How to Choose Age-Appropriate Playground Equipment for Mixed-Use Spaces

By Derick Hancock

At PlaygroundEquipment.com, we know that great playgrounds don’t just entertain—they support growth, safety, and inclusion. In mixed-use spaces like community parks, schools, churches, or apartment complexes, your playground is likely to welcome a wide range of children—from crawling toddlers to adventurous preteens. That kind of diversity requires smart, intentional planning.

Choosing age-appropriate playground equipment isn’t just about fun—it's about creating a space that challenges kids appropriately, keeps them safe, and invites everyone to play.

Here’s how to get it right from the ground up.

Understand the Core Age Groups You’re Designing For

Designing for “kids” isn’t enough. At PlaygroundEquipment.com, we design with purpose—and that means creating play environments tailored to specific age groups with distinct developmental needs. We break it down into three main categories:

6–23 Months: Infant and Toddler Play

Children in this range are still developing gross motor skills and need safe, supportive structures close to the ground. Prioritize low platforms, crawl tunnels, sensory panels, and activity walls. Stability is key—everything should be easy to grip, and steps should be no taller than six inches.

2–5 Years: Preschool Play

Preschoolers are ready for mild climbing, sliding, and imaginative interaction. Look for low climbers, ramps with handrails, smaller slides, and playhouses or storefronts that encourage role-play. Keep features under 4 feet and ensure every elevated platform has protective barriers.

5–12 Years: School-Age Play

Older kids seek challenge, excitement, and social interaction. This is where you can introduce height, speed, and complexity. Think monkey bars, tall slides, cargo nets, balance bridges, zip tracks, and spinning components. These kids are testing their strength and coordination—give them room to grow.

Many mixed-use spaces need to serve all three age groups. The key is to create clear physical and visual separation between them without making any group feel excluded.

Prioritize Zoned Layouts to Avoid Collisions and Chaos

When children of different ages share a play area, things can get hectic fast. A smart layout keeps everyone safe and engaged by giving each age group its own space.

Divide the Playground into Age-Based Zones

Use layout strategies to group play elements for similar ages together. For example, put all toddler equipment in one corner, preschool structures nearby, and school-age equipment furthest from the youngest users.

Visually Separate Zones with Surfacing and Landscaping

Color-coded safety surfacing, planters, or decorative fencing helps signal to kids (and parents) which areas are for them. This reduces unintentional use of equipment by the wrong age group.

Keep High-Action Features Away from Toddlers

Components like swing sets, zip lines, spinners, or climbing towers should be placed far from infant or toddler zones. These items move fast and can accidentally harm younger children if zones aren't clearly defined.

Place Seating Between Zones

Benches, shade structures, and clear walking paths between zones give caregivers great visibility and space to supervise. It also helps prevent crowding during busy times.

At PlaygroundEquipment.com, we include zoning strategies in every custom design layout to ensure your play space is safe and functional from day one.

Choose Equipment That Grows with the Community

Your playground should evolve as your community does. When choosing equipment, look for:

• Modular play systems that can be expanded later
• Adaptive elements like add-on climbers or overheads that can be swapped out
• Multi-age components (e.g., slides of varying heights on a single structure)

For instance, our modular playsets at PlaygroundEquipment.com are designed for upgrade flexibility, so you can start small and grow big without rebuilding from scratch.

And don't forget: some items serve all age groups well, like sensory panels, musical instruments, or shaded picnic tables. These add value to everyone using the space.

Safety Isn’t Optional—It’s Everything

When you're dealing with kids of different sizes and abilities in the same space, safety is more than a checklist—it’s your design backbone.

Here’s what to watch:

• Use age-appropriate safety surfacing. For toddlers, you need softer, deeper materials like rubber tiles or engineered wood fiber. Older kids still need fall protection, but the height tolerances are different.
• Check equipment height regulations. Platforms over 30 inches should not be accessible to toddlers or preschoolers.
• Incorporate guardrails, barriers, and transfer stations in every structure.
• Ensure spacing between equipment to reduce collisions and give caregivers easy access.

At PlaygroundEquipment.com, every piece we manufacture meets or exceeds ASTM and CPSC safety standards—because peace of mind matters as much as play.

Inclusive Design Means No One Gets Left Out

Playgrounds should welcome every child. That includes children with mobility challenges, sensory sensitivities, and neurodiverse conditions.

Ground-Level Play Promotes Inclusion

Interactive panels, drums, and games located at ground level ensure children who use mobility aids can fully participate. These elements also encourage group play across age groups.

Ramp-Accessible Structures Are Essential

Ramps aren’t just for wheelchairs—they also help kids with coordination or balance challenges reach elevated areas safely. Combine ramps with transfer platforms to maximize usability.

Add Sensory Elements for Variety

Tactile panels, textured surfaces, musical features, and quiet corners offer engagement for children with autism or sensory processing differences. These features add richness to the entire play experience.

Provide Low-Stimulation Retreats

Not every child wants or can handle constant stimulation. Design small nooks, cozy domes, or shaded corners to give space for rest and emotional regulation.

At PlaygroundEquipment.com, inclusivity isn’t an upgrade—it’s a standard. We work with ADA guidelines and IPEMA-certified products to build welcoming spaces for everyone.

Build Smart. Play Hard. Start with PlaygroundEquipment.com

Designing a mixed-use playground isn’t just about picking equipment—it’s about balancing safety, fun, growth, and inclusion for every child who walks through the gate.

At PlaygroundEquipment.com, we’ve helped schools, parks, and communities across the U.S. build smarter playgrounds that meet real-world needs. From age-zoning to accessible design, we’re with you every step of the way.

Ready to build a space that grows with your community and excites kids of every age?
Contact us today, and let’s create something amazing together.

Further Reading to Help You Design Smarter, Safer Play Spaces

1. Inclusive Design on a Budget: Elements That Make a Big Impact
   https://www.playgroundequipment.com/inclusive-playground-designs-on-a-budget 
2. A Guide to Accessibility in the Playground
   https://www.playgroundequipment.com/guide-to-accessibility-on-the-playground/ 
3. Tips to Create a Wheelchair Accessible Playground
   https://www.playgroundequipment.com/tips-to-create-a-wheelchair-accessible-playground/  
4. Playground Fun for All: Inclusive Design Ideas For Swing Sets and Playsets
   https://www.playgroundequipment.com/inclusive-designs-for-swings-and-playsets 
5. What should be in a school playground?
   https://www.playgroundequipment.com/what-should-be-in-a-school-playground/ 
6. Surfaces for a Playground
   https://www.playgroundequipment.com/surfaces-for-a-playground/ 

Further Reading & Resources

1. Standard Specification for Determination of Accessibility of Surface Systems Under and Around Playground Equipment
   https://store.astm.org/f1951-21.html 
2. IPEMA
   https://ipema.org/  
3. Standard Consumer Safety Performance Specification for Playground Equipment for Public Use
   https://store.astm.org/f1487-21.html 
4. Guide to the ADA Accessibility Standards
   https://www.access-board.gov/ada/guides/chapter-10-play-areas/  
5. U.S. Access Board. (n.d.). ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Play Areas
   https://www.access-board.gov/ada/guides/chapter-10-play-areas/ 
6. United States Department of Justice (2010). 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design
   https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/2010ADAStandards/2010ADAstandards.htm
7. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (2010). Public playground safety handbook
   https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/325.pdf