The dream to build a business creating unique and practical Jungle Gyms started when my eldest turned 2. He is now 18 and has moved from gyms to climbing mountains. KidZplay Jungle Gyms is now a leading manufacturer, seller, and renter of quality playground equipment that has stood the test of time.
My idea was to make playground equipment that really works and, that would be a perfect source of joy for many families and teachers. This would mean that they needed the elements of adventure, safety, skill development, and fun built into them. And so the concept started to take shape and has now had 16 years of fine-tuning to bring incredible products to you in your space.
In my Foundation Phase teacher training, our textbooks never even looked at steel equipment. It was assumed that wood was the answer. I’ve done a lot of thinking about that in my teaching and child-rearing years. I am firmly convinced that steel is the way to go. Let me tell you why.
Hand-grip Size
Okay, let’s start with handgrip size. Spot the difference? Steel appeals to all our instincts for safety. When children feel safe, they want to explore and experiment.
Jungle Gym Bar Spacing
Next, we look at the spacing of bars.
Much thought has been given to exact distances between bars for each age group. These distances are smaller for the littlies and challenge our older ones to reach further in life – while still being safe. Where areas need to be ‘enclosed’, bar spacing ensures that no little bodies can fall through, but as they get to using the bigger pieces of equipment, the bars are spaced to allow for access to different areas or to challenge reaching the children to reach forward and up (or down). Thoughtful planning has been done so that children get the chance to logically consider different pathways of entry/exit.
Colourful and Bright
And what about the colours? This is one of the amazing advantages – a stimulating, colour-filled playground wonderland! In doing some research I found that children take in the world around them through their eyes. Bright colours are one of the first aspects of sight that help them distinguish form and categorize objects. They spend more time looking at bright colours as opposed to looking at muted shades or pastels.
Low maintenance
My next point will appeal to teachers and parents alike. This is the low maintenance of steel. No worries about rotting wood or splinters or sharp plastic bits that have been damaged by our South African sunshine. When gyms are galvanised, rust is not a concern. One just needs to look at the public parks that have been around for decades – all steel. What a great thing to be able to not only have equipment for your children – but the generation after that too!
Moveable
Lastly, unlike implanted products, steel gyms can be moved around the garden. They become whole new pieces of even by just changing the angle. Teachers can create a new playground each term and parents can move them from shade to sunny areas depending on the season. Don’t forget the sigh of relief for the guy who has to mow the lawn too!
So…in a nutshell (or should I say playground…) KidZplay Jungle gyms makes sense and we would LOVE to be of service to you.
What do you think?
