Bespoke Nursery Play Mound and Climbing Equipment at Leyland St James’ Nursery, Leyland

Nursery profile

Having previously worked with ESP Play to install a Play Tower, the nursery contacted us again when some of its existing outdoor play equipment was reaching the end of its usable life.

The timber equipment had started to rot and the nursery recognised that it was becoming unsafe. They therefore wanted to remove the old equipment and replace it with a new, exciting outdoor play feature that would provide children with opportunities to climb, balance and develop their physical skills.

The challenge

The nursery had existing outdoor play equipment that had deteriorated over time.

The timber was beginning to rot and the equipment was approaching the end of its lifespan, creating safety concerns for the children.

Rather than simply replacing the equipment with a similar structure, Nursery Manager Debbie had a clear idea of what she wanted the new play area to provide.

She wanted a new play mound with steps leading up one side and a slide on the other.

The original mound had been too low, so Debbie specifically requested that the new design should be higher, creating a more exciting challenge for the children.

The nursery also wanted to incorporate fixed climbing equipment into the space, providing additional opportunities for physical development.

The solution

A bespoke play mound with slide, steps and fixed climbing equipment.

ESP Play designed and installed a new nursery outdoor play area based around Debbie’s requirements.

The completed play area features:

• A bespoke play mound
• Steps leading to the top of the mound
• A slide
• Increased mound height compared with the previous equipment
• Tangled Funnel Web climbing equipment
• Green Rubber Mulch safety surfacing

The play mound provides a clear physical challenge for young children, allowing them to climb the steps before sliding back down.

The addition of the Tangled Funnel Web creates another physical play opportunity, combining wooden beams and ropes to encourage climbing, balancing and coordination.

Together, the features create a varied EYFS outdoor play environment where children can develop different physical skills through active play.

A Bespoke Play Mound for Early Years Children

The play mound was designed specifically around the nursery’s requirements.

Debbie wanted the new mound to be higher than the previous structure, providing a greater sense of challenge and excitement for the children.

The steps provide a straightforward route to the top, while the slide gives children an exciting way to return to ground level.

This creates a simple but effective play experience that encourages children to repeatedly climb, balance and slide.

The mound also creates a visual focal point within the outdoor play area, making much better use of the space previously occupied by the old equipment.

EYFS Climbing Equipment

The nursery also wanted additional fixed climbing equipment to complement the play mound.

They particularly liked the Tangled Funnel Web, which combines timber beams and ropes to create a range of climbing and balancing challenges.

The equipment encourages children to use their whole body as they move between the different elements.

It can help develop:

• Balance
• Coordination
• Core strength
• Gross motor skills
• Spatial awareness
• Physical confidence
• Climbing skills

Because the equipment is permanently installed, children can access it whenever they are playing outdoors without staff needing to set up or put away individual pieces of equipment.

Rubber Mulch Safety Surfacing

The nursery had previously chosen green Rubber Mulch for its playground safety surfacing and wanted to maintain the same look across the outdoor area.

ESP Play therefore installed green Rubber Mulch beneath and around the new play equipment.

Rubber Mulch is made from recycled rubber and provides a soft, resilient surface for children’s outdoor play.

The green colour also creates a vibrant finish that complements the natural outdoor environment and provides consistency with the nursery’s existing playground surfacing.

Another important benefit for the nursery is that Rubber Mulch can be used throughout the year, helping ensure the new outdoor play area remains accessible during different weather conditions.

Safety Considerations

Safety was an important consideration when replacing the nursery’s existing outdoor play equipment.

The original equipment had started to rot and was approaching the end of its usable life, so removing it was the safest option rather than attempting to extend its lifespan.

The new play mound and climbing equipment were designed specifically for the nursery’s available space, with the layout planned to provide appropriate access and clearances around each element.

The play mound was also designed with a suitable safety surface around the equipment. The nursery chose green Rubber Mulch, which provides a soft and resilient surface beneath the new play features.

Rubber Mulch is particularly well suited to outdoor play areas because the bonded rubber chippings remain in place rather than moving around like loose-fill materials. It also provides a practical, low-maintenance surface that can be used throughout the year.

The nursery’s decision to continue with the same Rubber Mulch surfacing used elsewhere in its outdoor area also created a consistent finish across the playground.

As with all ESP Play installations, the new equipment and surfacing were installed with children’s safety and the requirements of the relevant playground safety standards in mind.

Keeping the Project Cost-Effective

The nursery wanted to keep the cost of the project as manageable as possible.

To help reduce the overall installation cost, the nursery team carried out the removal of the existing play equipment themselves.

Once the old equipment had been removed and the area cleared, ESP Play was able to install the new safety surfacing and play equipment.

This allowed the nursery to focus its budget on the new outdoor play features while still achieving a significant transformation.

Installation

Once Leyland St James’ Nursery had removed the existing equipment, ESP Play prepared the area for the new installation.

The new Rubber Mulch safety surfacing was installed before the bespoke play mound and climbing equipment were fitted.

The mound was constructed to the increased height requested by the nursery, with steps on one side and a slide providing access back down.

The Tangled Funnel Web was then incorporated into the play area to provide an additional fixed climbing challenge.

The combination of the new equipment and vibrant green surfacing created a completely refreshed outdoor play space.

The outcome

An exciting new outdoor play area for Early Years children.

The completed project has transformed the nursery’s outdoor play area, replacing ageing and deteriorating equipment with a new bespoke play feature designed around the children’s needs.

Children can now:

• Climb the steps to the top of the mound
• Develop confidence through physical challenges
• Enjoy sliding
• Climb and balance on the Tangled Funnel Web
• Improve coordination and gross motor skills
• Develop strength and physical confidence
• Enjoy active outdoor play with their friends

The increased height of the mound also provides a greater challenge than the previous equipment, while the combination of the mound, slide and climbing equipment creates a varied play experience.

The green Rubber Mulch provides a soft, vibrant and practical finish that complements the nursery’s existing outdoor play area.

Nursery Testimonial

When we contacted the nursery for feedback following completion, they told us:

“The children are loving their new play area and it looks amazing!”

Leyland St James’ Nursery is another successful ESP Play project, and we hope to work with the nursery on many more outdoor play projects in the future.