfaces. Metal play equipment in particular can become slippy when wet, so make extra sure that the equipment your children are going to be using is safe before they start playing.

Red Monkey Play equipment is designed to be safe and fun in any weather - with robust play-grade timber and non-slip decking, our equipment is perfect for play all year around. Click here to find out more about our great all-weather play equipment.

Follow these simple tips, and you're on your way to keeping your children safe and warm at play this winter. The cold weather doesn't mean you have to keep your kids shut up inside - get out there and play!

Written by Tom for Red Monkey Play. For more play ideas and great play products, visit www.redmonkeyplay.co.uk.