PBS 140 Child Care Center Design Guide - The Whole Building ...

6.6.3 Pre-School Outdoor Play Areas:
Play areas for pre-school children should support dramatic and constructive/
creative play, active and quiet play, sand and water play, with opportunities
to explore nature. Pre-school children regularly interact, socialize, discuss,
and negotiate. At this age, they begin to engage in socio-dramatic play.
Running, jumping, climbing, and swinging are all important activities, but
are often pursued in the context of a make believe setting. A larger, openended
play superstructure offering many activities should be provided, but
be designed to lend itself to dramatic play. There should be elements such
as playhouses, stages, and props that encourage dramatic play. These
elements should be positioned within the play area to allow the dramatic
play to spill out and flow into other spaces. Pathways for wheeled toys also
provide circulation and allow the play experience to flow through the play
areas. Where these are not safety surfaces, a minimum of 10mm of impact
resistant topping must be applied over concrete. Safety helmets should be
required on hard surfaces. Facilities for play with sand and water should
be included and placed adjacent to one another allowing these activities to
intermingle. Materials for creative play activities such as musical devices,
painting materials, chalkboards, construction materials, and blocks also
should be included. If there is a covered porch area, it is ideal for painting,
drawing, etc. Generally, for best motor activity in a group care setting, the
children should be moving, not the equipment. While tire swings are
appropriate, standard swings are too problematic in group care to warrant
their inclusion. Provide water-permeable sand box covers.
6.6.4 School-Age Outdoor Play Areas:
Play areas for school-age children should be separate, but linked to the
play areas of younger children. School-age children must have structures
and spaces that allow them to exhibit and practice their more advanced
physical and social skills. Running, jumping, and climbing activities are
supplemented by more athletic pursuits such as sports and games. Most
children of this age have the physical ability to roller skate and ride bicycles.
Quiet, semi-enclosed areas should be provided for socializing, completion
of homework, or quiet contemplation. School-age children should be
exposed to the same activities as the younger children in the center, such
as sand and water play, construction activities, music, and artistic pursuits
such as drawing or painting. Some playground suppliers have lines
specifically geared to this age group which should be referenced for
dimensions. Provide water-permeable sand box covers.
PBS-140 - July 2003
CHAPTER 6: SITE DESIGN
6.7 Specific Site Technical
Criteria
6.7.1 Fences and Enclosures:
� Play yards must be enclosed by fences to define the play yard, allow
ease of supervision of children, and protect them from unauthorized
individuals or stray animals. The design of the fence is one of the most
visible elements in the center and must be more than simply utilitarian.
In general, chain link is discouraged. The only kind of chain link that
may be used is dark vinyl-coated (avoid green). Exposed galvanized
wire, which has a highly institutional appearance, is not appropriate.
The fence must have no sharp exposed connections accessible to children.
Note: A/E to reference ASTM fence standards (F2049-00).
� Provide bollards, raised planters or other devices to keep automobiles
from veering into the play yard area.
� The transparent or opaque nature of the fence and fence height will
depend upon the location and environmental conditions of the center
and the requirements identified by the GSA security risk assessment.
� It is important that fences be designed so that there are no spaces between
pickets which are between 87 mm (3 1/2 ”) and 228 mm (9”) to
prevent children’s heads from being entrapped. Fence openings less
than 87 mm must be large enough to prevent finger or hand entrapment,
but not so small that fingers and hands cannot penetrate the opening.
There shall be no openings between 9mm and 25mm. These
entrapment dimensions are very important and should receive particular
care. Reference the most recent edition of the Handbook for Public
Playground Safety of the CPSC.
� The perimeter of the play yard must be enclosed by an 1830 mm high
fence when views into the play yard are allowed. As an alternative, a
shorter fence with planting or landscape features, planted or positioned
in such a way that an adult would not be able to reach over the fence,
will be acceptable upon approval of the RCCC.
� When the play yard is adjacent to hazards, busy roadways, or is in a
high security risk neighborhood, the perimeter of the play yard must be
enclosed by an 2440 mm high fence. Views from the play yard should
be screened either by the fence itself or with plants or other suitable
device. Bollards, raised planters, or other devices should be used to
protect play yards located next to driveways or roads where cars could
swerve into the play yard area.
6-7