Ideas for Play Equipment

Indoor Play Equipment

• Indoor play equipment ideas usually create calm activities appropriate for the restricted environment. Use green felt and markers to create a city map with roads that children can use with toy trucks and cars. Instead of spending money on plastic play kitchens and food, use felt to make your own pieces. Cut and decorate felt plates, pots and stove burners. Add a variety of felt food, such as apple pie, bread slices, cheese slices, apples, carrots and cupcakes.
  Use foam and padding to create indoor play equipment that encourages activity. A day care, community center or playroom can add foam block stairs with large foam tubes to create a soft and safe climbing area. Add a padded ball pit and wide balance beam with a padded floor. If the room is large enough, add a pad-lined slide with a padded landing area.

Outdoor Play Equipment

• The most popular and low-cost play equipment pieces use old tires. Two stacked tires create a hidey-hole for small children. Two tires secured between four poles create a climbing toy for older children. A single tire and rope secured to a tree branch creates a simple swing for children of all ages.
  The most popular and expensive outdoor play equipment ideas employ themes. Use a pirate ship theme to create a wood swing set with a slide, crow̵7;s nest, plastic telescope and climbing rope. Create a fairy-themed piece of play equipment with a blue water slide, flower decorated swings, vine-patterned support rods and toadstool spinning seats.

Indoor/Outdoor Play Equipment

• Play equipment ideas that create small and light pieces are highly versatile. The equipment can be moved indoors or outdoors as needed. Use a small, plastic, elephant-shaped slide to keep toddlers entertained in the house or in the yard. Place a plastic playhouse in a playroom or on the porch to entertain toddler and elementary aged children. Use basic equipment, such as jump ropes, skip ropes, plastic swords and child-size toy cars, to play games in a yard or large playroom.
  Use soft foam balls to play catch inside or outside if you̵7;re looking for low-cost play equipment. It̵7;s also budget-friendly to have children create a fort from a large cardboard box that they can use in the house or the yard. Use permanent markers to decorate plastic containers that can be used as play equipment in a sand box or a bathtub.