Inclusive playground equipment
To let all children play together, pair firm ground surfaces with accessible play structures when planning inclusive playground equipment. Equipment budgets begin near $1,000 per child playing at one time. You can expect a large inclusive playground to cost about $150,000.
What Inclusive Playground Equipment Costs
$150,000
Published figure for large inclusive or custom playground budget, from the cost guide at gametime.com (published, not our estimate).
Get quotes for your site Work out your group's cost range
Other Published Figures
Average cost of playground equipment: $15,000 to $50,000, says gametime.com.
KOMPAN public park example: $158,000 of products, $40,100 to install, $14,000 of surfacing and $20,000 of freight: $232,100, says kompan.com.
Grants and Matching Funds Open to a Nonprofit or Community Group
Programs this kind of group can apply for:
American Academy of Dermatology Shade Structure Grant
American Academy of Dermatology
As much as $8,000 toward a permanent shade structure. Your group must have kept a sun-safety program going for a year or longer before it applies.
KABOOM Community-Built Playspace grants
A national nonprofit
KABOOM and its funding partners design and build a playground with you. Only cities and metro areas listed by KABOOM on its site at the time are eligible.
Land and Water Conservation Fund
Each state's park grant office handles National Park Service grants
These grants match funding for park land and outdoor recreation facilities, including playgrounds. Deadlines are set by the park grant office in your state.
Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership
National Park Service
Larger cities and towns compete for these federal park grants. Communities of 25,000 people or more are eligible.
Community Development Block Grant
The U.S. Housing and Urban Development agency distributes these funds by way of cities, counties and states.
Cities and counties may spend federal money on community projects like parks. Smaller towns apply through the state, while large urban counties and cities with 50,000 people or more receive it directly.
USDA Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant
USDA Rural Development
Small rural towns can get loans and grants for equipment and community buildings. Only rural places with 20,000 residents or fewer qualify.
GameTime Community Champions matching funds (a manufacturer program)
GameTime (a PlayCore company)
On its own play systems, GameTime adds extra equipment value. The biggest share, as much as the whole price, goes to orders over $75,000 paid in full; smaller or financed orders get less. Within the lower 48 states (every state but Alaska and Hawaii), this offer applies only to GameTime play systems.
BCI Burke matching funds (a manufacturer program)
BCI Burke (manufacturer)
You can receive up to 100% in matching funds for a new Burke outdoor fitness course or playground. Schools, parks, towns and other groups qualify if their last Burke playground purchase was more than three years ago.
Rules for Access on ADA Playground Equipment
To let children using wheelchairs or walkers reach activities, every public play area must have a clear path from the entrance. Three core features are required by federal access rules:
- Each type of ground-level play activity needs one or more examples placed right on the accessible route.
- Provide a transfer system that is at least 24 inches wide to help kids move from mobility devices to raised decks.
- Lay down a firm surface along the path so wheels roll easily without sinking.
Sizing Your Space and Choosing Sensory Playground Equipment
Music elements, motion pieces, and ground-level panels allow children of different abilities to play side by side without climbing steps. The full footprint for these pieces at a school, park or church depends on the number of children playing together at one time.
To give every piece safe clearance, we assign 75 square feet for each child. For 15 children, a site uses 1,125 square feet, but 2,250 square feet are needed for 30 children.
What surface material works with your budget?
Wheelchairs can cross engineered wood fiber because its milled wood pieces knit into a firm surface; the milling also softens falls. Poured in place rubber is a rubber surface with no seams. Workers mix it and trowel it across your site, so mobility devices roll smoothly.
| Surface Material | Installed Price per Square Foot | Cost for 1,000 Square Feet |
|---|---|---|
| Engineered wood fiber | $3.5 to $5.5 | $3,500 to $5,500 |
| Poured in place rubber | $9 to $18 | $9,000 to $18,000 |
After you settle on a headcount and a surface, one brief quote request reaches dealers and manufacturers' representatives. These local specialists work for playground manufacturers, pricing equipment, surfacing and installation.
Common Questions About Inclusive Playground Equipment
Which items count as inclusive playground equipment?
In accessible play areas, ground-level activities run along a smooth path, while ramps or wide transfer steps connect the raised decks To keep play areas cool, committees add permanent shade structures and also include outdoor fitness courses for older children.
What is the process for building an inclusive playground?
Size your ground area and structures by first counting the children who will play there at once. Pick a firm surface that mobility devices cross easily. Our grants finder also lists matching programs from manufacturers and state grants for your group.
What extra cost do installation and shipping add to the budget?
Expect professional playground installation to add 25 to 35 percent onto the equipment price. You also pay freight, defined as the charge for shipping crates from the manufacturer to your site. For United States addresses, freight costs average 15 percent of the equipment price.
What is the total cost for a large public park project?
When every project part is included, a complete public park example from KOMPAN reaches $232,100. That total includes delivery, professional installation, protective ground surfacing, and play products. Our playground cost calculator helps smaller sites estimate their full project range using just one headcount number.
Get quotes from playground dealers
Tell us about the site once. Dealers who sell commercial playground equipment in your area use it to quote equipment, surfacing and installation.