Results of the Term 1 Survey.
There were 128 respondents to the survey. The key findings of this initial consultation were:
- What are the features of your favourite playgrounds? 99 responses. Responses included: “lots of nature”, “large”, “fun” and “lots of room to play”.
- What do you like about the current cubby building area? 121 responses, including: “encourages imaginative play”, “encourages children to use their hands and get creative” and “rocks”.
- What don’t you like about the current cubby building area? 116 responses. Typical adult responses: “It’s messy, dangerous”, “it’s very barren with no real aesthetic or reason for the kids to go there”. Typical student responses: “good rocks”, “sticks”, dirt and rocks” and “rocks used to make potions”. The majority of all respondents wanted to keep the rocks.
- What equipment do you think helps children to have creative play? 114 responses. Typical adult responses: “natural objects”, “I’m not a big fan of creative nature play at school – mainly because of safety”. Typical student responses: “water ” and “lots of branches to build cubbies”.
- What could help children to have a better time at the new playground? 113 responses. Adult responses: “Safe environment. To be honest my children have all enjoyed running around, playing hide and seek, playing tag. Having larger structures to run around” and “greener soft planting “. Student responses: “flying fox”, “pump track”, “water play”, “more branches” and “water slide”.
- Are there any pieces of new equipment you want in the new playground? 108 responses. Respondents said: “More climbing/hanging equipment or design a stage/seating area for larger school performances”, “play structures”, “flying fox”, “big slides” and “more branches to make cubbies”. Can you pick the student responses?
- Suggestions for the design of the new playground? 104 responses. “I think we need to design this area around having a stage or even set it up properly as an amphitheatre for larger school gatherings, so people can sit”, “nature”, “more planting water”, “water slide”, “swimming pool” and “pump track”. Again, can you pick the student responses?