Children from a primary school in Havant were given the chance to help install the play equipment in their local playground, in a true ‘Bob the Builder’ experience.
Play equipment specialists Sutcliffe Play invited children from Front Lawn Primary Academy to help install a new rotating roundabout and zip wire at their local park, The Rec.
“We had lots of fun and wore ‘High Vis’ jackets and hard hats to keep us safe,” reported 10-year-old school council members Harry Stone and Sabrina McBrayne. “We tied matting together with cable ties and helped dig with a shovel around the mats. Next, we hammered in pegs to secure the matting to the ground. Each of us had a go – it was hard work!
“Finally before heading back to school, we had a play on the Rotator dish. So now everyone can enjoy and have fun on these new pieces of equipment.”
The Front Lawn Primary Academy pupils themselves chose Sutcliffe Play’s equipment for the playground, after Havant Borough Council asked the children for their help in the selection process. The pupils voted on their favourite activity, choosing from ‘rotating’, ‘swinging’, ‘spinning’ and ‘bouncing’, and ‘rotating’ was the winner.
The children then voted on a selection of equipment, from which they chose Sutcliffe Play’s Oyster Roundabout and Mission Glide unit.
“The children of Front Lawn Primary Academy were very excited to contribute their thoughts and opinions on what equipment they wanted to have at their local playground, The Rec. They felt very proud to have been involved within this whole process,” says school council leader Sarah Boister.
June Felix from Sutcliffe Play adds: “At Sutcliffe Play we love to get children involved with the installation of our equipment, as it gives them true ownership of their new playground and allows them to experience the process from start to finish. We hope the pupils at Front Lawn Academy will continue to enjoy their local playground for many years to come.”
