Playground equipment for schools
For a standard project, playground equipment for schools usually runs from $35,000 to $85,000. To lower that bill, your committee can use matching funds, which are discounts given when a program matches part of your school spending.
What Playground Equipment for Schools Costs
$35,000 to $85,000
Published figure for standard commercial playground for faith centers, daycares and schools, from the cost guide at adventureplaysystems.com (published, not our estimate).
Get quotes for your site Work out your group's cost range
Other Published Figures
KOMPAN school example: $98,900 of products, $17,800 to install, $12,500 of surfacing and $10,400 of freight: $139,600, says kompan.com.
Average cost of playground equipment: $15,000 to $50,000, says gametime.com.
Grants and Matching Funds Open to a Public School or PTO
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.
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.
Calculating Space Needs Based on Number of Children
To plan a school budget, we begin by counting the children who will play at the same time. Plan for 75 square feet of ground space per child, and you can budget $1,000 per child just for play structures.
| Children at Once | Ground Area | Total With Wood Fiber |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | 1,125 square feet | $24,900 to $28,700 |
| 30 | 2,250 square feet | $49,900 to $57,400 |
| 50 | 3,750 square feet | $83,100 to $95,600 |
Our playground cost estimate lets you try other group sizes.
Options for Ground Surfacing on School Playgrounds
Your project budget includes a large share for the ground material under your play structure. For an area of 1,000 square feet, expect engineered wood fiber costs of $3,500 to $5,500 for wood that is specially shredded to cushion falls. Poured-in-place rubber runs $9,000 to $18,000 on that same area: a surface with no seams, poured right onto your playground. Compare more materials in our guide to playground surfacing costs.
Can our committee get one quote that covers the whole project?
Assembly, delivery, the ground surface and the play structure all fit inside a full quote. Installation by a professional crew runs 25 to 35 percent of the price of the equipment; our guide to playground installation costs shows what that covers. Shipping, or freight, adds 15 percent more to that price.
A single short request for quotes, sent when you want to compare prices, reaches playground equipment dealers and manufacturers' representatives. These regional brand specialists quote the equipment, surfacing, and installation for your site.
Common Questions About Playground Equipment for Schools
Which playground equipment for schools is the best?
Commercial equipment built for how many children play at once is the best pick. Typical playground equipment costs run $15,000 to $50,000 before assembly, surfacing, and shipping. Including delivery, installation, surfacing, and structures, a larger school project can reach $139,600 in total.
What equipment ideas suit a school playground?
Schools may combine a permanent shade structure or a fitness course with standard play systems. A shade structure grant of up to $8,000 is available from the American Academy of Dermatology, as long as your school's sun-safety program has operated for one year or longer.
Where does a school buy its playground equipment?
Schools place orders with commercial playground equipment manufacturers and their dealers. Gathering prices does not require you to reach out to every company on your own. You can send one brief request to dealers and manufacturers' representatives for a quote on your school project.
How can you get free playground equipment?
Grants covering a whole project are uncommon, so committees mix playground grants for schools with local money. Rural community facilities grants are open to areas of 20,000 residents or fewer. They cover a large share of essential equipment in the smallest, lowest-income places. GameTime's own play systems qualify for GameTime matching funds, and schools without a Burke playground purchase within the past three years may use Burke matching funds instead. Check our playground grants finder for the programs your state offers.
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.