Resource Center
The Nashville Playground Resource Center
Plain-English answers to the questions families, schools and communities ask before they build a play space.
Call us today615-357-7797Choosing the Right Play Equipment
Start with who will use it. Toddlers love low platforms, small slides and sandboxes. Elementary kids want climbing walls, bridges and taller slides. Older kids and teens like ninja-style courses, rings and bars.
Then think about how much play you want in one place. A simple swing beam is a great start. A custom multi-tower system gives more to do and room to add. Our Play Style Quiz and Custom Playground Builder can help you narrow it down.
How Much Space Do You Need?
Equipment needs more room than its footprint. Every piece needs a clear safety zone around it, and swings need extra space in front and behind where nothing hard can be in the swing path.
Measure your usable space, note slopes, trees, fences and wires, and try our Backyard Space Planner. We confirm everything on site.
Surfacing: What Goes Under the Play
Surfacing cushions falls. Rubber mulch, engineered wood fiber, poured-in-place rubber, rubber tiles and turf with a shock pad each work differently and cost differently.
Depth and material depend on the height of the equipment and the product, so follow the manufacturer’s guidance and ask us. Borders and drainage keep surfacing in place and the area dry.
Wood, Steel and Plastic
Wood, such as cedar, looks natural and can be repaired and restained. Steel frames are common on commercial equipment. Plastic slides and panels add color and are easy to wipe clean.
Every material needs care over time. Regular cleaning, tightening and checking keep equipment in good shape.
Play for Every Age
Equipment is made for age ranges, and the right choice depends on your kids today and in a few years. Plan features that grow with them, like a swing beam that can take new swings or a frame that can add a wall.
At schools and community playgrounds, separate zones for younger and older kids often work well.
Adventure Courses and Ninja Courses
Adventure courses mix climbing, balance and rope features. Ninja-style courses add rings, bars and warped walls. Both build strength, balance and confidence and keep kids moving.
They need generous safety zones and deep surfacing, and we plan them for your kids’ ages and abilities.
Trampoline Basics
A good trampoline spot is level, with clear space around and overhead and away from fences, trees, wires and other equipment. Enclosures, spring pads and anchoring are part of a safer setup.
Our Trampoline Spot Checker walks you through a spot, and we are happy to install, move or repair trampolines.
Planning a Commercial Playground
Schools, daycares, churches, parks and communities need to think about age groups, supervision, accessibility, surfacing, shade, fencing and maintenance together.
Our Commercial Playground Planner gives you a checklist to bring to us. Requirements depend on your site and local rules, and we help you plan.
Caring for Your Playground
A quick look before play, a closer monthly check and a thorough seasonal check are good habits. Look for loose bolts, splinters, worn parts, low surfacing and anything damaged.
Our Playground Check-Up Checklist walks you through it, and we offer repairs and maintenance walkthroughs.
Choosing an Installer
Ask whether the plan includes safety zones, surfacing and borders, how the equipment will be anchored and what happens if something is not right. Be wary of pressure, vague quotes and anyone who will not explain.
A good installer explains, shows you the plan and gives you options.
At a Glance
Surfacing Types Compared
Free Tools
Planners to Try Next
Custom Playground Builder
Design your own playground piece by piece: pick a frame, add swings, slides, climbers and extras, choose colors and see it come to life.
Open the toolBackyard Space Planner
Enter your yard and your equipment and see the safety zones laid out to scale, with a clear fits or does-not-fit answer.
Open the toolSurfacing Depth and Volume Calculator
Enter the size of your play area and the depth you plan to use and see how much material to order, with a settling allowance.
Open the toolPlayground Check-Up Checklist
Walk your playground with a tap-through checklist of practical checks, then print it or send it to us.
Open the toolKnow the Words
A Short Glossary
- Safety zone
- The clear space around equipment where nothing hard or in the way should be.
- Fall height
- How far a child could fall from the highest standing or sitting point. It guides surfacing choices.
- Loose-fill
- Surfacing made of loose pieces, such as rubber mulch or engineered wood fiber.
- Poured-in-place
- A seamless rubber surface installed wet on site and cured in place.
- Anchor
- Hardware that fixes a frame or trampoline to the ground so it stays put.
- Platform
- The deck of a play structure that kids stand or sit on.
- Entrapment
- A gap that could trap a child’s head or body. Good design avoids them.
- Border
- Timber, stone or plastic edging that holds surfacing in.
How much space does a swing set need?
More than the frame itself. Swings need clear space in front and behind, and every piece of equipment needs a safety zone around it. Try our Backyard Space Planner and we confirm on site.
What should go under a playset?
Soft surfacing such as rubber mulch, engineered wood fiber, poured-in-place rubber or tiles, at a depth suited to the equipment height and the product. We help you choose and install it.
What age is a backyard playset good for?
It depends on the equipment. Toddlers and older kids need different features, so we plan with your kids’ ages and leave room to add as they grow.
Is a trampoline enclosure necessary?
A net enclosure and spring pads are a strong part of a safer setup. We recommend them and explain good house rules.
How often should I check my playground?
A quick look before use, a closer monthly check and a thorough check each season are good habits. Our Playground Check-Up Checklist walks you through it.
Free Estimate
Let’s Build Something Fun
Request your free estimate. Tell us about your yard or your site, who the play space is for and what you are dreaming of, and we will get back to you quickly. Or call 615-357-7797.
Get Your Free Estimate
Music City Playgrounds designs and installs custom backyard playgrounds, swing sets, adventure courses, trampolines and commercial playgrounds across Nashville and Middle Tennessee.
Call us today615-357-7797- Serving 21 Middle Tennessee cities
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