Is building a public playground a goal of yours for this year or next? Playgrounds help communities come together while offering kids and families a safe place to strengthen relationships, develop skills, and have fun. They’re a highly valued community space, and it makes complete sense if you’re ready to install one in your neighborhood. As your ideas start to gain traction, you may wonder what the project will entail and how long it will take until you can get to the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Keep reading to learn more and get an idea of how long it takes to build a playground.

Outlining Your Public Playground Idea

Before moving forward with your playground project, it’s best to sit down with your team and discuss your ideas. Get them down on paper, so when it’s time to start reaching out to design and equipment experts, you can be ready to collaborate. This helps speed up the process. Think about these goals: 

Budget and Timeline

Perhaps the most important thing to set in stone is your budget. The budget will ultimately determine how much you can spend on equipment, surfacing, landscaping, amenities, labor, shipping, and more. This can impact your timeline, which you should also try to pin down in the beginning stages of your project. You should expect to spend most of your budget and time on equipment and installation. Budget-friendly playground structures are a great option, and simple structures can have a quick turnaround. 

Location

Where do you want to build your playground? You may have a great spot in mind, but there could be some obstacles or hazards. For instance, if your location happens to be close to a busy road, this increases noise and poses safety risks. Same with features like ponds, lakes, hills, and more. While they may look great and often can be an attractive centerpiece, you’ll have to be extra conscious of safety and any related maintenance issues. Shaded areas are ideal, but tall trees and large bushes may need to be landscaped, increasing costs. Additionally, depending on the location, you’ll need to work with various local officials to approve your project, so keep that in mind as it can slow down your timeline. 

Size and Safety

Another important factor is size. How big do you want your playground to be? The bigger it is, the more costly and time-consuming it could be, which certainly isn’t a bad thing if it’s within your budget and timeline. Depending on the size of your project, you’ll also need either less or more equipment and safety surfacing, which, again, relies on your budget! The community’s safety, particularly the children's’, should be a chief concern throughout the planning process.

At the beginning of playground planning, it can be easy to get overwhelmed. Taking a moment to outline your ideas and goals will help move the process forward and on to the fun stuff: Picking equipment!

Read more: 2026 Park + Playground Planning Checklist

Picking the Right Outdoor Playground Equipment

There is such a wide range of options when it comes to playground equipment, everything from traditional, commercial structures to elaborate custom and inclusive designs. Because your public playground matters a lot to you and your community, we’ll take some time to detail suitable options for equipment and surfacing. Please note: More elaborate pieces of equipment will generally take more time to manufacture and install!

Different Types of Playground Equipment

There are three main types of playground equipment to choose from: commercial structures, inclusive playground structures, and themed playscapes.

Commercial Structures

Commercial structures are traditional playgrounds that will likely be familiar to you, are quick to purchase, and include items like:

• Swings
• Slides
• Bridges
• Climbers
• Monkey bars
• Spring riders
• Spinners
• Towers

These structures come in various colors, styles, and compositions so children of all abilities and ages can enjoy them. They’re designed to easily align to your particular budget and location. It’s always wise to invest in your initial playground purchase by choosing better quality equipment. Structures manufactured at higher quality levels will require less upkeep and will be less likely to break. 

Inclusive Playground Structures

You should consider adding inclusive playground structures to your public playground to ensure that kids of all physical and social abilities can benefit from playing. Go beyond ramped structures and choose to include musical instruments, inclusive swing seats, sensory wave climbers, and multi-generational play activities! These are all accessible and inclusive. A popular piece of equipment at MRC is the Expression Swing. The Expression Swing is a face-to-face two-person swing, also known as the ‘Mommy and Me’ swing. Another great stand-alone piece is the Aurora Spinner, an innovative playground spinner. Aurora has one large spinning table with three independent spinning bowls, large enough for children and adults alike!

Themed Playscapes

Beyond commercial structures and inclusive structures, playground designers can make all your wildest dreams come true and create elaborate custom and themed structures. Customization has a wide range; you can choose to include small theming elements or create an elaborate themed play area. This means we can create anything from a jungle adventure with animals and plants, an outer space landscape with aliens and planets, a beach theme with sailboats and fish, and so much more. Explore preconfigured themed designs for a faster turnaround time, or, if you want to create something from scratch, be prepared to extend your expected timeline.

Read more: How to Choose a Playground Theme Everyone Will Love

Different Types of Surfacing

While playground surfacing may not seem like a priority, it is something we recommend considering closely. It is equally as important as the equipment and an essential requirement for building a safe public playground. There are a few types of surfacing to fit your budget: 

• Recycled rubber mulchis made from 100% recycled tire rubber and has substantial impact absorption. 
• Poured-in-place rubberconsists of a unique bi-layer system that possesses optimal safety ratings and durability.
• Interlocking recycled rubber tilesare a resilient surfacing option with a maximum fall height of 12 feet. 
• Synthetic turfoffers the natural look of grass without the upkeep and has high safety ratings. 
• Engineered wood fiberis an affordable, fast option that provides the classic look of wood chips on the playground.
• Aquatic foam tilesare explicitly designed for wet surfaces and aquatic-based playgrounds.

Should I Work with a Playground Specialist?

At MRC Recreation, we take steps to help ensure a smooth process as we collaborate on your new playground. We’re here to help answer questions along the way, so don’t be afraid to ask about any of the design, manufacturing, shipping, and installation processes. We’ll work behind the scenes to bring your playground dreams to life, from brainstorming initial ideas to imagining opening day. We have over 50 years of experience working with a range of different customers, including ones just like you! This gives us expert insights on equipment, surfacing, timing, and more to help determine the best pieces for your playground. Don’t hesitate to reach out to our team if you’re ready to talk about your playground idea.