DIY playground from scrap materials (78 photos)

While adults are busy weeding the beds at the dacha or mastering the intricacies of landscape design, children need something to fill their free time. A do-it-yourself playground is an opportunity to captivate kids with an exciting game while adults work. Arranging a play area from scrap materials is a fascinating creative process in which you can involve those for whom the “clearing of fairy tales” is being built. There are a lot of ideas for arranging such a site from scrap materials, you just have to want it.

Children's playground in the video of the house

Choosing a place in the country for a gaming complex

Organizing a space for children to play has many nuances.

Children should not be in the sun all day, so the best solution is to find a place in the shade of tall trees, behind a high fence or a solid wall of the house. But sometimes it is advisable to pull an awning over the chosen place.
The priority is a clearly visible area so that parents can watch their children play and not worry about their health or location.
The play area should be organized around one object - a sandbox or a house. It is desirable that everything else be subordinated to one idea.

Children's large playground
It is not recommended to allocate fertile land for these purposes, nor is a lowland where a lot of water arrives after a rainfall.
It’s good when it is possible to watch children not only from an open garden plot, but also from the windows of a country house or a food preparation area.
A ventilated area is not suitable for children to play; drafts can cause colds in children.
Set up a sandbox and other play objects away from the parking area of private vehicles so that the child, while playing, does not get run over.

Children's play area with swings and slides

What objects are used to equip the playground?

Children love to play and compete, overcoming all kinds of obstacles. Play objects are built according to the age characteristics and needs of children.

Children's playground idea

The tree house with rope ladder and slide is preferred by middle school children. They don’t need a sandbox, except perhaps as a landing place for young “pirates” from a slide adjacent to a house or the upper level of a game labyrinth in the form of a ship.

All children love trampolines. The structure does not need to be made with your own hands, for safety reasons, but it is worth purchasing and installing on the site, even the simplest one.

Children's playground with slide and swings

A children's pool in the yard is a great idea, because children love to splash in the water during the summer heat. For kids they use an inflatable tank, for schoolchildren they equip a large tank or buy a ready-made one.

A homemade rope maze for those who like to overcome obstacles can be built together with the children, stretching a net and ladders between closely spaced trees.

Swings are an indispensable attribute of a children's playground. They can also be built with your own hands from available materials, for example, based on a tire and metal chains.

Children's playground with slide with wall

To build a tower for playing in the shade, you can use leftover boards, siding, logs, wooden panels, scraps of plywood and plastic bottles. The main thing is to make it aesthetically pleasing, safe and visible to parents on at least one side.

Playground for children with wall and slide

A tent city is another version of the house that children love to “fence” so much. It is enough to stretch the rope base or cover the hoop with unnecessary fabric and hang it under a tree. Invite children to use old blankets or curtains to make their own tents using clothespins.

A net stretched between two trees is used by children as a football goal, but it should be placed away from the house so that the ball does not hit the windows.

Children's playground made from scrap materials

A machine on a wooden frame made from scraps of plywood can be built as an independent object - with a bench or seats in the shade of the cabin. As an option - a “train” made of barrels or a “yacht” made of painted boards with a steering wheel and a bell.

There are many other ideas, but parents choose what is interesting to children and suits their inclinations and age characteristics. For example, not every child will appreciate a homemade “climbing wall,” but if you install the boards at an angle, it will be easier for younger schoolchildren to climb the wall.

Children's playground in the form of a house

Deciding who should build playgrounds in courtyards

The question “who should install playgrounds in courtyards” will not lose its relevance for a long time. Despite the fact that the territory of the courtyard of an apartment building is municipal, the improvement of playgrounds in the courtyards is the direct responsibility of the city administration. After it is built and recognized as complying with SANPIN, playgrounds in the courtyards are transferred to the balance of management companies or homeowners associations, which must maintain it in perfect condition. Workers must regularly check the strength of structures, replace worn elements, lubricate moving mechanisms, and refresh the paintwork.

Until 2003, there was no law on children's playgrounds in courtyards in Russia. Currently, a specially created committee has developed state standards containing safety standards and methods for testing the strength of equipment installed on playgrounds.

The developed GOST standards clearly state how to install a playground in the yard, what materials are permissible to use in its manufacture, what kind of ladders, ropes or chains should be, the characteristics of the coating and the type of foundation are determined. However, formally all the requirements of the regulations are advisory in nature, and in practice, the residents themselves are responsible for ensuring that the children's play area remains safe, independently carrying out basic maintenance of the existing complex.

Materials for arranging a playground

Stumps and wooden logs left over from sawing up dry trees are an excellent “building” material for a homemade playground.
Old basins and bowls, which are used as “hats for “fly agarics” based on dry stumps in the country.
Barrels (metal and wood) are an excellent material for fairy-tale objects.
The body of an old car or the cabin of a small truck can be tidied up and converted into an interesting children's object.
Scraps of plywood and boards, wooden panels and unnecessary tabletops are suitable for constructing tables and benches.

DIY playground
Metal rods and poles are the starting material for constructing a gazebo for climbing plants, which over time themselves form a shadow.
An indoor arena to create shade in a yard where there are no trees is built on a wooden frame. Two walls with benches along them are enough. This is a great way to protect the playing area from precipitation and drafts. For two or three walls, planed boards, plywood, siding or plastic bottles strung on metal rods are suitable.

Small children's playground

Advice. Inside the walls of plastic containers you can place fragments of a Christmas tree garland on diodes. Such a delightful glowing object can only be created by an electrician, but the result is worth the effort.

Children's playground with a slide
Many interesting structures can be easily made from:

cardboard boxes;
plywood boxes;
plastic bottles;
car tires (bald rubber);
awning and mattress fabric, pieces of tarpaulin;
old car seats;
unnecessary furniture.

Children's playground with a slide
For people with imagination and skillful hands, nothing is impossible. The advantage of homemade objects for a playground is the ability to put into use everything that has been cluttering the site and outbuildings for years.

Crafts from car tires

Tires or old bald rubber are a practical material for constructing playground objects with your own hands.

The easiest way is to build a small sandbox for one child from waste rubber from a “heavy truck”. It is better to place it in the shade, since there is nowhere to place the “mushroom” or canopy. You can replace it with a fabric awning or an old beach umbrella, changing the location depending on the shade.

Children's playground with house and slide

Step-by-step instructions for creating a sandbox:

How to cover the ground for the playground?

Running on bare ground is not only unpleasant, but also dangerous for children of any age. And also the ubiquitous dirt, which then needs to be washed off.

To make the play area for children safe, non-slip and environmentally friendly, you can choose one of several flooring options:

Lawn . You can find grass seeds for your lawn in stores. If the playground is seeded with grass, then running in the play area will be very enjoyable for the children. But such a covering has its drawbacks - the grass is trampled down, it also takes a long time to dry after rain, and running on a wet lawn is dangerous. Constantly seeding, cutting and watering grass is labor-intensive, so this type of coverage is not very suitable for a play area.

Coarse sand . The child’s foot does not sink into this covering; it softens the fall. However, the disadvantages of sand include its ability to spread everywhere on shoes, problems with cleaning, and long drying times after rain. On average, the sand layer should be from 2 to 10 cm.

Artificial turf . A good choice for covering a playground. Unlike previous materials, artificial turf accurately imitates natural grass, it is practically not trampled, easily allows water to pass through and dries quickly. The downside is that the lawn is expensive and doesn’t cushion a child’s fall very well. When choosing such a covering, you should pay attention to the height and density of the blades of grass.

Rubber tiles . Relatively new coating for children's playgrounds. It has a lot of advantages. Softens the fall, dries quickly after rain, leaves no debris, and does not stain the child’s clothes. Especially for play areas, rubber tiles are produced in bright colors and with children's drawings. This material is practical and durable; the tiles can be laid on any surface and pre-leveled ground.

Self-leveling rubber coating . Modern material, it contains crumb rubber and polyurethane. The coating has all the advantages of rubber tiles, but it is quite difficult to lay it on a prepared surface, so such material is rarely used for a private children's playground in a summer cottage.

Modular plastic . This coating is convenient because it can be easily and quickly assembled from individual elements and laid on a prepared surface. The individual modular elements are connected using a lock. The basis for the module is high-quality plastic, it is safe for children, does not fade in the sun, dries quickly and does not retain water.

The playground surface must meet all quality and safety standards for children.

Where to place plastic containers?

This is a fertile material for exciting games, competitions and structures on the playground, built with your own hands. The straight wooden bridge will certainly be appreciated by young bowling fans. To do this you will need a dozen white plastic bottles filled with water or sand. It is not necessary to knock them down with special heavy balls; a football or basketball ball will do just fine.

Children's playground with house

Another idea for developing coordination and accuracy is to cut the containers to half. They can be hung on wire and thin rope or nailed to a wooden fence. The essence of the game is to hit these containers with a small ball. Not only plastic bottles will do, but also old mugs and tin cans.

Where to start creating a playground

Most often, parents leave their child without personal supervision and control on the playground. The peculiarity of such a space is that children develop through contact with surrounding objects. Games best contribute to a child’s learning, so even linguistic learning is recommended to be carried out through associative games.

Among other things, the baby independently designs the space provided to him

In the sandbox, children communicate and develop communication skills. In the cooking area, the baby learns to be independent. And in general, the children's area is designed with an emphasis on children's self-development.

The construction of a plan and design diagram for a home plot, private house or garden is done according to the dimensions of the free space in the yard or garden. In any case, even in a small play space, a small family member will feel comfortable. Do not forget about the safe design of such a structure and the use of high-quality and healthy building materials.

Children's playground project

Ideas for swings

It is not known why children like measured rocking, but it calms them down and trains the vestibular apparatus. It is known that those people who had a swing as a child get less motion sickness on the road.

Children's playground with awning

There are different design options, but they are all structurally similar:

a reliable, stable crossbar where the swing is hung;
seat (of different shapes);
cables (chains, ropes).

For a small child, a chair without legs is suitable, which will make a comfortable seat. It can be hung on a small horizontal branch of a large tree in the garden. But it’s better to make a support from wood and metal to get a full-fledged swing. A simple plank or an old tire will do for the seat; the main thing is to secure it securely with cables.

The same principle is used to make a sofa swing, in which the child will enjoy napping in the fresh air after lunch.

DIY playground design

Ideas, diagrams, drawings of a children's playground in the country

The sandbox is a favorite pastime for kids. The simplest option is a regular square or rectangular sandbox made of wooden boards.

If you add a drawing board to it, it will turn out fresh and unusual. The board can be mounted on supports or mounted into a wooden wall. In the second case, the wall will become protection from the sun, wind and stylish storage for buckets, shovels, and other play equipment.

Boys love pirate adventures - they will definitely love the sandbox ship. To set it up, it is enough to stretch an awning like a tourist tent and decorate its outer side with flags.

In large sandboxes, the walls can be placed as benches: ropes instead of traditional backs will enhance their resemblance to ship masts.

Children love to climb trees, so they will love this playground. Do you have cut branches and tree trunks, strong ropes at your dacha? With a little time and imagination, you’ll get a play area for active children.

In between active games, you want to relax. A table and chairs cut from tree trunks will decorate not only the home court, but the entire garden plot.

The fence on the open terrace can be used as a mount for a slide with a sandbox. This option is convenient because children are always supervised.

Wood is a flexible and pliable material. Timber and slats make stylish platforms. Even adults enjoy riding on such swings.

Does your child dream of a car? Used tires, old seats and a steering wheel are all you need to create it.

Active games in the fresh air are beneficial for the physical development of children. They will be stimulated by bright street horizontal bars and Swedish walls. It is important that the frame is stable and the fastenings of the beams are reliable.

Home climbing walls are another popular activity. The frame and walls for little climbers are made of smooth wooden boards so that children do not get hurt by knots and chips.

Pallets are also suitable for arranging a play area. From these you can easily assemble a house or gazebo for children and equip a sunbathing area.

Painted pallets look brighter and more impressive. Place mattresses on top to make it softer for babies to sit on and more comfortable for them to jump on.

Do-it-yourself fences for the playground

Colorful fences and stumps around the perimeter of the children's playground are another way to cheer up. Most often used for these purposes:

cutting boards;
logs sawn into “stumps”;
colored plastic bottles strung on a rope.

Large playground for children
Plastic bottles do not require painting; the main thing in choosing these parts is the color combination. Wooden fence slats can be painted in rainbow colors. A good idea is to give children the opportunity to show their creative inclinations and paint the picket fence themselves. Funny people, animals or anything else - let them draw what they want.

As an addition, let the teenagers paint real graffiti on the wall of an old barn or fence adjacent to the property. Just let them and their parents agree on the sketch of the drawing or inscription.

Children's playground design

Basic requirements for playgrounds

All outdoor playgrounds should be appropriate to the child’s physical development level, stimulate existing abilities and help acquire new skills. An important feature of a proper children's complex is the possibility of independent and active activity of the child, without the participation of an adult. Therefore, all sites, as a rule, are decorated as brightly as possible, and the structures installed on the site allow you to come up with a wide variety of options for their use.

It is quite natural that the installation of children's playgrounds in courtyards should be carried out in accordance with SNIP. Of all the rules and regulations, the most relevant ones can be identified:

isolation of the site from vehicle passages, the distance from parking lots cannot be less than 10 meters;
the site must be impassable, fenced off from pedestrian paths;
It is mandatory to provide landscaping around the perimeter; the site must have both sunny and shaded areas;
the minimum distance to “adult” sites and waste bins should be at least 20 meters;
at least once every three months, all installed equipment must undergo visual and functional inspection;
Sand in the sandbox is replaced once a year, and the safety of the sand must be confirmed by a sanitary and hygienic certificate.

If possible, install children's playgrounds in courtyards separately for each age group. There are three of them in total - for children under 3 years old, for preschool children (3-7 years old), and for children of primary school age (7-12 years old). In practice, due to the lack of sufficient space, attractions for different age groups are placed on the children's playground in the courtyard of the house. This option often becomes the only possible way to organize a children's area.

Original objects made of logs and wooden blocks

Play areas, sandboxes and areas of the children's playground can be delimited by various elements, including wood. For example, secure and decorate small logs dug in according to the markings. Colored chocks of different heights are a great idea for running along “stumps”, the distance between which should be calculated for children’s steps. They can be dug in one line or under the left and right legs alternately. For children, it doesn’t matter how such a barrier is made, as long as it is comfortable and beautiful.

Children's play area with a large slide

Toddlers have highly developed possessive instincts, so they often quarrel over the right to own a toy or play area. For these purposes, colored stumps delimit the sandbox into several separate areas - according to the number of children. Low posts are used by children to lay out “paskas” from molds.

Benefits of a playground

On the playground, the baby will feel “in his element.” He will have a territory that no one will encroach on, where he can leave his toys, switching to more interesting things. Here he can invite friends without the risk of dumping something he needs in the house or in the garden, here he learns to communicate with peers, older or younger children, and learn about the world around him in relative safety.

And adults will also like this idea. The young gardener will be able to do his own business without greatly distracting his parents from work or leisure.

The main thing is that the children's courtyard is located in a convenient and good place.