Growing up, we had one playground in the area that all kids flocked to. It was not within walking distance from my house, so when my mom packed us up and hauled us to the Community Center, it was a real treat. I specifically remember a turtle climber looking thing that you could get underneath and
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Why Natural Play Is Important
When I was growing up, I was never indoors. I was the proverbial “Tom Boy.” I climbed trees, made mud pies, and played in the yard. But the best part of my childhood was the little patch of woods behind my house. It was about a hundred yards from my back door. On hot summer
» Continue ReadingWhy Children Climb
As a playground professional, one of the many trade mags I subscribe to is Playground Magazine. I have found a lot of very useful information in it. One article I would like to talk about that I recently seen was in the Summer 2013 edition that talks about why kids climb. It was written by
» Continue ReadingAdd Some Shade!
It is no mystery that Countryside does playgrounds and site furniture; but did you know we also do shade structures too? Every play area or park space needs shade. In the summer time, when temperatures rise above 85-90 degrees, with your heat index, it can get up over 100! To keep your communities and kids
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You all know that Countryside does an awesome job with playground equipment. But did you know we also specialize in shade structures and site furniture too? We are able to give you a “Whole Playground Package!” We offer 2 lines of shade structures. The first is called Cool Toppers offered by Landscape Structures. These are available
» Continue ReadingSafety Inspection Time is Here!
One of the most important aspects of being in charge of a playground is making sure that it is safe for kids. It is imperative that owners of public playground equipment take the initiative to have their equipment inspected by a Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI). These people are trained to look for anything that
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