Local Government

Kidsafe NSW has assisted many local government authorities in NSW with playground development, playground management strategies, inspections and workshops on playground inspection methods tailored to individual councils.

Playground Strategies

Below are links to some examples of local goverment playground strategies:

The City of Canada Bay - Let's Play

Wyong Shire - Places and Spaces

City of Sydney - Parks and Open Sapces Plans of Management

Community Consultation

Local government can strengthen their confidence capacities and connections through processes which engage and inform their communities about Council activities. Community consultation is a key tool to appropriately involve the community in planning and decision making. 

Playspace design can only be considered successful if it provides for the wants and needs of the end-user whether it be in a park, community centre or children's service. The only way to ensure you are providing for the end user, is by asking them what they need and want through community consultation.

Read the article Community Consultation - A Design Tool

Sandpits in Public Playspaces

Research clearly indicates that children prefer natural landscapes and materials (as opposed to man-made materials). The suggestion is that humans are genetically programmed (by evolution) to have an affinity for vegetation, natural materials and nature, and children are particularly sensitive in this regard.

The benefits to a child's development by including a sandpit in a playspace include:

• Cognitive skills - through cause and effect, seriation, comparison (eg wet and dry), problem solving
• Language skills - expressive and receptive conversation skills
• Physical skills including fine and perceptual motor skills and gross motor skills
• Social and emotional skills eg. onlooker play, solitary play, parallel play, associative play and co-operative play.

Sand play can be copied by others, encourages fantasy play and is a developmentally appropriate activity as it accommodates the needs of varying
ages, abilities and interests of children

If a risk-benefit analysis of a sandpit is undertaken, the benefits to the community greatly outweigh the risks.

Read the article A Sandpit for Foley Park - Glebe