Done By : Chuan Yin

Titles and posts.

Hey all, we have finally finished our blog and the model, we feel great!. I like to thank everyone in the group that contributed to the blog as well as the model.
Here is our posts in the group:
Aaron- Leader: Head of the group. Everything goes through him first.
Joshua- Presenter/ Blogger: Takes care of the blog, presents the model.
Chuan Yin- Architect/ Assistant Research: Does the model, calculates costs. Helps with research.
Wynner- Secretary: Keeps track of time, edits blog of errors, basically "refines" everything.
Gavin- Research IC: Finds out materials for making the model/ pictures & concept.

Thanks for taking a look at our blog!

Posted by Aaron, edited by Joshua & Wynner.

Sketches of the blog!

Our Playground

posted by : Chuan yin

Why should people use our playground.

Why should people use our playground???

1. Its sturdy, won't fall like nicole highway.
2. So colourful, it burns your eyes.
3. Its within the budget.( the costs is about 110k)
4. It is safe, padded for safety.
5. It provides fun and educational challenges, like magic keyboard stuff on the walls.
6. INDOOR AIRCON!!!!!

Individual Reflections for Literature Mid-Year Project 2008

Individual Reflections for Literature Mid-Year Project 2008
Sec 2 Express

Eco-friendly features about my group’s 3D-model
1. Structure uses wood, a bio-degradable material (Aaron)
2. Plastic/glass/metal can be melt and remade into different items (Chuan yin)
3. Some items used to make the playground are recycled materials (Wynner)

Remarks (e.g. materials to be used, relevant research with links, photograph links etc)
1. Plasticine is used mostly for the padding on the floor.
2. Super glue to reinforce pillars.
3. Straws used to make climbing bars.( which, are of course padded). (chuan yin)

4. Pillars made of superglued ice scream sticks.
5. Second story of playground made of plastic (floor).
( Done by Joshua & Chuan Yin)





Research taken from:
1.http://www.internationalplayco.com/public.php


Photographs taken from:
1. Google image search: Indoor playground
2. http://www.internationalplayco.com/wishlist.php

3. http://www.megafun4kids.com/gallery.htm

Materials for Playground taken from:
1. http://www.detailedplaypro.com/indoor-playgrounds.htm

Links provided by Wynner.

Playground designs/concepts that are linked to the novel
1. TREEHOUSE.
2. Nylon Webbing
3. Swing across ballpit.
4. Jungle Gym


Done by Joshua and Gavin
Explanation of how the designs/concepts are linked to the novel

1. The Treehouse: Obviously, the time spent most in terabithia is in the treehouse.
2. The Nylon Webbing: This acts like a spider web, adding to the feeling of the the forest in BTT.
3. Swing accross the ballpit: This is just like swinging accross the stream to terabithia.
4. Jungle Gym: Like the trees in the forest, children have to navigate slowly through the jungle gym.

Done by Gavin, Chuan Yin and Joshua.

Playground designs/concepts that meet the special needs of the children with explaination

1) Our playground provides such unique play equipment as the Magic Keyboard and games of skill that are specifically designed to promote the down syndrome child development.It provides children with the security and the skill development opportunities that parents desire. (Joshua)

2) The playground would have many levels and corners in bright colours, this makes the playground lively and the down syndrome children would be happy. This also boost the child's confidence in climbing each level. (Aaron)

3) A treehouse would be located at the side of the playground. The children would be able to climb to it to have a bird's eye view from the top and this will boost the child's confidence of heights. This part we got from the bridge to terabithia. (Wynner)

4) The tree house is designed with a skylight.(a sky light is a window which allows light and air into the enclosed space). In line with energy conservation, we can use the natural light to light up the inside of the tree house during the day, conserving some energy.(Chuan yin)

5) There is a fabric wrapped spiralling discovery tunnel.As they explore the tunnel,it opens up at parts for a controlled vista or view,the openings also serves as ventilation vents.(Chuan yin)

Materials of Playground

Materials to Build the Support of the Playground
-Iron/Aluminium
Its strong enough to support the whole play ground

Materials to build the 'spiderweb' thing
-Nylon
Its a very strong rope, which is not easily broken

Materials for the 'Cushions'
-cotton wool, sponge. Put them in a pad thing( something which is like a 'cushion')

Materials for the other Things
-plastic( balls in the ball pit, and the slide)
-a strong kind of plastic( the 'bridge')
-aluminium( handrails)
-leaves( leaves on the 'tree')

Components of our Treehouse themed playground

Hello to all.After reading the introduction for our playground, let us show you the components of our playground.
Here are some of our components:

1) The playground would be located inside a building such as a shopping mall, as it is considered to be indoor, it would be air-conditioned. Thus, it will not be dependent on the weather and can be accessed any time.

2) There will be two vertical, straight tree-like slides.

3) At the bottom, there will be a ball pit which will cushion the children when they slide down the slide. At the same time, the children can have fun with the balls in the pit. The balls in the pit are to be big enough to prevent the down syndrome kids form choking.

4)There will be many coulorful designs to attract more parents to bring their children as well as the down syndrome children.

5) There will be many safety rules made by us to ensure the place would be free from any accident. There will be nylon " spider webs" , padded flooring and cushions for the slide.

6)Our playground provides such unique play equipment as the Magic Keyboard and games of skill that are specifically designed to promote the down syndrome child development.It provides children with the security and the skill development opportunities that parents desire.

7)The playground will be filled with many levels and corners, this makes the playground lively and the down syndrome children would be happy. This also boost the child's confidence in climbing each level.

8)A treehouse would be located at the top of the playground. THe children would be able to climb to it to have a bird's eye view from the top and this will boost the child's confidence of heights. This part we got from the bridge to terabithia.

9)Our playground would be eco-friendly as we are indoor and our materials used are eco-friendly.

Introduction of our playground

Welcome to our playground, let us give you a introduction of our playground. The main purpose of the playground is to allow the down syndrome children to have fun and improving their social skills as well as balancing and learning skills. We have chosen the treehouse theme for the playground and the tag line is ' Everyone can have fun'. We chosen the theme as we were inspired by the book,"Bridge To Terabithia". The playground structure would be huge and it would be located inside a building. The playground would be considered as an indoor playground and would have air-conditioning . The playground would have new facilities such as safety features, music-playing buttons, colourful backgrounds to help the down syndrome kids to learn better. The safety features which includes padded floorings, ball pit and nylon "spider web" wall to prevent children from falling and getting themselves injured. We felt that the playground will allow the children to make more friends and it would be an ideal place for them to have fun. It will also be a place where the down syndrome children forget all about their disabilities.

More Pictures

Pictures sourced by team, posted by Joshua.

Pictures of Indoor Playgrounds

Hey all this is Joshua, I've been browsing the net for pictures and have come by quite a few good pictures. This are all indoor playgrounds, the type of playground we are going to focus on for this project.
Some Comments:

This playground is very innovative and creative. It suits our design as it is indoor and have a treehouse and natural atmosphere. It has many colourful design and it looks fun for children.

This playground is very innovative and creative. It suits our design as it is indoor and have a treehouse and natural atmosphere. It has many colourful design and it looks fun for children.

Posted by Aaron

I felt that this playground suits the down syndrome children as it have many safety precautions such as the nylon web. This is very similar to our playground as it has many tunnels like features.

Posted by Gavin

The overall of the playground is good as it is interesting and innovative. I felt that the structure is also quite safe as there are padded floor and there is no sharp edges. It is also very colourful to attract down syndrome children and other children.

Posted by Wynner.
The playground has design that are similar to the bridge to terabithia as it has a treehouse. I felt that the playground can improved the skills of any down syndrome as the playground look very interesting and fun.

Posted by Chuan Yin.

One of the best pictures I've come by so far, it shows what an indoor playground looks like, and its theme is a jungle. Its very colourful, but could use a little less brown. They playground design looks rather complicated but it all works out, like a well planned maze.

More Pics Comin Up~Joshua

Requirements for PlayGround!

Requirements. for our play-ground

Playgrounds provide kids with fun and exercise, but they can also pose some safety hazards.
We can make the playground both fun and safe by following a few of this guidelines. Oh yea, and since we're making a playground for children with downs syndrome, There are also additional safety features.

Safety Guidelines

1)Surface

A proper playground surface is one of the most important factors in reducing injuries - and the severity of injuries - that occur when kids fall from equipment.
In other words if we put kids in a playground like a padded cell, they don't ever get hurt. I think.

Here are some things to consider:

• Concrete, asphalt, and blacktop is bad cause its like, HARD.
  
• Playground surface should be clear of any thing that err, sticks out cause it makes children fall, lol.
• NO SHARP/POINTY OBJECTS!
  
• Playground surfaces like those rubber porous stuff are safe, but I fell off the monkey bars (lol i climed onto it) once and rubbed the skin off my nose (which hurt like hell), so, WE SHOULD USE THE SPONGEY MATS( 30x BIGGER!, THE MATS WHERE WE DO SITUPS ON?) FOR FLOOR SURFACING!
  
  Oh yea, and I read something and it says SURFACING DON'T PREVENT ALL INJURIES, and it also depends on how high the kid falls.
  

2)Design

Playgrounds are designed for different age groups. Play areas for smaller kiddies are usually separated from them older kids.
Stuff to make sure that playground of yours is safe

• Handrails/ Protective rails for elevated areas/ ramps/ stairs
  
• Swings, seesaws, and other equipment with moving parts should be located in an area separate from the rest of the playground.
• NO MORE THAN 1 person on a swing at a time.
• Toddlers shuld have their own little play area. AWAY FROM THE BIG KIDZ.
  
• NO Little SPACES WHERE CHILDREN LIMBS/HEADS OR BODYPARTS CAN TO GET STUCK TO~
  
• No areas where kids put their hands/fingers in to get crushed. Like at the merry go round thing.
  

STUFF NOT FOR YOUR PLEYGROUND!

The following types of equipment are not safe for playgrounds:

• Those weird swings shaped like animals
  
• 2 seater swings
  
• Any rope that CAN STRANGLE YOUR KID.
  
• Thse rings-the round ones that men with six packs use for inclined pull ups.
  
• monkey bars(Kids fall off these all the time.)
  
• trampolines(Kids can fall of and hurt themselves)

Oh yea, and since we're so need sensitive... we decided to make an indoor playground (those maze things which kids can explore and stuff).
Cause playgrounds like those aren't really dangerous haha and plus their fun.

WHAT IS A DOWN SYNDROME CHILD???

Many people think that down syndrome children are retarded but, actually they are just the same as any children. The only thing that is different is that they are slower and not as bright as normal children. Individuals with Down syndrome tend to have a lower than average cognitive ability, often ranging from mild to moderate learning disabilities. A small number have severe to profound mental disability. Most individuals with Down syndrome have mental retardation in the mild (IQ 50–70) to moderate (IQ 35–50) range, with individuals having Mosaic Down syndrome (explained below) typically 10–30 points higher. In addition, individuals with Down syndrome can have little ranging to severe abnormalities affecting any body system. They also may have a broad head and a very round face. In other words their just normal kids, just that their not as bright as others.

WHAT DEFINES A PLAYGROUND..

A playground is an area designed for children to play freely. Basically, a playground is a a place where children, including down syndrome kids, have fun and improve their skills such as social skills. Modern playgrounds often have recreational equipment such as the see-saw, merry-go-round, swingset, slide, climber, walking bridge, jungle gym, chin-up bars, sandbox, spring rider, monkey bars, overhead ladder, trapeze rings, playhouses, and maze, many of which help children develop physical coordination, strength, and flexibility, as well as providing recreation and enjoyment. Common in modern playgrounds are "play structures" that link many different pieces of equipment.
"Public" playground equipment refers to equipment intended for use in the play areas of parks, schools, child care facilities, institutions, multiple family dwellings, restaurants, resorts, and recreational developments, and other areas of public use.
A type of playground called a playscape is designed to provide a safe environment for play in a natural setting.

So what we first did.

So first we had Aaron bring all the papers and we discussed. We discussed for like, 30 minutes. Then we go pick out down syndrome kids as our topic, as they are cool. no, seriously. And thats cause we thinks that it is easiest to do as they have the least physical/mental/social problems than those other groups of kids.And further mroe we already have a retard(Strawberry Cake) in our class so we could base our designs of the playgrounds on him. we discussed more at the computer lab and i made this blog than we did not have any more ideas so i played computer games in the lab instead of doing work.

to summarize this load of... well stuff...

WE CHOSE THE DOWN'S SYNDROME KIDS TO WORK ON~