Kids Planet Nursery, Higher Broughton
Two nursery playgrounds for a brand new build
The Kids Planet Nursery group is a long-standing client of ours with whom business is always a pleasure. As an expanding family-owned chain of nursery schools, they create beautifully designed educational spaces brimming with warmth and colour. Our task is to match their branding and enthusiasm with our designs across all of their sites, installing brand new playground equipment of the highest standard that adheres to their increasingly popular nationwide brand.
At the Higher Broughton site, we were presented with two spaces to install; one large ground floor playground and an interesting rooftop playground. In both, taking full advantage of the available space was paramount.
The ground floor playground included both wetpour and artificial grass playground surfacing, meshing the two into a colourful roadway track. Surrounding this we installed an interactive water wall, a triple splish splash water trough and a sandpit play boat – all fantastic pieces for encouraging group play but equally suited for individual play. As well as this we incorporated a natural play area, starting with a raised bed of wood chippings and installing upon it three willow wigwams, stump seats and drape posts for a real outdoor camping feel.
Beyond this area we constructed a polycarbonate pergola divided with stockade fencing. In one half we fitted a storytelling chair and horseshoe bench along with both drawing and painting play panels for an excellent interactive storytelling area. The other half of the pergola was fitted with wetpour half spheres, a large flat mirror and a wavy mirror, ideal for sensory play for the youngest pupils.
The rooftop playground was surfaced entirely with artificial grass in black and green to form another roadway, complete with zebra crossing for road safety education. Like the ground floor, we also fitted a smaller nature area with a willow wigwam and stump seats on wood chippings. Making use of the wall space we installed a multi music play panel along with painting, drawing and chalk play panels for a variety of interactive play options. For Sand & Water play activities we installed a splish splash water trough and lockable sandpit, and we completed the rooftop with safa deck staging, a storytelling chair and a chalkboard.
The finished project is a bright and colourful environment, perfect for taking education into the outside world. Jam packed with activities to fire up the kids’ imaginations, the Higher Broughton site has since become an excellent tool to introduce our new clients to a wide variety of space utilising possibilities. We very much look forward to the future endeavours of the Kids Planet group.
