Preschool playground equipment
Smaller projects for a child care center usually run from $25,000 to $75,000 when buying preschool playground equipment. To estimate your budget, count the children playing at once, then add the ground cover and the installation.
What Preschool Playground Equipment Costs
$25,000 to $75,000
Published figure for smaller playground projects for daycares and churches, from the cost guide at playworld.com (published, not our estimate).
Get quotes for your site Work out your group's cost range
Other Published Figures
KOMPAN kindergarten example: $83,000 of products, $18,000 to install, $10,500 of surfacing and $8,800 of freight: $120,300, says kompan.com.
Standard commercial playground for faith centers, daycares and schools: $35,000 to $85,000, says adventureplaysystems.com.
Grants and Matching Funds Open to a Preschool or Daycare
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.
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.
How to Plan Ages and Space for Your Play Area.
Safety guidance from public agencies sorts daycare playground equipment by age. Toddler areas serve ages six to 23 months, while preschool structures serve ages two through five. Budget about $1,000 per child playing at once if you choose montessori playground equipment or traditional climbers. Outdoor play space of 75 square feet per child using the yard at once is often required by state child care rules like Virginia's licensing standard.
Selecting Ground Cover for Young Children
Installed under play structures to cushion falls, safety surfacing is a soft ground material every play area needs. For cushioned playground surfaces, engineered wood fiber costs $3,500 to $5,500 per 1,000 square feet and consists of shredded wood. Poured in place rubber, a seamless surface poured on site, costs You will pay between $9 and $18 for every square foot. installed.
| Children Playing at Once | Total Project With Wood Fiber | Total Project With Poured Rubber |
|---|---|---|
| 15 children (1,125 sq ft) | $24,900 to $28,700 | $31,100 to $42,800 |
| 30 children (2,250 sq ft) | $49,900 to $57,400 | $62,300 to $85,500 |
| 50 children (3,750 sq ft) | $83,100 to $95,600 | $103,800 to $142,500 |
How Much Do Setup and Shipping Add?
Installation by professionals typically adds an extra 25 to 35 percent of the equipment cost to what you pay. Delivery charges for heavy play structures, called freight, add roughly 15 percent of the equipment price for United States addresses. While you research playground grants for daycares, matching funds may come up too. These manufacturer discounts match part of your purchase and put it toward their own equipment, like GameTime's Community Champions program. Manufacturers' representatives and playground equipment dealers can give complete pricing after you submit a single short quote request. These representatives are local specialists for the manufacturers.
Common Questions About Preschool Playground Equipment
Can you name some examples of playground equipment?
GameTime play systems, BCI Burke playground structures and fitness courses, and permanent shade structures are all commercial options. Play products, surfacing, freight, and installation come included in the $120,300 cost for a complete kindergarten project from KOMPAN. Rubber mulch, turf, or rubber tiles are ground surfaces you can also choose.
Up to what age do kids use playsets?
Public playground safety rules apply to children up through grade school, covering equipment for ages five to 12 years. Kids in early learning centers usually switch from preschool structures to grade school playsets near age five. Choosing structures built for your age group keeps slides and climbers sized for your students.
What are the pieces of a playground called?
Dealers and manufacturers usually refer to these items as standard commercial playgrounds, play structures, or commercial play systems. Planning guides aimed at schools, daycares, and faith centers list $35,000 to $85,000 as the cost of a standard commercial playground. Our team can link your committee to dealers offering one clear estimate that bundles installation, surfacing, and structures.
What ideas are there for an outdoor playground for preschoolers?
A permanent shade structure helps keep young children safe, and shade grants worth up to $8,000 come from the American Academy of Dermatology if your center has operated a sun-safety program for a year or more. Rubber tiles cost $5,000 to $8,000 per 1,000 square feet, and you can compare them with turf or rubber mulch. See how various options affect your budget by trying our playground cost estimate.
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.