Ten principles for designing play

Ideas and practical resources for building new play spaces in a fresher and more inspiring manner.

Design for play: a guide to creating successful play spaces advocates a fresh design-led approach to commissioning based on 10 principles and encapsulated in one golden rule:

A successful play space is a place in its own right, specially designed for its location, in such a way as to provide as much play value as possible.

The 10 principles underlying this design-led approach depend on all those involved being able to imagine a play space that children will seek out, enjoy and return to – remembering their time there for years to come.

The ten principles

1. Imagine a play space designed to enhance its setting

Successful play spaces are designed to fit their surroundings and enhance the local environment, complementing attractive spaces and enhancing poorer environments.

2. Imagine a play space in the best possible place

Successful play spaces are located carefully ‘to be where children would play naturally’. While children often enjoy feeling as if they are away from adult oversight, there is a fine balance between a space that is pleasantly secluded and one that is remote and hidden away.

3. Imagine a play space close to nature

Grassy mounds, planting, logs, and boulders can all help to make a more attractive and playable setting for equipment, and planting can also help attract birds and other wildlife to literally bring the play space alive.

4. Imagine a play space where children can play in different ways

Successful play spaces can be used in different ways by children and young people of different ages and interests; they can also be important social spaces for parents and carers, as well as for children.

5. Imagine a play space where disabled and non-disabled children play together

Children with different abilities can play together in well-designed play spaces, and parents and carers who are themselves disabled should be able to gain access to play spaces if they are to accompany their children.

6. Imagine a play space loved by the community

A successful community engagement process will help create a site that the community likes and which meets its needs.

7. Imagine a play space where children of all ages play together

Good play spaces avoid segregating children on the basis of age or ability, and are laid out so that equipment and features can be used by a wide range of children, even allowing different patterns of usage throughout the day or week.

8. Imagine a play space where children can stretch and challenge themselves in every way

Children and young people need opportunities to experience challenge and excitement in their play.

9. Imagine a play space maintained for play value and environmental sustainability

Good play spaces are designed and constructed using sustainable materials and maintained to encourage different play experiences.

10. Imagine a play space that evolves as the children grow

Building some ‘slack space’ into the layout – space with no predefined function – can help introduce potential for change and evolution.

More information about the publication

Design for play: a guide to creating successful play spaces is published by Play England, the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport and is supported by CABE Space.