Playgrounds & Barkchips

[Mariposa]

(I am not new, but finally registered because I thought I could add images. Opened my in-home childcare last week. 20years experience, 15 in centers titles ranging Assistant-Director.)


My yard does not have play equipment due to bark chip (or similar-bark chip is the best option) requirements but I also really want one. Hardship is both financial (I am guessing that my 12 by 8 ft area 9 inches deep is 2.7 cubic yards. The nearby place is $42 a yard $1000 +-? (Plus tax deductible to do it now) and the work for it and making a barrier around it. My husband would make the barrier, and we are going to ask our neighbor friends to mask up and help. I physically cannot do it.

My preschool is only a 2 hour program during school days while my son is a preschooler (2 more years) then we will see if it is something I want to continue or just school age. My daughter is 7 and will probably have 2-3 more years to enjoy a playground. I wanted one before she was born, never did it. Should have

Play structures are costly as well (but tax deductable) which leads me to this question-

What is better- a structure that serves all ages (are there any in a good price range?) Or a few preschool cheaper ones that the school agers can go on if they so please but really isn't meant for them, and in 2 years after seeing how my program works and possibly moving away from preschool get a bigger structure.

Anything I am not considering? Or tips from having done this yourself?

[Mariposa]

Want to add: I think the space is pretty small and I don't want swings -space, safety, etc. And I don't most likely want the play structure right against the house where my only good play space is-becsuse there is a window. Don't want a kid to fall into it.

[Mariposa]

Looks like I cannot edit.

I realized my location was horrible so the new place is 17 by 14 so 6.8 cubic feet. Not sure of price But like 2k. Ugghhh no $ for that without the 2nd stimulus without my husband's job secured. But if we do, we have a flat play house and a mini slide already, cutting cost down for that.

[Alwaysgreener]

I am not sure what your regulations are but I got a used wooden swing set/fort from a family across the street $50. DH found used wood on Craigslist to frame the area under the structure $50. Then we called a local lumber yard and got wood chips delivered for a couple hundred. Recently we added chicken fence around the whole play ground for a less than two hundred.

So I have $500-600 invested plus any other improvements and upkeep that has been done over the five years.

When I was setting up, I thought it would cost more than it did. But once I talked to my consultant, they explained the regulation to me and I didn't have to do or spend as much as I thought.

[Unregistered]

Regulation is 9 inches deep and just says to be safe. Vague. And we otherwise have good licensing rules here. The local barkchip place is $41 a square foot. Didn't say cubic, so we made a guess it was not which is how we got that price. The bigger area over doubles the price.

I looked online for used play equipment and nothing now. But I don't want a swing and we have a slide. My husband does some wood work and can make monkey bars and a unique climber (2 types of climbing, platform under, and a pair of swinging monkey bars-but it would take awhile. Maybe we can get wood from someone.


Ugh and Im sorry for the first response-said I doesn't want it by the house and I meant to say did want it there...but it is funny because I realized I don't anyway. And I made some typos. Couldn't edit.


Hoping to get the stimulus check.

[Alwaysgreener]

Oh I took the swings off mine for DC. My DH will put one one for DD on the weekends. Our regulations does not allow for monkey bars. We do have a small rock wall that is also a ladder, that takes the kids into the fort and down the slide.


What other play equipment are you looking for?
Half of what I got, we got for free or low prices on Craigslist, Facebook, thrift stores or just taking a Sunday drive around town.

You can also just have a natural playground. (Search online for examples) Ask your social network of friends for things from their yard.

[Cat Herder]

Edit works for 2-3 minutes for everyone.

[Unregistered]

I have a playhouse and mini slide already from my kids. I also have 2 tires. I want something to climb and monkey bars- my husband can make them but I rather have it sooner than later. I designed the climber off examples I have seen, and emailed my licensor on her perspective.
I have been looking in Offer Up, Let Go, Craigslist, and FB Marketplacefor play structures-I want a wood one, but I dont need a slide and that's usually the focal point.
But if it is cheap I could remove the swings and do monkey bars, and rehome my existing slide.

[Mariposa]

Update: my licensor reminded me of the 6 ft fall zone (so in a small yard it means nothing-and I want some grass and I have a sprinkler system a stupid storm drain that causes some issues with space. The drain is kitty corner of the patio so I have two corners of space.
She pointed me to the playground standards handbook which is 60 some pages of regulations.
I am not separating kids and saying "no that is for big kids" if I can help it-avoid the power struggle, to be able to have play structures for each age group and I have not found one for both that is not expensive that fits in the space I have.

We are thinking now maybe a cool deck that lasts past kids but a) absolutely no playground then and b) even less grass and running space.

[Mariposa]

Is it really 6 feet fall space for little things like a little plastic slide, half tires, etc? Like 3 feet up maximum for 3 year olds plus.

That is what is so maddening. I get fall zones but 6 feet is huge for one play piece that is not terribly high up.

My licensor says monkey bars is front and back not side to side...

[Cat Herder]

The fall zones, fencing and mulch thickness requirements are why most have gone to playhouses, outdoor kitchens, sand & water tables and easels outdoors. It is impractical for most small providers to stay in compliance anymore.

Kids can climb on parents time.

[Mariposa]

I think that it will look so nice to have barkchips but for how long? Maybe I can have a deck that extends out to the storm drain and then have a raised platform. Keep the grass. Probably better long term.

Hmm. Ideas.


Here is another issue-we have uneven grass surface! I hate grass, too. It is not hugely noticable until you look or want to sit on a chair. But barkchips would level it.

[SunnyDay]

I would shop around and see if you can get a better price. Maybe it varies a lot by area, but here in Michigan playground mulch is only around $16/cubic yard, and colored mulch is around $27.

[Mariposa]

It was never specified if the $42 a yard was cubic or not. I assumed it was not which is why I guessed the price. But luckily it isn't. But my hard size would only allow for a little plastic preschool slide that 99% of the time is perfectly safe on grass.
So we scraped the idea.

[CalCare]

I was noticing the tax deductible part of your post. I would keep in mind, it's not fully tax deductible. Since you have your own preschool aged child, it would probably only be time/space and your time/space is probably really low since you are only open two hours. Mine is super low, 21%, because I am open short hours (4 days a week, 7.5 hours). So, any toys, tables, anything that my personal children also use apart from business hours, is only 21% deductable. It makes a big difference in what I buy. If you can make the argument that your personal child absolutely doesn't use it outside of business hours, then you're good to go on 100% deductable. I have seen providers in the Facebook childcare groups get busted on this exact situation in an audit and owe a ton. It's considered tax fraud to do a business deduction for something that's used for personal use.