Someries Junior School add Outdoor Playground Shelter

Having looked around they chose to work with A&S Landscape, opting for our Maxima Umbrella to bring a little extra cover to their grassy play area. Working closely with the team at Someries Junior School, we installed a Maxima Umbrella, supported on a single upright, at 5000mm x 5000mm with striking grey steelwork (RAL 7037) and poppy red fabric that has a bold and playful look, visible from all over the site.

The Maxima Umbrella is one of our most popular shade canopies because of how functional it is whilst also adding an imaginative and whimsical design that keeps play areas feeling playful.

Why is playing outdoors so important for the social and physical development of children and how can we allow them to spend more outside?

Play is the heart of childhood, when children are well and unquestionably being themselves, but for a great number of children the opportunity to play outdoors, enjoying physical activity and fresh air, is restricted. Today’s generation of children aged 4-11 years spend a great deal of hours playing computer games, on iPads and watching TV and so this invaluable period of activity is more important than ever to offset long hours indoors in front of a screen. Shocking recent research show that a third of children play outdoors for half an hour or less in a normal day. That’s less time outside than prison inmates get! Of the 1,000 UK families who took part in the survey, 82% blamed the unreliable British weather.

Promoting more outdoor play is not just about the physical element of their health though. Active play during the school day are also helping children’s mental health. It teaches them how to share their opinions and emotions and listen to those of others. The practice of expressing themselves, taking risks and sharing are all vital stepping stones on the path to approaching adulthood with the capability to discuss, debate and empathise.

Want to see more? Click here to access our full post to find out more about the benefits of outdoor play on children.

If you’re looking to add some shade to exposed areas then we have a range of solutions, from our Maxima Umbrella to our Shade Sails which offer an even more creative design. We also have a fantastic range of outdoor playground shelters and dining canopies that mean whatever you’re looking for, we have it covered.

Take a look at our gallery here and once you have found a design that really excites you, get in touch and our design team can start working with you to get the work done!