Playground questionnaires.

38 questionnaires

Kristin Stott carried out a small questionnaire over the course of several days at various times of the day. The aim of the questionnaire was to find out parents, children, grandparents, and carer's views on the play area in Holmewood gardens. From the responses given 69 children were represented from the following age groups;

Age 1-3	31
Age 3-5	15
Age 5-10	19
Age 10+	4

The general feeling is that the children have a lovely space to play but it needs improvement. The equipment is battered, in need of repair; limited, dangerous are just some comments from the questionnaires. Lack of maintenance is a problem and there is often broken glass around the play equipment.

Parents and guardians would like to see the railings fixed, with closing gates and speed restrictions imposed around the gardens.

When asked for ideas on how to improve the play area the most popular words used were adventurous, imaginative, themed. The residents would like to see a wider variety of play equipment for all ages with more physically demanding challenges for older children.

Listed below are some ideas the residents have for improving the play area;

• Separate Toddlers play area and junior play area
• Up to date equipment
• Swings infant and junior- it is thought that the space is large enough that these could be placed apart.
• Railing around toddlers play area
• Monkey bars
• Rocking toys
• Sand pit
• Paddling pool
• Climbing frames for different age groups (themed to enhance imaginary play e.g. ship or castle)
• Bigger slide
• Hop scotch
• Roundabout with pedals
• Picnic area
• Perimeter tarmac path for bike riding
• See -saw
• Wildlife area
• Climbing net
• Tunnels
• Integrate trees with playground (seats, camps, rope swings/ladders)
• New safety surface
• Football net
• Basketball net
• Bright fresh colours
• Better seating for adults
• Toilets
• Cafe
• Dissuade night time visitors

FOOTBALL and HIDE AND SEEK are popular with the older children however it is felt that this could be separated from the little ones.

Suggested examples of successful play areas from questionnaires:

• Tooting Triangle Playground
• Streatham Common
• Wandsworth Common
• King Georges Park
• Cowley Estate

Ideas for group activity

• Gardening club as in Brockwell Park
• 10 o'clock club with bikes, cars, buggies etc.
• Saturday morning summer scheme