Reading Borough Council was first introduced to Imagination Playground when they attended the UK Launch Event in May 2011.  Andy Barker, Reading Play Manager, was immediately impressed and could see the benefits that such a flexible product could bring to the Reading Play team.  

“I thought the product looked different and was something that could easily be used by a wide audience, and would allow the children to use their imaginations in terms of building a variety of creations.  It was also fluid which meant that the children were in control of how they played, rather than the restrictions usually found on fixed equipment.”

The Reading Play team were fortunate enough to have the budget to purchase two sets and since taking delivery at the beginning of June, they haven’t looked back!

The equipment has been used at a variety of sessions including a local primary school, 8 Children’s Centres, 5 parks across the town per week and at a family day within the town centre.

They have found the equipment has given the children the ability to create either traditional styled items, such as trains and cars, whilst also allowing them to create anything from their imagination truly reflecting the “freely chosen” element of play.

Reading’s Play Rangers  are delighted with the new and fresh approach that Imagination Playground has brought, moving away from traditional restrictions that are found with fixed equipment.  

Imagination Playground has enhanced Reading Play’s ability to continue to offer a wider range of activities to the children of Reading.

June 2011

For the full story and pictures, please click the link below.

Reading_BC_Case_Study.pdf

Linden Bridge is a Special School in Kingston, Surrey, for pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorder and associated learning difficulties which provides education for students age 4-19.  These students need a highly structured approach to both their learning and play.  Motivating the students to be active is crucial to ensuring a healthy lifestyle in their future. 

Following a visit to another local SEN school that had Outdoor Fitness equipment installed, the pupils had the opportunity to experience this equipment and returned to school full of enthusiasm, wanting to know if they could have something similar at Linden Bridge.  Outdoor Fitness equipment seemed to be an ideal solution for promoting exercise.

Linden Bridge were successful in their application for a grant of just over £2,000 from Aiming High for Disabled Children and additional funds became available enabling them to complete their collection.  As the kit was to be installed straight into grass, there was no need for any additional surfacing which kept the cost within the budget available.

The children enjoy using the equipment during every break time as well as during PE lessons.  Linden Bridge are also planning to use the equipment during Occupational Therapy sessions, designed for individuals with specific physical needs.

The equipment covers cardio workout, coordination, balance, flexibility, strength and tone and is used by pupils in the Secondary and Further Education departments, the Boarding Department and pupils on the InterAKtive Playgroup Scheme which is held during Easter and Summer holidays.

With the items being available from stock, we were able to install it during the Easter holidays meaning we achieved initial site visit to completion in less than 6 weeks!

April 2011

Case_Study_Linden_Bridge.pdf

The children of Knowle Park School are over the moon with their new Imagination Playground and it’s a delightful story of how they came to be the proud owners!

The story begins in Summer 2010 when the school helped Play Direct UK.com by trialling this US play concept that we were looking to introduce to the UK.  Following some amendments to the product, it was finally launched in May 2011 and we were delighted to be able to invite some of the children from Knowle Park School to our Launch Event at Sandown Park Racecourse.

Following the Launch Event, Play Direct UK.com had agreed to loan the Imagination Playground to the school so that all the other children could enjoy it too.  However as this time came to an end, we were wondering how we could possibly take it away from them?  Luckily the school had secured some funding and were able to purchase it so we didn’t have to have a sad ending to the story!

Imagination Playground is now truly a day-to-day part of life at Knowle Park School.

The staff at Knowle Park have introduced a theme each week during playtime to encourage the children to think about what they could design and make within this set theme.  The older and younger children work together and their use of vocabulary is greatly enhanced through their play with a wider variety of children.  They have also noticed some of the quieter children and those with special needs really come out of themselves and show a willingness to join in.

Imagination Playground has not only been a success during playtime – it has been hugely popular in lesson time too.  In their Arts Week the children were encouraged to use it to explore sculpture.  In Maths and ICT Week they used the equipment to solve simple problems in capacity and length.  The wealth of language and communication opportunities is endless which in turn are greatly supportive of the children’s literacy skills and development.

Lyn Gray, Deputy Headteacher at Knowle Park, summed up by saying “Basically everyone and everything is positive and the children absolutely love it!”

We are both proud and delighted with the success of Imagination Playground at Knowle Park School.

To view the full story and see more photos, please click the link below.

Case_Study_IP_Knowle_Park.pdf

Play Direct UK.com were initially approached by Crays Hill Primary School in May 2010 and asked to help transform their old play area within a budget of £25K. The existing area, protected by a low picket fence, consisted of a wooden castle structure which needed removing. The flooring, currently grass matting, was uneven and overgrown, and needed replacing with something safer and more suitable.

Head Teacher of Crays Hill, Sulan Goodwin said "The children had already chosen the type of equipment they would like to see including a slide and a climbing wall. In addition, the school had several key aims we wanted the pupils to achieve:-

To provide opportunities for increased physical activity during their breaks
To learn about the complex issue of making real choices
To learn that every choice is connected with consequences
To develop and share opinions, ideas and physical spaces
The Taipei from the Play Active range met all the criteria, offering all age ranges and abilities within the school to enjoy playtime, and was the perfect solution."

After levelling the area, it was surfaced with Enviro Mulch. This is an exceptional product made from recycled rubber combined with a resin binder, to give a surface that looks like natural woodchip blending perfectly with its natural surroundings, whilst being environmentally-friendly and meeting safety requirements. Initially just covering the fall area of the equipment, Crays Hill decided to extend the surfacing to cover the whole picket-fenced area, giving the children a much larger safe area in which to play.

The project was completed during the school summer break so when the children returned to school in September they were delighted to find their new play area all ready to enjoy.

Play Direct UK.com were approached by Eileen Shaw of Norton infant School to help make a corner of their existing playground more exciting for the children than a plain grassed area. The school already had an idea of the equipment they would like and how it would fit naturally into the corner. With no help from the weather the Canyon Pass was installed along with Stepping Stones and a Log Balance at 45° angles either end. The mini trail was finished off with a Grassmatt wear pad surface underneath to protect the children and the grass.

Eileen Shaw, Norton Infant School Office Manager said: "We were highly delighted with the equipment supplied and the service received from Play Direct UK.com. The installers were friendly and efficient and even worked through heavy rain to get the job finished".

Completed November 2009