Playing with my children and watching the other kids at the playground is an enlightening experience that I cherish.  Nothing replaces the time with my children, especially when they are having fun at the playground!

Unfortunately, my kids are not perfect (not their Mother’s opinion) and sometimes have issues being patient, waiting their turn and overall be polite while playing with other kids.  I did some research on playground etiquette and here are 2 scenarios that you may find at the playground and how I try to address them.

The line at the swing:  my kids don’t like to wait; they want to swing now or when they are on the swing, don’t want to stop.
Option 1:  If my little bundle of joy is on the swing, I may say “OK, 5 more minutes and we will go play on the slide” (or any other piece they like).  This gives them a sense of closure and euphoria for the next play opportunity.
Option 2:  If he is waiting to get on the swing, I may say “Let’s only wait a few more minutes and then we will go to the slide”, again, a sense of closure and new opportunity.

Not your toy:  kids will play with anything, especially if another kid is having fun with it.  A toy truck in the sandbox is an excellent toy and often times when abandoned for a brief second, another child will assume possession, even if the toy belongs to the first kid.
Sharing is one of the hardest lessons to learn for kids (adults too…right Jon).  If the truck belongs to my son, I may say “Why don’t you play together, get the sand shovel and play like you are building something”.  This (hopefully) has two benefits: 1) my son learns to share; 2) my son develops his social skills.

These are just 2 common things I see and use to guide my children to learning to share and work with others; I welcome your comments and suggestions on playground etiquette.

#PlaygroundEtiquette

Safety Starts w/ Stability!

Kurt Karriker
704-589-7455
Creative Playscapes

The post Playground Etiquette first appeared on Creative Playscapes.

The project has been completed using our PIP (poured in place) Rubber Playground Safety Surfacing.  We are always happy to provide a safer environment for children to play and learn.  Our #1 Goal is Safety First!

#HopePark

Safety Starts w/ Stability!

Kurt Karriker
704-589-7455
Creative Playscapes

The post Hope Park Mooresville first appeared on Creative Playscapes.

Kids fall on every Charlotte Playground, that’s the fact!  Kids are kids and we love them for it, but it’s our job to keep our little bundles of joy safe, especially on our playgrounds.

Jon and I built Creative Playscapes with the primary focus on designing and building safe and fun playgrounds in the Charlotte, NC regions for kids to enjoy.  We do this so parents (like Jon and myself) don’t have to work about injury so much.  We do a very good job on every playground we have designed and built in Charlotte and the Southeast!

Here are some numbers from the Consumer Product Safety Commission:

• 79% of all playground injuries are due to falls
• 68% are due to falls to the ground surface

This is why it is imperative to have adequate fall surface and avoid liability.  We at Creative Playscapes are your safety surfacing experts. We have access to the latest testing data and materials specifications to design a surface that will meet your exact needs on the playground.  Budgets, maintenance, surface durability, and wear are all considered to help fit the exact needs of your facility.

EPDM Surfacing:
This is state of the art playground surfacing.  EPDM is made tiny rubber pellets, incorporated on the playground site with a urethane binder to form a playground surface that is “Pliable” or “Soft” in other words it’s very durable but cushiony too.

We install EDPM Surfacing in a variety of depths, using a fall guide AKA compliance regulations based on the fall height requirements of the playground equipment we are installing.  We usually strive for 2 to 4 inches of playground safety surfacing.

If playground safety is a topic you feel strongly about (like Jon and myself), EPDM is the surface coverage we recommend.

#PlaygroundSafetyCharlotte

Safety Starts w/ Stability!

Kurt Karriker
704-589-7455
Creative Playscapes

The post Playground Safety Surface Resource in Charlotte NC first appeared on Creative Playscapes.

Get outside and enjoy some play time with your kids and enjoy this 4^th of July.  Be safe and have fun!

Happy Independence Day from Jon & I at Creative Playscapes.

Safety Starts w/ Stability!

Kurt Karriker
704-589-7455
Creative Playscapes

The post Happy 4th of July first appeared on Creative Playscapes.

 

In the past twenty years, childhood obesity rates have did more than double and that’s not the only problem that has increased.  Pediatricians are handing out more antidepressants to children now than ever before by a pretty steep increase and the U.S.A. has become the largest consumer of ADHD medications across the globe.  It’s really stressful on our kids to be so out of shape and cooped up.  With the weather nice and warm, it’s the perfect time to get them out there playing and being active and social with other kids.

Play is not just “play”.  Kids are out having fun and enjoying their time while they are developing a lot of skills that will allow them to handle the real world as they grow older easier and they are exercising without even knowing it.  The importance of play can’t be emphasized enough.

Along with how important play is, it is also important to make sure your kids are playing in a safe environment.  Always check play equipment and make sure nothing is loose or able to become a hazard to a child.  Here at Creative Playscapes, we make the safety of the children our number one priority.  We create an environment where kids can play, learn, and grow into healthy, well rounded individuals without parents and caregivers having to worry about what they are playing on.  When it comes to kids, you can never be too safe and we have strict guidelines and restrictions to help make sure nothing is overlooked.

Safety Starts w/ Stability!

Kurt Karriker
704-589-7455
Creative Playscapes

The post Getting Healthy first appeared on Creative Playscapes.

When playgrounds are in directly sunlight they can become dangerously HOT!  The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) advises parents to check for hot surfaces on metal playground equipment before allowing young children to play on it.  It has been reported in several cases where children suffer from second and third degree burns from being on play equipment that is too hot.  Young children are most at risk because, unlike older children who react quickly by pulling away their hands or by getting off a hot surface, very young children may remain in place when they contact a hot surface.

One way to help lower the risk of playground equipment getting to hot, is to have a shade structure over it to protect it from the sun.  One of the cool things about having shade structures is that it not only keeps the play equipment out of direct sunlight but it helps keep the kids from getting sun burnt as well.

There are some risk factors to consider when getting sun burnt because the UV rays causes skin damage that can lead to skin cancer and sunburn is also very painful.  Any part of your body, including your earlobes, scalp and lips, can burn.  Your eyes, which are extremely sensitive to the sun’s ultraviolet light, also can burn.  Sunburned eyes may feel painful or gritty.  This can make life difficult for anyone, especially kids because it affects their sleep, focus, and overall comfort levels.  Sunburn should definitely be avoided as well as making sure sunblock is worn while outside playing.

Jon has designed dozens of unique custom shade structures for playgrounds and shopping malls.  We welcome the opportunity to discuss your next shade structure with you.

Safety Starts w/ Stability!

Kurt Karriker
704-589-7455
Creative Playscapes

The post HOT Playground Equipment first appeared on Creative Playscapes.

Over 200 students at Iron Station Elementary are enjoying their new playground from Creative Playscapes!  The previous wooden playground equipment was not stable and lacked durability, so a fund raiser was established, with a generous donation from Times Oil; the playground was installed for the first day of school.

The Iron Station Elementary playground is designated exclusively for kindergarten through second grade and is located near the new school wing, constructed in 2012.  The new addition to the school was the demise of the old wooden play set and established precedence for the more advanced and safer playground.

Numerous fundraisers generated the funds to purchase the equipment from Creative Playscapes, PTA fundraisers, October 2012 Walk-A-Thon, Times Oil, and funds previously obtained through the efforts of the parents and facility. 

PTA President, Mark Bartholomew headed the project and was paramount in the actual construction of the site and equipment.  The efforts of Mark and others involved in the construction saved the school thousands of dollars and permitted the project to be completed prior to opening day 2013.  PTA Vice President Ginger Bartholomew & wife to Mark, commented how the construction took 3 months, with her husband working up to 8:00 pm the night before opening day.  Students we obviously ecstatic about the new playground equipment and engulfed the area immediately.

Creative Playscapes is proud to be associated with the Iron Station Elementary School Playground project.

Safety Starts w/ Stability!

Kurt Karriker
704-589-7455
Creative Playscapes

The post Iron Station Playground first appeared on Creative Playscapes.

Global warming is a sensitive topic to many people, I’m not one to start or even engage in debates, but I have seen the obvious increase in the winter temperatures and (expect for this summer) the summer heat index has increased drastically over the past decade.  Regardless of your stance on global warming, it gets pretty hot in the summer months!

UV rays have a bad impact on light skin people, elderly, and our children, so protection is imperative.  The sale of sunblock explodes during the heat of summer and everyone is seeking a more climate controlled environment.  Shade is a big commodity during these heat waves, but there only seems to be so many trees any longer, so where do you turn?

Shade structures are a big part of our business, providing the comfort of shade to almost any area has its benefits.  We install many shade structures at the playgrounds we build, strip malls and restaurants all utilize shade structures.  With the vast improvement in designs and functionality, shade structures are as appealing as they are functional now.  Many outdoor venues exploit the unlimited shapes, contours and sizes of shade structures to appeal to their customers.

We offer a huge variety of shade structures, standard sizes that are pre-packaged and custom designed shades (Jon loves these).  With a rainbow of colors and the ability to have your company brand/logo printed on the material, shade structures are in big demand.  If you have been considering adding shade to your business, playground or home, call me personally to discuss your project, you may be pleasantly surprised with the quote and definitely the results.

Safety Starts w/ Stability!

Kurt Karriker
704-589-7455
Creative Playscapes

The post Shade Structures first appeared on Creative Playscapes.

Our background in construction and safety drives us to building the absolute safest playground possible.  Often time’s budgets will dictate what we can and can’t use for the surface of a playground, but instances where we are asked to use a surface we are not confident in, we decline the project.  Jon and I said from the very first conversation of starting Creative Playscapes, if it’s not safe, we won’t do it.  We stand by that and will never view child safety any other way.

The playground surface or play area is typically where most injuries occur, the incorrect surfacing for the play structures involved will escalate the opportunity for injury.  Jon is the master at determining what playground surface materials we use; he cringes at the thought of concrete unless it’s a walkway.  Sand & gravel is another playground surface he is very particular in placing.  Some things just naturally work well together (like me and Jon) while others just invite issues.  Jon has researched the variety of playground surfacing products available and understands what is safe and which surface should be installed with every play structure we install.  I depend a lot on Jon and his expertise; he has never let me or a customer down!

• Playground Surfaces
• Wood Fiber Carpet
• Artificial Turf
• Rubber Surfaces
• Rubber Mulch
• PIP (pour in place consolidated surfaces)

200 thousand children visit an emergency room each year from playground related injuries that number increases to 500 thousand if doctor visits are included.  We strive to reduce that number by installing the safest playgrounds and surfaces possible.

Safety Starts w/ Stability!

Kurt Karriker
704-589-7455
Creative Playscapes

The post Playground Surfacing first appeared on Creative Playscapes.

I grew up in the country and always had several dogs around.  We never had to use a lease or worry about our dogs barking and bothering the neighbors, we couldn’t even see our closest neighbor.  Of course this was 40+ years ago and oh how times have changed, these days a walk with your dog encompasses a leash, harness, bottle of dog water, bags for….well you know what, and all sorts of stuff I would have never dreamed of as a child, but since we have domesticated our four legged friends, certain responsibilities come along with it.  That’s not a bad thing at all.  I like my domesticated best friend much more now than my experience as a child.

25 years ago, if you told me I would be designing and building dog parks in Charlotte, I would have fallen down laughing, but guess what….Here I Am!  AND it’s a fun part of our business.  Jon loves to design the dog parks.  A longtime lover of animals, Jon smiles every time I tell him he gets to create another dog park, he literally smiles from ear to ear.  I must admit, Jon does a heck of a job designing and creating these dog playgrounds, his heart is truly into his pets.

Our dog parks are custom designed by Jon, he can incorporate a variety of composite structures for climbing, obstacles to run through and/or around and even some for specific training purposes.  I specifically remember the dog training facility Jon design for a law enforcement facility; it was his masterstroke of dog parks.

Are you looking to build a dog park or a dog training facility in the Charlotte area?  We can help; just give us a call for a consultation.  It will be fun, especially for Jon!

Safety Starts w/ Stability!

Kurt Karriker
704-589-7455
Creative Playscapes

The post Dog Parks Playgrounds for Pups first appeared on Creative Playscapes.