We want play to inspire thinking, creativity, imagination, understanding, and most of all, to be fun. Play isn’t just about entertainment; it’s a powerful tool for a child’s development, building skills that last a lifetime. Let’s explore why play is vital and how it benefits your little ones. The Importance of Play in a Child’s […]
In-Ground Vs Above Ground Trampolines: Which is Best for You?
Introduction to Trampolines: In-Ground vs Above Ground
Trampolines have long been a favorite backyard addition for families, fitness enthusiasts, and even professional athletes. The choice between in-ground vs above ground trampolines can make a significant difference in terms of safety, aesthetics, and functionality. This guide explores the pros, cons, and considerations to help you make the best choice for your needs.
The Basics of In-Ground Trampolines
Installation Process for In-Ground Models
In-ground trampolines require a carefully planned installation. The process involves:
Digging a pit: The trampoline frame sits flush with the ground.
Drainage systems: To prevent water accumulation.
Structural support: Ensures the trampoline remains secure.
While labor-intensive, this approach provides a sleek, modern look.
Maintenance Requirements for In-Ground Trampolines
Maintaining an in-ground trampoline involves:
Checking for soil erosion around the pit.
Cleaning and inspecting the frame for rust or damage.
Ensuring the drainage system is functioning properly.
Regular care helps maintain safety and performance.
Understanding Above Ground Trampolines
Key Features of Above Ground Trampolines
Above ground trampolines are the most common choice due to their affordability and ease of setup. They typically include:
Above ground trampolines require flat ground for stability and should include safety nets to reduce injury risks. Anchoring kits can further enhance safety during use.
Comparative Analysis: In-Ground vs Above Ground Trampolines
Installation Costs and Time Investment
In-Ground: Higher initial cost due to excavation and drainage setup.
Above Ground: Lower upfront cost and quick setup.
Long-Term Durability and Maintenance
While above ground trampolines are easier to replace, in-ground models tend to last longer with proper care.
Safety Differences
In-ground trampolines offer reduced fall risks due to their flush design. However, above ground options are safer for households that require portability or seasonal adjustments.
Aesthetic Appeal
In-ground trampolines blend seamlessly into landscapes, while above ground models can stand out visually.
FAQs About In-Ground Vs Above Ground Trampolines
What is the average lifespan of each type? In-ground trampolines can last 10–15 years, while above ground models typically last 5–10 years.
Can you convert an above ground trampoline to in-ground? Yes, with proper modifications and an excavation setup, above ground trampolines can be installed in-ground.
Which option is safer for children? In-ground trampolines are often safer due to their reduced fall height.
How much space do I need for installation? Allow at least 1-2 metres of clearance around any trampoline for safe usage.
Are in-ground trampolines more durable? They can be more durable if properly installed and maintained.
What is the cost difference between the two types? In-ground trampolines are typically 1.5–2 times more expensive than above ground models.
Conclusion: Making the Right Choice
Choosing between in-ground and above ground trampolines depends on your needs, budget, and preferences. For families seeking a sleek, permanent option, in-ground trampolines are ideal. Above ground models, however, offer flexibility and affordability for a variety of uses.
Trampolines really are a fan favourite for everyone in the family, and really, who could be surprised? They’re an endless source of fun that requires no power, no water, and no effort from the parents once they’re set up. And obviously, the kids just love them. But all of this hinges on one crucial little task just at the start of your trampoline ownership; that is, of course, the set-up.
The importance of correct trampoline setup can’t be understated, as it is the primary thing that ensures safe play all day, every day. In this guide, we’ll be covering some of the key components of the trampoline and providing a general overview of what to do during the setup process. Let’s get into it.
The Parts of a Trampoline
Before you get cracking on building your trampoline, it’s important to have some idea of what components you’ll be dealing with prior to construction. In fact, we’re hoping that this information may even serve as something of a buying guide prior to purchase.
Springs
The springs of a trampoline are the unsung heroes, providing the essential bounce and support for every leap and bound. High-quality springs are crucial for maintaining both the fun factor and safety. They should be robust, rust-resistant, and properly installed to ensure a consistent and safe bouncing experience.
Plum Play’s Springsafe® technology is a prime example, offering an innovative design that enhances safety by keeping the springs external to the jumping area. This not only improves performance but also significantly reduces the risk of spring-related injuries, ensuring a worry-free playtime.
Mat
The trampoline mat is the heart of the bouncing experience. It’s where all the fun happens, so its quality and durability are paramount. Made from strong, UV-resistant fabrics, it should provide a smooth, consistent bounce while ensuring safety. When setting up, ensure the mat is free from tears or weaknesses and is correctly attached to the springs. Regular checks and maintenance are essential to keep it in top condition, ensuring it remains the safe and thrilling centrepiece of your trampoline.
Cover
A trampoline cover is an indispensable accessory for any trampoline owner. Designed to shield your trampoline from the elements, the cover plays a vital role in prolonging the life of your trampoline. It protects the mat, springs, and padding from rain, sun, and debris, keeping them in top condition.
When selecting a cover, ensure it fits snugly and is made of durable, weather-resistant material. Fitting the cover is straightforward; it should securely encompass the entire trampoline, providing a shield against wear and tear caused by harsh weather conditions.
Netting
Safety netting is a critical component of a modern trampoline, acting as a safeguard to prevent falls. This is particularly important for children, as the netting provides an extra layer of protection during play. When choosing netting, look for strong, durable materials that can withstand the impact of jumpers and resist wear over time.
Proper attachment is key – the netting should be securely fastened to the poles and the edge of the trampoline, leaving no gaps. Quality netting not only enhances safety but also gives parents peace of mind, knowing their children can enjoy their bouncing adventures safely.
How to Set Up a Trampoline
Setting up a trampoline can be a straightforward process when you follow these essential steps. Here’s a general guide to help you through each stage, ensuring a safe and enjoyable trampoline experience for everyone.
1. Reviewing the Materials
Before diving into the assembly, it’s crucial to review all the materials and parts provided. Lay out the pieces and cross-check them with the instruction manual to ensure everything is accounted for. This step helps identify any missing or defective components before assembly begins, saving time and ensuring safety. Pay special attention to the springs, mat, frame, and netting, as these are key elements of your trampoline.
2. Assembling the Trampoline Frame
The trampoline frame forms the foundation of your trampoline, so it’s important to assemble it correctly. Start by connecting the pieces of the frame, usually in a circular shape, ensuring each section is tightly and securely fastened. If your trampoline is oval or rectangular, make sure the longer and shorter sides are correctly positioned. The legs should then be attached, providing stable support. Double-check all connections for stability before moving to the next step.
3. Setting up the Mat
Once the frame is in place, the next step is to set up the jumping mat. Begin by attaching the springs to the mat, then carefully connect them to the frame. This can require a bit of strength and patience, as the springs need to be stretched to hook onto the frame. It’s crucial to evenly distribute the springs around the frame to maintain balance and tension across the mat. Ensure that each spring is properly hooked and secure for optimal safety.
4. Putting Together the Enclosure Net
The final step is to install the enclosure net, which is vital for safety. Start by attaching the poles around the trampoline, ensuring they are upright and firmly secured. Then, attach the netting to these poles, following the instructions to ensure it is tight and free of gaps. The net should cover the entire circumference of the trampoline and be secured at the top and bottom, preventing any falls or injuries.
Remember, safety is paramount when setting up a trampoline. Take your time, follow the instructions carefully, and don’t hesitate to ask for help if needed. Once set up, your trampoline will provide endless hours of fun and exercise. If you have any questions about the content covered in this guide, feel free to contact our team!
Children love imaginative play, and whether indoors or outside, there are countless opportunities to incorporate magical and creative ideas into their playtime. Whether you’re planning a special occasion or simply looking for ways to engage your little ones, these imaginative play ideas will inspire their creativity and provide hours of entertainment.
1) Pirate Play Adventure
Ahoy, little adventurers! Embark on a thrilling pirate voyage with this
imaginative play idea that will transport your children to the high seas.
Whether it’s a rainy day or a sunny afternoon, this playtime adventure is sure
to ignite their imagination and keep them busy all day long.
To begin, gather some basic materials to create a pirate ship setting. Use
chairs, blankets, and pillows to construct a makeshift ship in your living room
or backyard. Encourage your little ones to dress up as sea-travelling pirates
with pirate hats or bandanas and cardboard swords. Now, it’s time to set sail!
Encourage your kids to create a treasure map by drawing a simple route with landmarks around your home or backyard. You can even hide small treasures or treats along the way for your valiant voyagers to keep the excitement building.
As they navigate the imaginary sea, encourage them to engage in role playing
and storytelling. Let their creativity soar as they encounter storms, sea
monsters, and friendly sea creatures along their journey.
This imaginative play idea not only promotes creativity and storytelling skills but also encourages teamwork and problem-solving as they work together to navigate their pirate adventure. So, set sail with your little pirates and let their imaginations run wild on the high seas!
2) Tea Party Water Play
Make a splash with tea party water play to unleash your little one’s
imagination.
Set up a water activity table with teapots, teacups and teabags. Children can pour the water into the cups and have a pretend tea party. You can enhance the sensory play by adding other elements, such as flower petals, food colouring or bubbles, to the water for a royal sensory tea party like no other.
Sensory play can help your little ones develop their fine and gross motor skills as they hold teacups, pour from teapots and pass plates to their friends as they play.
3) Castle Building Competition
Building blocks are an excellent way to
encourage imaginative play, and a castle-building competition is a perfect imaginative
game for kids.
Select one child to be the judge and divide
the rest into teams. Give each team a set of building blocks and thirty minutes
to make their most imaginative castle design come to life. Encourage children
to work together in groups to create the most impressive castle.
Children can bring their architectural
creations to life and let their imaginations run free with this task by adding
details like moats, drawbridges, and turrets. The sky’s the limit!
Once the time is up, the judge can choose
their favourite castle based on design, features, and fun!
Another way to carry out this building
competition is to replace building blocks with cardboard boxes and other
recyclable materials. With cardboard boxes, there’s even the option to decorate
and paint the castle to add flair to the finished design!
This activity promotes active social play and the development of key skills such as turn-taking, team building and creativity, so everyone’s a winner!
4) Dressing Up Fun
Dressing up is an imaginative way for your little ones to engage in
pretend play and explore different costumes and attire, from dragons to doctors
or superheroes to chefs. The possibilities are endless! You could even incorporate
sensory elements into the fancy dress by adding fabrics with different
textures, such as silk or velvet.
Dress-up play offers a multitude of benefits for children’s development and well-being. It’s not just about putting on costumes and pretending to be someone else; it’s a gateway to imagination and creativity. When children dress up as different characters, they embark on a journey of self-expression, boosting their confidence and nurturing their creativity.
Children develop essential social skills through fancy dress play as they interact with others in character. They learn to cooperate, share, and take turns, fostering positive relationships and empathy. Additionally, dressing up encourages language development and communication skills as children engage in storytelling and role playing, expanding their vocabulary and ability to express themselves.
Overall, it’s a powerful tool for holistic development, allowing children to explore, imagine, and grow.
5) Backyard Banquet
Orders up! A mud pie kitchen is
a great way to incorporate sensory play into imaginative backyard play,
whatever the season.
Plum Discovery Mud Pie Kitchens are perfect for preparing a backyard banquet. The kit includes bowls for foraging, utensils for stirring, and an easy-cleaning painting screen to draw up the menu.
Little ones can mix and mould mud and water to create their own mud pies and pretend to be chefs in a busy kitchen. You can also add some natural ingredients to the mud pies, such as herbs or flowers, to make them more lavish for the special occasion. Children can use their imagination to create their own mud pie recipes and serve them to their guests.
6) Space Explorers
3, 2, 1… Blast off! Take your children on an intergalactic journey with
this imaginative play idea that will transport them to the far reaches of outer
space. Get ready to explore distant planets and experience the wonders of the
cosmos right from the comfort of your own home.
Start by transforming a room into a spaceship. Use blankets, chairs, and
cardboard boxes to create a spacecraft command centre. You could even provide
your little space explorers with astronaut costumes, complete with helmets and
backpacks filled with essentials for their mission.
Set the stage by playing space-themed music and turn off the lights to
create a starry atmosphere. Use glow-in-the-dark stickers or paper cut-outs to
decorate the room with planets and stars.
Next, guide your children through a series of space missions. They can embark on an expedition to Mars, search for new galaxies, or even encounter friendly space creatures. Encourage them to use their imagination to describe what they see and communicate with mission control (you) throughout their space exploration.
To enhance the experience, they could build their own rocket ships using recycled materials; the sky’s the limit!
Imaginative
play is a fantastic way to inspire children’s
creativity and let them use their imagination. From pirate play to backyard
banquets, there are plenty of activities that will ignite your little one’s imagination
and provide hours of entertainment.
These imaginative play ideas for preschoolers and older children are bound to spark imaginations, and they’re also great for developing sensory skills, promoting socialisation, and encouraging role play. So next time you’re planning a party or looking for some play ideas for kids, consider incorporating some of these imaginative play ideas for an unforgettable experience that’s sure to be a winner with the kids.
If you try out any of these ideas, share your adventures with us @PlumPlayAus #lifeatplay
Oceans are an essential part of the Earth’s ecosystem because they provide us with food, oxygen and help to regulate the planet’s climate. So, looking after them is important to protect the marine life that calls oceans home.
When is World Ocean Day Celebrated?
World Ocean Day is celebrated around the globe on 8th June to raise awareness about ocean conservation. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to engage children in ocean-themed play and activities that can ignite their curiosity and love of nature.
Discover some of our favourite ocean play ideas to teach your little ones about marine life, from creating a backyard ocean to jellyfish suncatchers. These activities will make a splash and inspire young minds to protect and cherish our oceans.
1) Create a Backyard Ocean
One way to immerse children in the
world of oceans is by making your own mini ocean in your back backyard.
Set up a shallow pool or wooden sand and water table and fill it with water to represent the vastness of the sea. Add pebbles, seashells, and your child’s favourite sea creature water toys to create a visually appealing underwater scene.
Once your ocean scene is set up, the world is their oyster! Children can use their imagination to play with toy boats, simulate waves, and discover the incredible marine life in their ocean play pool. This hands-on sensory water play allows kids to understand the interconnectedness of ecosystems and learn about different sea creatures that live in the sea.
Creating an ocean sensory pool can be beneficial to your child’s development. The different toys and materials in the sensory pool create tactile sensations and colourful patterns in the water, captivating the curiosity of young children. Engaging in this interactive experience encourages learning through touch, enhances dexterity, and promotes sensory exploration.
2) Eggbox Ocean Craft
Another
ocean-themed play idea is to let children explore their artistic side by making
an eggbox ocean craft and creating their seascape.
You will need:
🌊 Egg cartons
🌊 Paint – blue and green are ideal colours
🌊 Paintbrushes
🌊 Cardboard
🌊 Glue
🌊 Scissors
🌊 Natural materials – shells, pebbles and seaweed work well
Collect empty egg
cartons and help children paint the sections blue to resemble the ocean. Then,
encourage them to create their own underwater scenes using various art supplies
such as cardboard cut into sea shapes, like starfish and natural materials like
shells and seaweed.
Get kids to pop
their ocean creations into the eggbox, which acts as the ocean backdrop to
complete their design.
This craft activity encourages creativity and imagination while fostering discussions about the importance of protecting marine habitats and conserving our oceans.
3) Jellyfish Suncatcher
Jellyfish are mesmerising
creatures that captivate the imagination of children. To celebrate World Ocean
Day, engage kids in creating Jellyfish Suncatchers.
You will need:
🪸 Pencil
🪸 Black cardboard
🪸 Tissues paper in lots of colours
🪸 Glue
🪸 Ribbon
🪸 Scissors
Start by drawing a
Jellyfish body outline on black cardboard paper and cut this out. Also, cut out
the middle of the jellyfish shape; this is where the colourful tissue paper
will go to create the suncatcher.
Time to get
colourful! Kids can get creative here and use their favourite colours in lots
of shapes and sizes to create a vibrant suncatcher pattern. Let kids stick
pieces of coloured tissue paper to the middle of the jellyfish, working from
the edges to the centre.
Then, help them
cut out long, dangling tentacles from colourful ribbons or attach these
tentacles to the bottom of the jellyfish and secure them with glue.
Hang the finished suncatchers near windows, allowing the sunlight to shine through and illuminate the shimmering colours. As children admire their creations, it’s an excellent opportunity to start a discussion with your little one about the significance of jellyfish to ocean life and the importance of looking after all the creatures in the ocean.
4) Fishing for Numbers
Fishing for
Numbers is a playful way to introduce young children to numbers while enjoying
the ocean theme.
Create fish-shaped
cut-outs from colourful cardboard and write numbers on each fish. Attach a paper
clip to each fish.
Make a fishing rod
using a stick, string, and a magnet tied to the end of the line.
Spread the fish cut-outs
on the floor and have the children take turns fishing for numbers.
As they catch a
fish, ask them to identify the number and count aloud.
This activity enhances numeracy skills and hand-eye coordination. This activity is also versatile – on the other side of the fish, you can write letters and get children to fish for the letters of their name or to spell ocean-related words. This can also help children develop their letter recognition, reading and literacy skills.
World Ocean Day
provides the opportunity to talk with your little one about the importance of
caring for the world and looking after oceans and the sea creatures that live
in them. We hope these play suggestions have given you some fun ideas on
engaging your children in ocean-themed play, sparking their imaginations and making
a splash this World Ocean Day.
If you try out any of these ideas, share your adventures with us @PlumPlayAus #lifeatplay
As nature begins to wind down and the days become crisp and bright, it’s the ideal time to get out and about. There are lots of activities that you can do to keep your kids busy as the weather cools down and enjoy the changing seasons together outdoors. Read on to hear some of our favourites…
1. Winter Walk
A simple outdoor activity to keep the kids busy during the colder months is to go on a Winter walk.
Winter is the perfect time to whack out those Wellington boots,
pop them on and go for a walk as a family. Jump in the puddles, splash in the
mud or search for vibrant tree leaves. It’s all part of the fun of a winter
walk!
Why not see who can find the most leaves, see how many birds you can spot or count the puddles as you go to immerse yourself and your little ones in the beauty of the season?
2. Scavenger Hunt
What will you find? Take your Winter exploration a step
further by going on a scavenger hunt. This is an excellent activity for
children of all ages to get involved in. You can keep this activity simple by
looking out for the signs of Winter and scavenging for seasonal treasures.
Why not make a list of things to look out for:
🪵 Twigs
🪶 Feathers
🍁 Red leaves
🍂 Yellow leaves
🍃 Green leaves
🌰 Conker
🌼 Flowers
Need a chest to keep your Winter treasure safe? Egg boxes are a great way to look after all your finds. Use the egg box to keep things together as you go. Little ones can even decorate the box with pens and paper or stick some of their treasures to the box itself when they get home.
3. Wild Work of Art
Another great use of your little one’s nature treasures
would be to create a wild work of art.
Use leaves, twigs, feathers and more to make a natural artwork. You can get your little ones to create their artwork straight onto the backyard patio or grass, then take a picture to remember their masterpiece. Or why not use a sheet of paper as the base for their design, so they have something to create and keep?
4. Pooh Sticks
This is a classic outdoor activity, made famous by a certain
bear, and will be a fun way to pass the time together during Winter weekends.
You need two or more players, each with a stick. Find a bridge
that sits over a flow of moving water, like over a stream or river.
Once everyone has chosen their favourite stick, everyone
needs to stand on the bridge.
On your marks, get set, go! Everyone throws their sticks
into the water at the same time.
The stick that floats under the bridge and emerges first on
the other side wins, hooray!
Top Tip: Double-check how the water flows so that your sticks go the right way!
5. Bug Buddy
Insects and bugs like to stay cosy in Winter, living under snuggly
moss or in big hollows in tree bark, so this is the perfect time of year to
make a bug buddy.
Go on a bug hunt around the backyard and look for the marvellous minibeasts hiding out.
When your child finds their bug buddy remind them to be kind
and gentle. To the bugs, your child is a giant. The bugs are minibeasts, after
all! Encourage your child to scoop them up carefully in their hands and place
them down gently once they have finished meeting their bug buddy.
You could even get children to write out the names of the bugs they see, count how many they find or draw their bug buddies too.
6. Bug Hotel
So, you’ve found some bug buddies. What about making a bug
hotel so that they have a cosy place to stay in your backyard this Winter?
This activity is a great way to encourage your kids to help
look after nature and will keep them occupied.
Use those leaves and sticks you collected on your scavenger
hunt to construct a tiny house for the insects that call your backyard home.
When your child is creating their bug hotel, ask them to consider
whether their bug visitors need leaves and whether they like their hotel to be
wet or dry, in the shade or the sun – so it really can be the perfect retreat
for backyard creatures.
Things like cardboard tubes and boxes can help to create ‘rooms’ for minibeast guests in your bug hotel.
7. Conker Painting
Conkers are the glossy brown staples of Autumn and Wintertime.
They are robust and relatively large, meaning they are great
for painting!
This activity can be mindful and an excellent way for your
kids to wind down after a busy Winter day.
Gather some paint and paint brushes, along with your conkers
and get painting.
This is a great activity to do in the backyard. For one, your children can take inspiration from the outdoors around them for their painting-they’ll spot wildlife, flowers, and colours. Painting in the backyard also means no mess indoors, and the rain can wash any spills away afterwards!
8. Make a Mud Masterpiece
For this one, prepare to get messy, but that’s really what
outdoor exploring is all about!
Encourage little ones to grab a big handful of mud and mould it like clay into mud masterpieces. Why not develop mud into a mud creature or perhaps a mud pie?
This is a great idea to encourage children to engage their
senses outdoors. When creating their mud masterpiece, encourage your kids to
fully immerse themselves in the sensory play by asking them questions such as,
what does the mud feel like? What does it sound like when you squish it?
Encourage them to mould it in different ways, such as rolling, squashing, mixing and patting. This will help them create their mud masterpieces and aid the development of fine and gross motor skills.
9. Winter Obstacle Course
This a fun way to encourage
healthy, active play during the cooler months of the year.
Your children can make an outdoor
nature obstacle course for their friends by gathering sticks to jump over or
create hopscotch. Why not collect a big pile of leaves to jump into at the
finish line?
If you have a climbing frame,
why not use this as a challenge within the obstacle course? Kids can climb up
the ladder, swoop down the slide, and go to the finish line!
If your backyard has a small footprint, children can take turns to complete the route and see who can complete it in the fastest time, so everyone safely gets a go with plenty of space.
Wintertime is the perfect time to get outdoors, so pop on a
coat, get the kids together and get out there! We hope these seasonal outdoor
ideas give you lots of inspiration to keep your kids busy this Winter.
If you try out any of these activities for kids, share your adventures with us @PlumPlayAus #lifeatplay
Prepare to get set for even more Plum Play Fun…
There’s lots of fun to be had in Winter, and we hope that you and your little ones enjoy trying out some of these seasonal outdoor ideas. However, if you’re dreaming of sunnier days and even more Plum Play fun, don’t worry as the countdown has begun… You can now pre-order play equipment in time for Spring!
You can enjoy over 15% off on pre-order items, making it the perfect opportunity to get set for an unforgettable season of backyard play.
Happiness is about experiencing positive feelings such as contentment and joy. International Day of Happiness is a day that encourages people to focus on what truly matters in life, and that is happiness. This year it is on Monday, 20th March 2023. While adding some happiness to every day is important, the International Day of Happiness is an excellent opportunity to celebrate happiness with your family. Here are some fun activities you can try out to celebrate the International Day of Happiness with your kids…
Activities for Kids to Spread Joy on the International Day of Happiness
1) Share Your Happiness with Each Other
One of the best ways to celebrate the International Day of Happiness with your family is by sharing your happiness with each other. Take some time to sit down with your family and ask each other what makes you happy. Share your happy moments and memories, and remember all the fun activities you have done as a family. This is a great way to create a positive and happy atmosphere in your home.
2) Bake Some Treats Together
Baking is a fun and creative way to celebrate the International Day of Happiness with your family. Not only is baking a fun activity, but you also enjoy the delicious treats you make together. You could bake some gingerbread biscuits together and give them yummy happy faces by creating eyes and a smiley mouth out of fruit.
3) Go Outside and Play
Spending time outdoors is a superb way to promote happiness. Spend some time in the backyard together. You can jump on the trampoline, play hide and seek around the climbing frame, go on a backyard scavenger hunt, or play any other games your family enjoys. Spending time outside in nature can boost your mood and help you feel happier.
4) Do Some Arts and Crafts
You
can draw, paint, or make crafts together. Creating art together is a great way
to celebrate the International Day of Happiness. A really simple craft to try
is creating happy potato prints. You’ll only need a few things: paint, paper
and potatoes.
You
will need the following:
📜 Paper
🎨 Paint – bright colours to spark happiness, like orange, yellow and pink work well
🥔 Potatoes – big baking potatoes work well
Instructions
Cut
a smiley shape into your potato or try other shapes, like stars using a biscuit
cutter to indent the outline and then finish cutting with a knife.
Let
your kids loose on the paint and stamp the potatoes into the paint and then
onto the paper.
Leave
the creations to try.
Display
where all the family can see to give you a little happiness every day.
This is a great way to express your creativity and spend quality time together as a family.
5) Have a Picnic
Having a picnic is a fun and easy way to celebrate the International Day of Happiness. Pack some sandwiches, fruit, and drinks (and don’t forget those biscuits you made earlier) and head outdoors together. This is a great way to enjoy nature and spend quality time together as a family.
6) Make the Wildlife Happy
There’s a whole host of activities you can encourage your kids to do to make the animals and insects in your backyard happy; it’s not just about happy humans! Why not get your kids to build a bug hotel to keep backyard minibeasts content and cosy or scatter some wildflower seeds so that you will have a host of happy bees in your backyard in the summertime?
Doing activities like this is a great way to get your children to spend time in nature and get involved in the outdoors. It also teaches them how to look after wildlife and make the planet happy.
7) Give Back to Your Community
Giving back to your community is a compassionate way to celebrate the International Day of Happiness. You could donate something to a local food bank or help at a community event. This is a great way to teach your children about the importance of giving back and positively impacting the world.
What is Happening Around the World on the International Day of Happiness?
The
International Day of Happiness is celebrated around the world; families share
online what makes them happy and how they celebrate the day with loved ones.
Schools
sometimes have special events like dressing in clothes that make you happy or a
happiness post box where children can post compliment cards to their friends.
Local community hubs might host events like bake sales or pop-up craft tents to spread happiness and joy in the local community, so keep a lookout in your local area.
It’s time to share happiness! What are you doing to spread more happiness? Don’t forget to share your ideas with us @plumplayaus#LifeAtPlay.
As we celebrate our 35th year of bringing families together through healthy active play and creating childhoods filled with fun memories that will last a lifetime, we’re taking a look back at our beginnings and what makes Plum Play so unique…
Our Story
Becoming the active play specialists
After raising three children themselves while starting Plum® 35 years ago, founders Jonathan and Diane Schaffer know how important it is to give your little ones the freedom to play in a stimulating outdoor space at home.
When Paul was young, he began working for his family’s business whilst attending school. He was involved in various tasks, such as customer service, organising spare parts, and packing brochures. After Studying in Sydney, Australia, he began his own career. However, Paul had ambitions to return to Plum and in 2015, he returned and since 2019, has been managing the company, heading up the helm as our top play enthusiast! Through his help, the company has grown to become a successful global brand.
This little boy is now our Managing Director, Paul Schaffer.
What Makes Plum Play Different?
Plum Play is no average toy company. We’re a sustainable toy company who are passionate about making play as fun and safe as possible. From ensuring our products are kind to the planet, to creating imaginative toys kids will love for years to come. Read on to learn more about our values and what makes us so special…
35 Years of Family First Values
We have 35 years of experience and understand the importance of putting families first. So, we ensure that family first values are in everything we do. We’re committed to creating play opportunities for families to spend quality time together by creating play equipment that is high-quality, affordable and enjoyed by families around the globe.
Inspiring Young Minds
We have a passion for inspiring young minds by:
🌟Letting kids rediscover the magical world around them by developing play equipment, like our Forest School-inspired Plum Discovery® collection, which combines the delights of nature, play and learning.
👏Building kids’ self-confidence and physical skills through healthy active play.
🔎Nurturing curiosity and creativity by developing toys which engage the senses, encourage messy play and appeal to children’s naturally inquisitive side, so they build their interests.
🤸Creating a world that is rich in play possibilities with a variety of outdoor toys from My First to Junior and beyond, there’s a Plum Play possibility for every child (and adult too).
🤾Giving children the freedom of play through our range of innovative outdoor toys, there’s the ultimate freedom to spark little ones’ imaginations through a variety of play.
‘Young minds work in mysterious but wonderful ways. At Plum Play, we’re all about creating the tools to let their imaginations run wild.’ – Founders Jonathan and Diane Schaffer.
Plum Play Looking After the Planet
At Plum Play we have a sustainable play vision. We are committed to being kind and friendly to the planet because we want to ensure the earth is a better place for our children to enjoy as they grow up.
Our commitment to being kind to the environment goes back to our beginnings 35 years ago. We made sure that our wood was of the highest quality and produced from sustainable forestry operations to create attainable sustainable wooden toys.
All our outdoor toys are sustainably sourced, planet friendly toys, as they are made from FSC®-certified wood, which means that we support the responsible management of the world’s forests. We are proud to have been FSC®-certified since FSC® was begun in 1994.
Ensuring a Safe Playtime for All
We have a safety conscious design process, and each of our products is tested to the highest safety standards, and for that all important fun factor!
Springsafe® Trampolines
springs and frame of the trampoline. This ensures that Plum Springsafe Trampolines are the smartest and safest choice for family fun and healthy active play.
Outdoor Wooden Toys
All our outdoor wooden play equipment is treated with a non-toxic formula to ensure these products are as strong and as safe as possible, prolonging the products’ life and ensuring a safe playtime for all.
Built to Last
We know that healthy active play is important for children as they grow. So that’s why we make premium play equipment that is built to last for years to come.
Since durable play equipment should last for years, all our products come with warranty periods, which ensures your playtime is protected for longer, and you can have peace of mind that the play equipment is safe, high-quality and built to last.
At Plum Play, we believe in fun for the whole family. The joy of play brings families together and creates memories that will last for a lifetime. Share your Plum Play memories with us @plumplayaus.
17th February 2023 marks Random Acts of Kindness
Day. It is now a day celebrated worldwide to encourage people to be kind to one
another and undertake random acts of kindness. It was a movement that
originated in New Zealand through the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, which
believes in the positive power of kindness.
Being kind is excellent for the person receiving the act of kindness, but it also can make the person giving the kindness feel positive and happy. So Random Acts of Kindness Day is a way to spread positivity and joy by doing something nice for those around you.
Why is it Important to Teach Children About Random Acts of Kindness?
Teaching children about Random Acts of Kindness Day is a
great way to open conversations around feelings and well-being. It can encourage
kids to realise the power of their actions and help them develop social skills,
such as empathy, tolerance, and self-awareness.
Teaching children about the positive power of kindness can
empower them to be kind and shape the world in the way they want.
Teaching children some simple random acts of kindness that they can do for someone is a great way to get kids involved in the day and help them learn about kindness and compassion toward others.
What Are Some Tips for Teaching Kids About Random Acts of Kindness?
1) Show them how
When it comes to learning about life, you are a role model for your kids. So, teach them how to be kind by being kind yourself. They will see this and want to copy your positive behaviour.
2) Play and learn
Playing is a great way to teach kids about random acts of kindness. Through play, kids need to respect each other, take turns, act with integrity, and have the courage to climb and explore. All these aspects of play encourage kids to be kind. Next time they go out to play, be sure you acknowledge when they are being kind.
3) Kindness story time
Reading a children’s book about kindness is a great way to teach kids about acts of kindness. These books don’t just have to be about being kind to others. Books about self-confidence, being kind to themselves or the environment and looking after the planet also demonstrate acts of kindness. Get your kids to think broadly about caring and empathy; this will be the best way to teach them about kindness overall.
4) Don’t expect anything in return
Many aspects can make a person kind; acting honestly, being patient and considering others’ feelings are just a few. However, the most important thing to teach your kids is that you don’t act kindly to get something in return. You do it because it is the right thing to do.
5) Keep being kind everyday
Although Random Acts of Kindness Day is a special day to help promote the power of being kind, being kind isn’t a once-a-year thing! Remind your children that to really be kind, you must try to be caring everyday, as that is the best way to be kind.
What Can Parents Do to Encourage Random Acts of Kindness in the Home?
As a parent, there are some easy things that you can do to
encourage random acts of kindness at home.
One of the best ways to do this is by demonstrating kindness
daily, as kids will notice this and wan to follow suit. So, let them see you
being kind to others. For example, when you hold the door for someone in the
café or help your neighbour carry out an errand.
It’s also super important to acknowledge when your kids are
kind to someone and let them know why that was kind. You don’t need to reward
them, but just recognise that what they did was nice and the reason behind it.
This will help to encourage random acts of kindness.
Another way to promote kindness at home is to give your kids
responsibilities. This will help them to learn to be reliable and do what is
expected to support others. For example, if you have a family pet, giving your
kids the responsibility to feed your pet in the mornings helps them to learn responsibility
and compassion towards others.
A creative way to teach your children about kindness at home
would be to ask them to draw a picture of your family acting kind. Then chat
with your little ones about what they have drawn and identify the act of
kindness in their image. This will help them identify acts of kindness and remind
them how they can be kind at home.
Family and kindness go hand in hand. Teaching kids to be respectful and treating people and places in a thoughtful way will naturally encourage them to be kind at home. For example, packing their toys away when they have finished playing so that they treat their home environment with care or sharing toys with siblings and turn-taking during a family game also shows respect and can encourage kindness.
How Can You Celebrate This Day with Your Kids?
A fun way to celebrate Random Acts of kindness day with your kids would be to write and leave kindness notes for each other around the house and yard. These notes will surely bring a smile to your face as you go about your day!
You could celebrate this day by baking a cake together and sharing the washing up duties. This is sure to be a tasty way to mark the day and remind your kids that sharing tasks (and treats!) is a great way to be kind.
Do your kids have a favourite way to show kindness, or perhaps you have your own way of celebrating Random Acts of Kindness Day? Be sure to let us know @PlumPlayAus #LifeAtPlay.
We’re back with Teacher Gee Cartwright from Tall Oaks Academy Trust in Lincolnshire, UK- this time, we’re exploring how to encourage positive wellbeing and mindfulness at home and some activity ideas you can try out with your kids.
Gee explains, ‘You don’t have to invest lots of time and money in health and wellbeing. There’s so much you can do at home that will help.’ What is key is giving children that safe space and freedom to express themselves and have open conversations about emotions and feelings
Read on to discover some enriching activities for mindfulness and positive wellbeing to practice with your child at home.
1. Cloud Spotting
Cloud spotting is a relaxing way for children to take time out of their
day and have a moment of quiet and focus. By looking out for clouds in the sky,
they can watch how the clouds move and change, which can be a peaceful mindfulness
activity.
Cloud spotting is easy to do.
Find a comfy space outside.
Why not make it extra comfortable with a blanket and some cushions?
Ask your child to lie on their back and focus on what shapes
and patterns they can see in the clouds.
There is no correct answer. It is a great way to get outdoors and encourage
them to be mindful and imaginative.
Ask questions like, ‘what can you hear?’ ‘What you can feel?’ and ‘What
else can you see?’, to make it a sensory experience.
Remember, sunscreen, hats and sunglasses should be worn on sunnier days and take regular breaks from looking up at the sky.
2. Yoga
Yoga is a great way to get some gentle physical movement into your
little one’s day and boost their physical and mental wellbeing.
Yoga doesn’t have to be complicated or take a long time. For example, 15
minutes of having a go at some poses and pausing on a busy day is excellent!
Some simple yoga poses for children include Cat, Happy Baby, and Mountain poses.
How to do Cat pose
How to do Cat Pose
Begin on hands and knees with your hands shoulder-width apart.
When exhaling, you round your spine like a cat and drop your
tailbone and crown of your head whilst drawing your belly up and in.
Then return to the neutral starting position to release the
pose.
Getting outside and walking is a feel-good activity, whatever the
weather. Gee Cartwright explains that getting outdoors is a key wellbeing
activity that the children also practice at school. ‘We’d get outdoors,
go for a walk and be in nature’.
It’s great for the body for physical movement and good for the mind, encouraging children to focus on the natural world around them as they walk and explore.
4. Mindfulness Colouring
Colouring can be a creative and soothing activity, and the repetitive action
of the crayon against the paper can provide a calming feeling for children.
Concentrating on colouring a picture encourages them to take their time
and focus on the present task.
All you need is a colour book and crayons to do this activity. You can
find mindfulness colouring sheets online, but you can use a colouring book you
already have or even encourage your child to draw their own picture to colour
in.
You can join in with the colouring activity too, take a moment of mindfulness and enjoy being in the moment with them.
5. Role Play
Role play allows kids to express emotions they may have difficulty verbalising.
By acting out a scenario, they can demonstrate their feelings.
Pretend play also allows children to become more familiar with the world
around them as they act out everyday scenarios and explore the possibilities of
different roles. Through this type of play, children learn to take on a variety
of perspectives and can gain a better understanding of the world around them.
Not only does pretend play help children develop their imagination and
creativity, but it also encourages them to think for themselves, build
confidence, and develop problem-solving skills.
Pretend play can be anything from playing with dolls and teddies to using an indoor role play kitchen or dressing up.
6. Windchimes
Making homemade windchimes is a brilliant way to add sensory play and
mindfulness for kids into playtime.
Windchimes create a calming noise as they move in the breeze, which
children can enjoy listening to.
To make your windchime, you will need a large stick, string, and some
shells.
You can carefully predrill holes in the shells.
Then encourage your child to thread the string through the
shells.
Secure it around the
stick to make a beautiful hanging array of seashells.
Alternatively, some Plum Play equipment from the Discovery Collection, like the Discovery Mud Pie Kitchen and Woodland Cubby House, come with windchimes. So, why not encourage your little one to paint these or add decorations, like ribbon or shells, to enhance the sensory experience?
7. Outdoor Storytime
Bringing storytime outdoors is a great way for children to interact with
nature and let their imaginations run free.
Reading outside can be different than indoors, with the leaves rustling
and the sounds of the environment. This can help kids be more aware of their
surroundings, spark conversations and stimulate their senses.
To add to the fun, have them look around and find items to create and use in their own stories.
8. Sensory Play
Sensory play can
help kids learn to use their sense of touch, refine their motor skills, and
focus longer. Plus, sensory play can captivate children’s attention better than
structured activities.
Teacher Gee Cartwright explains that sensory play sparks curiosity and promotes
exploring physical sensations and textures and how they make them feel. Some
children may connect different textures to different emotions, and some
textures may make them feel safe and comfortable.
To create your own sensory play experience, you can add a different
range of textures and fabrics into a basket and invite your child to close
their eyes and put their hands in the basket. Ask them open-ended questions
like, ‘What does it make you feel?’ or ‘What does it make you think of?’
Another way to create a sensory play experience would be to use a sandpit or water table and put some different toys and textures into the mix. For example, adding twigs and pinecones into sand or driftwood boats and petals into the water.
9. Body Scan
During the body scan meditation, ask your child to mentally scan their
entire body, starting with their head and ending at their feet. Ask them to
think about any feelings in the different body parts as they scan, and they
will notice what feels comfortable.
There are videos online for simple body scan meditations. If you’re unsure where to start or want to experience the body scan alongside your little one, pop a guided body scan meditation on and relax together.
10. Senses I Spy
Senses I spy is a fun way to get your child thinking about
their different senses and engaging them. It’s a helpful tool to help add some
calm to your little one’s day, help them feel grounded and experience a moment
of mindfulness.
This activity works particularly well outside, as there are many
natural stimuli to engage the senses, but it can work just as well indoors.
Firstly, ask your little one to get comfortable.
Ask them to explain five things they can see in
their environment.
Next, ask them to notice four things they can
hear around them. If you are outdoors, this might prompt interesting
conversations about wildlife and nature.
Thirdly, encourage them to find three things
they can touch, such as grass, leaves and twigs.
Next, ask them to notice two things they can
smell, like freshly cut grass or flowers.
Lastly, you can ask them what they can taste.
Perhaps they just had a yummy hot chocolate and can still taste the chocolate
in their mouth or the toothpaste from when they brushed their teeth in the
morning?
As you can see, there are lots of wellbeing and mindfulness activities that you can do with your kids at home that are simple and easy to prepare. The main takeaway is to encourage your child to be themselves. Give them the ability to explore and chat with you about their thoughts and feelings.
Thank you for reading part two
of our wellbeing and
mindfulness for children blogs with Tall Oaks Academy Trust, looking at easy ways to encourage positive
wellbeing and mindfulness at home.
Let us know if you try out any of these ideas with your little one at home. Be sure to share your wellbeing and mindfulness exercises with us on Instagram @PlumPlayAus.
‘Health and wellbeing in children and adults are absolutely
essential. It is about putting those building blocks in for later life’ – Miss Gee
Cartwright, Teacher at White’s Wood Academy, Tall Oaks Academy Trust.
Tall Oaks Academy Trust is an Academy Trust with wellbeing at the heart of its values and central to its mission. So, when we first chatted with them in 2022, we were excited to learn more about wellbeing and mindfulness for children. We recently caught up with Teacher and leader of Tall Oaks Academy Trust’s Ministry of Health & Well-being, Gee Cartwright, to learn more about wellbeing and mindfulness in school and beyond – here’s what we learnt…
What is wellbeing for kids?
Wellness, both physical and mental/emotional, is often referred to as health and wellbeing. This is because the two are linked; physical health can affect mental, and mental can affect physical. So, wellbeing for kids is holistically supporting the child’s physical, psychological, and emotional wellness.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is a concept that allows people to understand
themselves and others better, acknowledge their thoughts and feelings and have
a positive outlook on their life.
Gee explains that mindfulness is ultimately self-awareness. It’s teaching children to be aware of themselves in the moment. What are they thinking? What are they feeling? Being able to understand their emotions and their thoughts.
What is the importance of positive wellbeing and mindfulness for children?
Incorporating opportunities for positive wellbeing and
aspects of mindfulness into your child’s life can help them form a solid foundation
for later life. Mindfulness benefits can include assisting children in learning
to regulate their emotions and become more self-resilient and happier.
Read on as we delve deeper into some of the benefits of mindfulness and positive wellbeing for children.
Regulating Emotions
Gee outlines that mindfulness for kids equips children with
emotional literacy and allows them to communicate successfully with the world
around them.
Children can learn to manage stress and emotions by incorporating mindfulness into their day. Gee emphasises the importance of adults being positive role models for their children and demonstrating good mindfulness practices.
A simple way to do this would be for parents to ask their children
how their day went and how it made them feel. Mindfulness practices are essential
for children as they can help them focus on their feelings and thoughts without
judgement, promoting more self-awareness of their emotions and how to manage
them.
Gee states that role play is great for this. ‘For children, role play lets them express feelings they might have. That they might not be able to explain easily.’ They might be able to show you a situation or how they’re feeling by taking on a role in a pretend play scenario.
Compassion and Care
Children can become more compassionate and kinder towards
others by having a greater awareness of emotions and feelings.
For example, by being aware of what makes them happy and what makes them feel sad, children can show empathy towards others when they might be feeling the same way. This can help children to form friendships and feel good for helping others.
Improved Cognitive Skills
Simple mindfulness activities, like meditation or deep breathing, can help children to focus on the present moment and have a calm mind. This can encourage a whole host of cognitive benefits, from being able to concentrate better on tasks, problem-solving and memory function, all great for active growing minds!
Better Sleep
Having a calmer mind can also promote better sleep. Mindfulness
can clear those distractions and relax children’s minds to prepare for night
time.
From a young age, one of the key aspects of mindfulness is
having those conversations with your kids about how they are feeling right now.
What are they thinking? Why are they thinking and feeling those things? What do
we need to do? And again, the importance of adults modelling that.
For example, chat with your child about how if we feel tired, it’s essential to have a good night’s sleep to feel good and ready for the next day. Now, this doesn’t always mean that your little one will have the perfect night’s sleep, but it does mean that they know they can feel comfortable with you talking about how they are feeling.
Increase Communication Skills
Children need
social and communication skills to make friends and build positive
relationships with others, so they are essential for child development.
Activities for wellbeing
don’t have to be complicated. Simple tasks, such as helping to plant
vegetables or herbs and tend to them, can help to teach children about
healthy eating and aid the development of fine and gross motor skills, which,
of course, can positively impact their physical development.
At Tall Oaks Academy Trust, they have started work on a
nature area. Gee explains that they decided to also plant things like lavender
as this scent can have a calming effect to support wellbeing and encourage
mindfulness by engaging the senses.
Activities like gardening also encourage children to communicate about what they are planting and help each other by passing and sharing gardening tools. All these aspects positively impact children’s social skills while also benefiting their wellbeing.
Positive wellbeing and mindfulness have many benefits for
you and your child. So, it’s something to consider encouraging more of as part
of your little one’s routine.
Thank you for reading part one of our wellbeing and mindfulness for children blog series with Tall Oaks Academy Trust, looking at the key benefits of positive wellbeing and mindfulness for children.
Look out for the next blog post, where we’ll explore further
how you can easily encourage positive wellbeing and mindfulness at home and
some fun and enriching activities you can try with your kids.
Find out more about Tall Oaks Academy Trust and wellbeing here.
The end of
the year is in sight, and the festive spirit is in the air, so this is the
perfect time to start planning Christmas ideas and gifts to spread the
Christmas magic from presents to playtime!
Plum Play recognise that every
child is unique in their interests and abilities. So, we have created a handy
gift guide to help you find the best outdoor and pretend play toys to surprise
your kids with this Christmas to suit every personality and budget, plus some great
Christmas gifts for the grown-ups, too!
Super for Junior Jumpers
Junior Jumpers are little ones full of energy and will love a trampoline to bounce away the day and bounce off all that energy through healthy, active play.
There’s a Plum
Play Trampoline for everyone, from 18+ months to big kids. A Plum Play
trampoline is a present that is sure to put a smile on your child’s face this
year.
The bouncing
mat on this trampoline makes six different fun Trolls sounds. As your child
bounces and plays, they can jump with the Trolls and activate the sounds they
will recognise from the movies. The sound box is battery-powered and easy to
install. The trampoline is made from durable materials and has a galvanised steel
frame for weather protection.
Ideal for Ambitious Adventurers
For kids that love adventure, we
have epic climbing frames that will help nurture their curiosity and bring out
the independent explorer in them.
Adventure play will build your
child’s confidence as they push their boundaries to new heights and develop new
skills. With climbing frames for 18 months + we have something for all families
this Christmas.
My first climb!
If you’re looking for gift ideas for preschoolers, little ones will love theMy First Wooden Playcentre with its mini rock wall and secret den. It is a great wooden climbing frame to create magic first time moments for you and your toddler, making hours of laughter and play all the way to their brave first climb.
For kids that love to climb!
Older kids can explore the Wooden Lookout Tower Playcentre with Monkey Bars, which has exciting elements for 3+ year-olds. The climbing frame includes a ladder leading up to the tower and a rock wall with hand and foot grips and monkey bars. An 8ft wave slide will take them down, and they can hide in the ball pit below deck.
A perfect gift for kids this Christmas would also be the Plum Tamarin Wooden Climbing Frame which contains all of the features that your children will need to spend hours monkeying around. Two swings for double the fun, a wooden ladder leading to a play deck and a wave slide. This wooden climbing frame is perfect for encouraging agile and active play and will help your children burn off all their energy!
Check out our range of Climbing Frames for your Ambitious Adventurer here.
This
swing set has a unique water feature that hooks up to your water pipe for
outdoor water fun, with two swings for twice the enjoyment and a glider, so
even more friends and family can join in the fun.
The
frame is larger than standard swing sets. The extra height means a bigger
swing, perfect for keeping children active even on the hottest days.
Fab for All the Family
Play isn’t just for the kids! This Christmas, there’s fun for all the family with the Space Zone II Trampoline.
This trampoline is perfect for
aspiring gymnasts; with Springsafe technology separating the jumper from the springs
whilst maximising jumping, it’s sure to give the best bounce. The trampoline
frame is also protected against rust, and the unique Tramp Klamp bracket
secures the leg and frame joint, adding extra stability and more opportunities
to push the bouncing boundaries!
It also comes in a range of sizes, up to 14ft (with a free trampoline accessory kit when you buy a Space Zone Trampoline and use code: FREEKIT) and supports up to 125kg, so you can hop to it and get a gift ticked off the list that the whole family will love!
Garden Explorers Will Love
Garden explorers enjoy digging and planting. They like to
forage and find and aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty, pop on their
wellies and go on a garden expedition.
Garden explorers will enjoy play equipment from the
Discovery Collection. The collection inspires a
love for nature and engages children in STEAM education in the early stages of
childhood.
Nature-lovers are naturally curious about the outdoors. They want to jump in muddy puddles, help plant the veg patch and hunt for minibeasts in the garden. We think kids who love nature will be at home in the Plum Discovery Woodland Treehouse.
The Plum Discovery Woodland Treehouse
allows little ones to climb, slide and discover adventure and messy play.
Little ones can interact with nature as they discover wildlife hiding in the
garden, engage in active play, and keep a
lookout from the playcentre as the seasons change.
The Woodland
Treehouse includes a built-in potted garden, create and paint easel and bamboo
chimes to help develop little ones’ love of nature and add sensory elements to
play.
This
innovative table provides the perfect place for little ones to sit and enjoy
snack time in the fresh air. Then, when snack time is over, the tabletop can be
easily removed to reveal the sand and water trays, so your kids can enjoy hours
of sand and water play.
Encourage
creative play. Will they dig for buried treasure, go on a deep-sea adventure or
build sandcastles? This table is so versatile that kids can let their
imaginations run wild and immerse themselves in sensory play.
On a Budget
You don’t have to spend lots to give your kids a Christmas they will remember. We have lots of great deals on a variety of fun play products this year, from Trolls to trampolines, swing sets to see-saws. Check out our magical Christmas deals here.
We hope this children’s Christmas present ideas guide has given you some fun present suggestions for your kids this Christmas. With something for everyone, Plum Play is a high-quality, safe and ethically manufactured choice to top your kid’s Christmas list this year.
We’re back with Head Teacher Michelle Wisbey and Teacher Liz Barclay from Westwood Montessori School in Cambridge- this time, we’re exploring how to incorporate Montessori learning at home and key skills it can help children to develop.
Montessori learning can help children develop many skills to encourage them to be well-round, responsible, and curious about the world around them.
Whilst some schools follow the Montessori approach, Montessori learning.
Read on to discover some of the essential skills that Montessori learning can help your little ones to develop and activities and ideas for how you can bring Montessori into the home.
1. Hand-eye Coordination
Little ones
love to explore using their hands, encouraging them to try activities that
allow them to practice grasping and holding. Dexterity can develop hand-eye
coordination and motor skills.
Why not set
up some posting activities for your child, such as pushing shapes through holes
or putting coins in a money box? Next time you need to post a letter, why not
walk to the post box together and ask your child to post the letter? They could
even write their letter to a friend or relative, put it in an envelope and post
it.
Another great activity is an opening and closing task. This is also great for enhancing motor skills and refining children’s hand-eye coordination. You can recycle jars and add them to your child’s play so they can practice opening and closing them. Or give your little ones their own bag so they can choose their belongings to take with them and learn how to open and close the bag themselves when they go out.
2. Language Skills
A fundamental
principle of the Montessori approach is for children to learn through actual
experiences. Using natural objects is a great way to encourage language
learning at home.
When out and about with your little one, chat with them about what they can see in their surroundings, the names of plants and flowers on a nature walk or the fruits and vegetables in the supermarket. This seems simple, but it is a great way to encourage language development through real-life experiences.
3. Independence
Teacher, Liz Barclay from Westwood Montessori, outlines independence as a
skill children can develop when incorporating the Montessori method at home or
in school.
Activities to allow independence at home can encourage things such as letting
your child scoop out their cereal from the container and pour on their milk
using a small, lightweight jug that is easy for small hands to hold.
Or even
simple things such as having a bookcase at child height so your little one can go
and choose what story they want to read and reach it themselves, without
needing to ask an adult for help.
This is an essential skill to develop in young children as it can help them be more confident and resilient, knowing they can do things independently and successfully.
4. Turn-taking
Montessori values turn-taking, as it promotes
respect for each other and the sharing of resources.
A great way to foster this at home is through games. Simple games like
snap can be an effective way to promote this. Or perhaps it’s waiting their
turn to climb up the climbing frame and down the slide.
Children learn to take turns in games and have fun when participating in these activities. This helps them to improve their turn-taking skills which can help them to become more respectful and patient.
5. Movement
Developing movement skills is essential to the Montessori approach –
incorporating regular movement into a little one’s day can improve their balance
and fine and gross motor skills, all valuable things they will need throughout
life.
A balance
bike is a fun way to encourage toddlers to explore movement and enhance
their coordination, agility, and balance. Unlike a traditional bike, a balance
bike has no pedals and allows for foot-to-floor movement, so your child can get
used to the feeling of moving and balancing.
Going for a family walk outdoors is another great way to encourage little ones to explore movement in nature. Walking, running and jumping in muddy puddles are simple ways to get your little one to explore movement outdoors.
6. Food Preparation
Liz Barclay outlines, ‘ The very first thing in my Montessori home would
be to have the child involved in preparing the food for mealtimes and being
part of that mealtime process.’ She says this is because children naturally
want to be involved in the home routine, and we should nurture that curiosity.
Also, through food preparation, they’re learning many skills they’re developing that they will need for later life. From learning numeracy through weighing food, developing hand-eye coordination when mixing ingredients, learning about sensory differences when opening a cold fridge, or learning an oven is hot.
7. Care for the Environment
Caring for
the environment is central to the Montessori approach. By developing their
skills in caring for the environment, little ones can also learn about caring
for other things, tidying, planning, and organising.
Caring for the environment at home can include wiping the table after a meal, helping to sweep the floor, or going outside to water the plants together. These are simple ways to help your little one care for their environment and foster a sense of empowerment and responsibility.
8. Self-esteem
The
Montessori approach allows children to be themselves and express who they are
as a person, which helps increase their self-esteem.
Arts and crafts activities such as painting and drawing can promote positive self-esteem as this self-expression allows children to be themselves and articulate themselves in their own way. Liz explains that Montessori at home is about letting go of perfectionism and allowing children to enjoy the process, and celebrating their results, whatever that may be.
9. Self-care
Practising self-care
is a skill that Montessori believes children can learn to develop from a young
age.
Self-care activities for children such as brushing their hair and teeth, handwashing, dressing, choosing their outfit and practising opening and closing buttons and zips will help foster a sense of independence and promote self-care.
10. Resilience
Resilience
means believing in your abilities and being able to bounce back from challenges.
Encouraging children
to face challenging tasks with optimism is something that the Montessori
approach values. For example, if a child spills something when helping with
food preparation, the adult can act as a role model and support the child in tidying
up. Liz explains that it doesn’t matter if children spill something if we allow
them the opportunity to clear it up.
Acting as a
positive role model and encouraging children to overcome things with problem-solving
and a positive attitude can encourage children to learn from their experiences
and increase their resilience because it teaches them that they can overcome
difficulties.
Thank you for reading part two of our Montessori blog with Westwood Montessori, looking at the key skills that Montessori learning can help children develop at home.
Be sure to share your Montessori at home activities with us on Instagram @plumplayaus.
You can also learn more about Westwood Montessori and the importance of being outdoors here.
‘Children freely working and making their own choices, that then allows them to work and develop how they need’ – Dr Michelle Wisbey, Headteacher of Westwood Montessori School.
When we first met the team at Westwood Montessori school in 2018, we were so excited to learn all about Montessori learning in the early years of education. We recently caught up with Head Teacher Michelle Wisbey and Teacher Liz Barclay to find out more about Montessori play and learning in school and at home – here’s what we found out…
What is Montessori learning?
Essentially, Montessori uses a skills-based approach to learning, in that children can make their own choices by choosing the learning activities they need, how they need to work, and how they want to play. The philosophy is to let your child pave the way and learn from your child.
What is the importance of the Montessori approach?
This approach to learning helps foster intrinsic motivation in the child. This is when inspiration comes from within the child themselves, rather than being driven to play or do specific tasks from extrinsic factors outside of themselves—for example, completing an activity because they enjoy it or want to learn more, rather than to get praise from an adult.
Key Elements of Montessori Learning:
1. Children Lead the Way
The
Montessori approach centres on the idea that children should be in charge of
their learning. This approach allows children to explore and discover through
hands-on learning and self-directed activity.
Children will instinctively know how they would like to learn and
develop; every child develops differently in their unique way.
As adult role
models, we must provide a safe environment and freedom for children to explore
and ask questions.
2. An Accessible Environment
When speaking to Liz Barclay, a teacher from Westwood Montessori
School, she explained how Montessori encourages everything to be accessible to
children so they can reach and explore independently without always needing to
ask an adult.
Ensure that toy
boxes are at your child’s level so they can reach for the things they would
like and learn to help put things away after playtime.
Having Montessori furniture can help make the environment accessible to little ones. This doesn’t need to be specialist Montessori infant furniture. Simply child-size furniture, like chairs and picnic tables, helps encourage independence and makes the environment accessible to your little one as the furniture is low enough to the ground so that they can go and sit and move it by themselves without needing to ask a grown-up.
Ideally, they should be able to reach as many things as possible within their environment, from chairs to cutlery and wardrobes to wax crayons, so that they can get involved in daily life and develop independence and self-resilience.
3. Mixed Age Groups
Children can learn from those older and help teach those younger. Montessori
highlights the importance of learning from others and helping others. When
playing with other children, especially children of various ages, little ones
can learn to share, take turns, and teach and support others.
Going out for a walk to the local park so your little one can
interact with other children or inviting your child’s friends and family over
to play on your garden playcentre is a great way to encourage this at home.
4. Encourage Your Child to Try Things for Themselves
Help them to help themselves. Encourage children to try things hands-on
and give them the freedom to explore and test things out.
Liz, from Westwood Montessori, explained how important it is
for adults to encourage and praise the whole process when children try things,
not just praise them for the end result. This enables children to persevere and
be more willing to try something again in the future.
Let your child be independent and responsible. Trust that they
will try and work things out for themselves but be there to support and answer
questions if they need a helping hand.
5. Care For Themselves, Others and The Environment
Montessori learning values teaching children how to care for
themselves, be kind to others and nurture plants and animals in their
environment.
For example, food preparation helps them develop cooking, literacy and numeracy skills.
Growing vegetables or caring for a pet teaches them how to nurture and be compassionate and kind to animals and encourages love and respect for nature.
6. Encourage Creativity and Imagination
Allow little ones to be creative and use their imagination. Encourage wonder and expression through arts and crafts, music, dancing, language and questioning.
Thank you for reading part one of our Montessori blog with
Westwood Montessori, looking at the key elements of Montessori learning.
Look out for the next blog post, where we’ll delve deeper into the
skills Montessori can help your child develop. We’ll also give you some ideas
on incorporating Montessori ideas at home and some fun activities you can try
with your little one.
Find out more about Westwood Montessori and the Montessori method here.
Climbing frames are a great way to help your kids to burn off energy, increase their climbing confidence and to help them develop their physical strength. Whilst climbing does encourage positive risk-taking, at Plum Play, we design our play equipment with safety and durability in mind, so, children can enjoy the freedom of play and parents can have peace of mind.
Child Development and Climbing
Climbing is an important
skill that children learn as they develop. Children first learn to climb when
they are young, typically from around 12 months, and this helps them to develop
their coordination and spatial awareness. Learning to climb then helps them to
acquire new skills. For example, learning to climb by playing on a climbing
frame means that they can then use these skills to walk up steps.
Once children have become
more experienced with climbing, they can then further improve things like their
balance and dexterity.
In addition to physical
benefits, climbing frames can also help children to develop mentally. When
climbing, children need to make choices, which hand grip to hold to get the
best grip and climb up the playcentre or decide which route down the climbing
frame to take. Playing in this way helps children to increase their
problem-solving skills and decision-making. This can then help them in other
aspects of life, such as deciding what clothes to wear each day or which route
to take on a family walk.
Children’s Climbing Frames
On your marks, get set…
Climb!
A great activity to keep your
children active using a climbing frame would be to create an obstacle course.
Children can work together to
set out the route using the climbing frame as the focal point, climbing up the
ladder and scrambling down the cargo net. They can add other toys into the
course too. Why not add in footballs to jump over, cones to run around or draw
hopscotch with chalk on the path to add even more fun to the route?
Children can then take turns
to see who can complete the course in the fastest time or race each other to
the finish!
Another fun climbing frame
activity to keep your kids busy is hide and seek. The seeker can head to the
top of the climbing frame and count to 100 whilst the other children hide
around the climbing frame.
Then the hide and seek fun
begins! The seeker needs to find all the hiders as quickly as they can.
Remember to look high and low. Don’t forget to look in tunnels and dens and
behind slides, if your climbing frame has those, there are lots of places to
hide.
The Plum Play Climbing Cube Wooden Playcentre is a really good choice for primary-school-aged children; it’s feature-rich, with a wooden climbing platform with steps, rock wall with hand and foot grips, cargo scramble net, double length monkey bars and double length trapeze gymnastic bars. It even has a camouflage fabric den will roll-down door, the ideal base for secret missions and hanging out with friends.
Toddlers’ Climbing Frame
I spy with my little eyes…
I spy is a great game to play
with little ones around the climbing frame and encourages them to keep their
mind active.
Each child takes turns to seek out something they can see on or near the climbing frame and the rest of the children can take turns to move around the climbing frame and guess what the other child can see.
I spy is a simple game to
help little ones learn about their environment and can be played in a variety
of ways. Perhaps looking for things beginning with different letters of the
alphabet, looking for things of a certain colour or looking for things up high
or down low.
Our Discovery Woodland Treehouse allows toddlers to join in the climbing fun too. The treehouse is ideal for adventurous little ones aged 3+ and is a great way to help build your child’s climbing confidence.
This wooden climbing frame
has lots of other features to keep your children active. There’s a built-in
planter, the perfect feature to help little ones discover their green fingers
by growing their own vegetables or tending to their flowers. There’s also a
pail and pull so children can water their plants with the bucket and the bamboo
wind chimes also add a nice nature-inspired soundscape as they climb. When
they’re not climbing, the easy-clean painting screen allows little ones to
unleash their inner artist!
Their First Climbing Frame
We have been a leading provider of children’s toys for over 30 years, so you can count on us to put a smile on your little one’s face. The My First Wooden Playcentre is the perfect first experience for your little climbers. This wooden climbing frame has a small climbing wall and cargo net and 4ft blue slide, so that your little ones can learn to climb and slide whilst also developing their gross and fine motor skills. There’s even a den space so your little ones can hide out in their playcentre or use it as a cosy place to play with toys and think up new adventures.
For first-time climbers, a
great way to keep them active here would be to help them climb and count their
steps as they make their way to the top of the playcentre. Or maybe they will
call out the colours of the hand and foot grips as they go, this will help keep
both their mind and body active.
This Plum My First Wooden
Playcentre would also be a great place for you and your little one to read
stories together in the den after a busy day of climbing. This will help to
keep your child’s mind active, whilst also being a great chance to enjoy some
peaceful time outdoors together.
Plum has climbing frames for
children of all ages, so whether it’s their first climb or for more adventurous
children, we’ve got something to suit your child’s needs.
Now your kids can climb away the day! If you try any climbing frame activities with your children, be sure to share your adventures with us on Instagram @PlumPlayAus.
There’s nothing quite like the freedom of jumping on a trampoline. If you were lucky enough to have one as a kid, you’re sure to remember the joyful days bouncing up and down with your friends and family. While a quality trampoline is a lot of fun on its own, there are always trampoline accessories available to make your experience more fun, more safe, and more easy. Whether it’s the added safety of a trampoline anchor kit, the ease of a trampoline ladder or shoe bag, or the extra challenge and fun of a trampoline basketball hoop, we’ve got you covered! Read on to discover our list of four great trampoline accessory ideas to enhance you and your family’s playtime!
1. Trampoline Basketball Hoop
A trampoline basketball hoop is by far the most popular accessory to go with a trampoline. With one of these, you and your kids will be able to practise your lay-ups, rejections, and slam dunks in the backyard. Compete for bragging rights as you decide who is the family’s sharpest shooter! A trampoline basketball hoop is perfect for getting to grips with tricks like through-the-legs dunks, 360s, and alley-oops. Get some airtime and feel like an NBA superstar with a trampoline basketball hoop from Plum Play. Our trampoline basketball hoop is spring-loaded and foam covered for maximum safety, and it comes with a free ball and pump so you can get started right away! The trampoline basketball hoop from Plum is suitable for our Space Zone and Magnitude trampolines, between eight and fourteen feet. Buy a trampoline basketball hoop today and experience the hang-time that a basketball legend feels.
2. Trampoline Ladder
One of the hardest things about having a trampoline can be getting off and on! Not so, with a trampoline ladder. A trampoline ladder makes it easy for smaller folks to mount and dismount the trampoline with ease. Reduce the risk of a fall with a trampoline ladder, and remove the need for that awkward wriggle onto the trampoline that smaller kids usually have to do! Using a trampoline is excellent exercise, and if you want to encourage a healthy lifestyle for your family, the best way to do that is to remove as many obstacles to activity as possible. Adding a trampoline ladder from Plum to your eight to fourteen foot trampoline is a surefire way to get your kids bouncing and burning energy more often! We have trampoline ladders available as part of our trampoline accessory kit.
3. Trampoline Shoe Bag
What’s the cardinal rule of jumping on a trampoline? No shoes! You don’t want to get grime from the soles of your shoes onto the trampoline surface, because it’s bound to end up on your pants and clothes when you’re bouncing around on it! But you don’t want to just chuck your shoes on the dirty ground, otherwise you’re going to end up giving yourself more work cleaning them. Invest in a trampoline shoe bag to eliminate this issue altogether. Give your family a place to store their footwear while they’re having a bounce, and they’re sure to find it easier to keep the trampoline clean and tidy. Check out Plum trampoline accessory kits, which includes a shoe bag.
4. Trampoline Anchor Kit
Safety first! You can never be too careful, and a trampoline anchor kit is a perfect precaution for securing your family’s favourite toy to the ground. A trampoline anchor kit will prevent your trampoline from being at risk of wind and other extreme weather conditions. Firmly anchoring your trampoline means it won’t be able to tip over, and the sturdier the trampoline is, the more reliable your bounce will be. The more reliable the bounce, the more fun you and your family can have! Plum trampoline accessory kits come with anchors included, so check one out today.
Where To Buy Trampoline Accessories
Plum Play is dedicated to creating experiences that let a child’s imagination run wild. We’re committed to doing this in a way that is as safe, as it is fun, letting children run free while parents rest easy. We have a great range of trampoline accessories, so if you’re after any of the products listed above – a trampoline anchor kit, shoe bag, ladder, or trampoline basketball hoop – we are sure to be able to help you out!
Trampoline activities are a great way for kids to get outside, be active, and enjoy the garden. We all know how enthusiastic kids can be when it comes to playing, so trampoline-based activities are ideal for them. With games that they can play on their own, and others that parents can join in, trampolines are the go-to for family fun. Your child can happily bounce away with the Plum Play range of Junior and Premium Trampolines.
With so much usage, normal wear and tear is to be expected. Here at Plum Play, our equipment is built to last. However, if for some reason, your trampoline does get damaged, it’s easy to fix at home. All products at Plum Play are simple to assemble and come with clear instructions. You can easily find replacement parts on our website. Here are the most common things that might need replacing in your trampoline.
Trampoline Mat
The trampoline jumping mat is first on our list of the most important and urgent trampoline parts to replace on a trampoline. After a while of putting weight on your trampoline’s mat, you’ll notice that it has less bounce. Other reasons that can affect your mat’s bounce can be weather-related effects like continuous exposure to sun and rain. You’ll know that you have to replace your mat when you see the mat sagging and getting overstretched. There may also be thin areas of holes.
When you order a replacement, keep the shape and size of the mat in mind. For our Junior Trampolines, we have a 4.5FT Junior Trampoline Jumping Mat. Your little ones can continue jumping to the moon when you replace their trampoline mat. Our sizes go up till the largest size of our mats – the 14FT Premium Trampoline Jumping Mat. Make sure to check each product’s dimensions so that you get the right size.
Trampoline Springs
Trampoline springs are designed to stretch out to generate the necessary bouncing stress. Plum Play trampolines are made of the highest-quality wire. Despite this, over time and with exposure to harsh run and rain, springs can deteriorate and stretch. The stretch in the springs can affect the trampoline mat and your bounce. With stretchy or faulty springs, the mat can get unevenly pulled to one side. If you have had a trampoline for a while, it would be a good idea to check the springs to see how they are holding up. If your trampoline is out in the rain, make sure you keep an eye out for signs of rust.
For some regular maintenance on your trampoline springs, make sure to grab our spring packs. They are available in 3 sizes – 85mm, 140mm and 178mm. Each size is compatible with different sizes of trampolines. Check the product details to make sure you get the right springs for your trampoline.
Trampoline Safety Pads
Safety pads are one of the most important parts of a trampoline. They guarantee the safety of your little ones and have them bouncing happily. They are made of absorbent material. This material can degrade over time. When you are doing regular maintenance on your trampoline, make sure you check that the safety pads are shock-absorbing. If the safety pads are worn out, they will not provide adequate protection. This can potentially injure your happy bouncers.
At Plum Play, we offer replacement safety pads for each size of trampoline. You can also get safety pads in different colours like pink and blue, depending on what your kids like. Take measurements for your trampoline replacement and check product specification before ordering to get the correct size.
Trampoline Enclosure Nets
Enclosure nets are essential for safety. They are a barrier that prevents the bouncer from falling off. Trampoline enclosure nets can tear due to pulling. Exposure to sun and moisture can also deteriorate the net. This is more common with outdoor and garden trampolines than with indoor ones. It is time to replace the enclosure nets when you start seeing holes.
Plum Play trampoline accessories include a range of replacement enclosure nets. Available in different sizes and colours, these nets can easily replace your worn out net and your trampoline will look brand new.
These are the four essential things that will need replacing in your trampoline as time goes one and you use it more. Apart from these, you can also find other replacement parts like enclosure poles, top rims and legs. Browse our entire range of trampoline accessories and spare parts here.
Keeping an eye on your trampoline and checking it every couple of months will help you keep on top of maintenance. This will ultimately give your kids a happy and safe experience.
Trampolines are the best way to ensure that your little one has hours of fun in the garden. They’re a staple of children’s toys, and they’re terrific for your child’s development and adventurous spirit. They are one of the easiest and best ways to keep your kid active, especially over school holidays. More than that, trampolines are fun at any age. Parents, older siblings and the entire family can join in the fun. As a parent, your main concern when you get a trampoline would be to make sure that the kids have fun without anyone getting hurt.
When you purchase and set up your child’s trampoline, they will be excited and ready to jump on. But kids have to be a little careful around them. As much fun as they are, trampolines can be dangerous to kids if they are too young for it. At Plum Play, we design all our equipment with safety in mind. Read below to understand the age restrictions for kids on our trampolines and how to make sure your little one has a safe and fun time.
Which trampoline is right for what age?
We believe that the joy of jumping and physical activities should start young. Kids as old as 3 years of age can safely play on a trampoline designed by Plum Play. We have a range of trampolines for kids of various ages. Plum Play supplies toys for kids of all ages. With this in mind, we have a toddler trampoline and a children’s trampoline. Whatever age your little one might be, we have trampolines that can bring a smile to your child’s face.
For the younger ones, the 4.5FT Junior Trampoline would be ideal. The Junior Trampoline is for toddlers and little kids between 3 to 6 years of age. Standing at 4.5 feet, this trampoline has a lower height frame. Developed specifically for small children, this trampoline ensures a shorter fall if your energetic bundle of joy falls. Other great features include an enclosing net, zips and clips, and shorter springs for a controlled bounce, all incorporated into the design to keep kids safe and secure. Happy kids make for happy bouncing, and this is the perfect trampoline to get started.
For children up till the age of 10, you can pick between the 6FT Junior Trampoline or 7FT Junior Trampoline. They are great options for kids in primary school. Smaller trampolines allow for less fall distance, resulting in less scratches, bruises, and tears. The lower height allows your child to develop confidence on the trampoline. It features patented Springsafe technology and netting enclosure that offers a barrier between the kids and the trampoline springs and structure, ensuring that they are held in safely. Get ready for your children’s first bounce as they touch the sky!
For kids above the age of 6 who are confident on a trampoline, try our Premium Trampolines. Available up till 14FT of height, these trampolines are for older kids who are expert bouncers and adults who want to join in the fun. This range of trampolines gives the kind of brilliant bounce performance that aspiring gymnasts can practice on. With zinc-coated springs and a durable UV treated jumping mat, the whole family can have hours of fun on these models. Make the most of your bouncing space with Springsafe Technology that protects all your jumps.
Which trampoline should I pick?
Plum Play trampolines ensure that kids above the age of 3 can bounce happily and safely. There’s guaranteed to be a model for every child, at every age and ability level, in our Junior Trampoline collection, with so many wonderful alternatives. Not to mention the variety of colours they may choose from, whether they’re crazy with pink, enchanted by blue, or interested in exciting animal prints, our trampolines come in colourful colours that kids adore. For the older kids and adults, choose from our Premium Trampoline collection. Braided elastic cords, extra padding and soft grips give your child a safe environment to jump in. Safety is top priority for us at Plum Play.
Plum Play has been a leading provider of children’s toys for over 30 years. Our trampolines are made by experts and are the best products to bounce off. All of our products at Plum Play are simple to assemble and come with clear instructions. Shop now and start bouncing today!
A good family trampoline is a long-term investment. Without proper care and maintenance, however, your trampoline start to wear , no matter how expensive or durable it is. You must take adequate trampoline care to ensure that your trampoline remains in safe working order.
If you’ve recently purchased your first trampoline or are curious to find out how to extend your family’s trampoline lifespan, you may be wondering what trampoline care entails. How can you get the best out of your kid’s favourite toy? When we talk about trampoline maintenance, we’re talking about a series of modest tasks that you should follow from the beginning of the trampoline set up to the end. Those phases include things such as correctly installing the trampoline, doing frequent inspections, and cleaning the trampoline, among others.
1. Find the right location
You may believe that because you have a robust trampoline, you can put it anywhere in the backyard as long as there is sufficient space. In truth, you are not entirely incorrect. However, it would be preferable to find a shaded spot with level ground. Even ground is ideal for setting up the structure on which the trampoline is situated. As long as the frame is properly installed, your family will have excellent fun jumping and enjoy a long trampoline lifespan.
Even though most top-rated trampolines have UV-protected mats and other materials, if the trampoline is kept in the sun without care, the sun will eventually cause the mat to wear. That’s why we usually advise choosing a shaded location. This being said, try to stay away from areas with trees or tree branches that are too close. This will stop debris and leaves from falling into your trampoline, also you don’t want your kids bumping their heads as they try to jump as high as they can.
2. Store your trampoline
If you are convinced that you will not need your trampoline over the winter, disassemble it and store the parts in a safe location. When dismantling some components, it’s best to remove the net, jump surface, springs, and safety pad while leaving the poles and metal frame in the yard. Even though trampolines Australia wide aren’t usually exposed to snow, we do still experience heavy rain and winds, so storing your trampoline during the colder months can help to protect it.
3. Protect from the wind
A strong storm or strong wind might badly destroy your trampoline. To make the trampoline stable, you’ll need ground anchors, which are like wind stakes. They are inexpensive, but they lessen the risk of your trampoline blowing away. It will strengthen the trampoline by securing it to the ground. You can also use sandbags to protect the frame from the elements too.
4. Invest in a good trampoline cover
A trampoline cover is an essential piece of equipment for maintaining the trampoline throughout the year. If you can’t locate a shady spot to put up your trampoline, a cover might help protect your trampoline from the sun. You may cover your family’s trampoline in the rain to prevent water from entering as well. There are a few things to consider when it comes to using cover in the winter. Trampoline covers may allow moisture to collect beneath them, causing your trampoline springs or frame to corrode. If you use a cover in the winter, you must remove it from time to time to allow moisture to evaporate naturally.
5. Replace the parts when necessary
If you take proper care of your trampoline, it will serve you well for a long time. If any parts, such as springs, become rusted or the jumping mat is ripped, you should repair them immediately. Alternatively, if you’re still inside the warranty term, make a claim as soon as possible. If you ignore a problem because it is minor, that minor problem could result in a significant loss in the long run. Take action when necessary.
Take care of your trampoline
Your family deserves the best, and here at Plum Play, we have a superb range of safe and durable trampolines Australia will love. With quality products, though, still comes quality maintenance, and with the right amount of care, you can make your trampoline last throughout your children’s pivotal jumping and playing years.
The best backyard swing sets share a few characteristics: they’re made from high-quality materials, have been excellently constructed, have the best safety features, and come equipped with exciting activities. Here at Plum Play there is no shortage of add-ons! Whether you are searching for a swing set or looking to add on to an existing backyard playground, customising your kid’s swing set is going to make outdoor play even more of a thrill. Your kid’s will adore you for it!
From monkey bars to rope ladders, here’s our rundown of the best and most loved swing set accessories you can find to help customise your kid’s swing set.
1. Monkey bars
The monkey bars are an essential item that is often a kid’s favourite. They’re popular among parents because they help their children build upper-body strength. Whether you choose traditional monkey bars or double-wide monkey bars, they should be made of steel rungs and a solid wooden frame. A set of monkey bars may transform an ordinary backyard swing set into something spectacular in no time.
2. A second slide
If your family is like many others, the slide is one of the most sought-after playground activities. Day after day, the kids take turns swooshing down, and there’s even a line at family birthday parties! Why not add a second slide if this seems familiar? There is no better way to personalise your swing set than this. You can accomplish this by adding another slide of the same size and kind, or by mixing it up by selecting a new size. It all depends on the type of swing set you have and how much money you have to spend. If you’re looking to give your kids’ playset an upgrade in the future, this is a terrific choice to keep in mind.
3. Rope ladder
You can add a fun and challenging rope ladder to help your kids further develop their motor skills. Our jumbo rope ladder swings from side to side, too, making it a fun new way for kids to explore their play equipment.The Plum rope ladder has chunky, solid wooden rungs and super soft poly hemp ropes, which help little fingers and hands hold on tight. While challenging for your children, a rope ladder is entirely safe and durable to use.
4. A playhouse
A clubhouse is a popular hangout spot for youngsters since it provides them with the “kids-only” space they’ve always wanted (think back to all those forts in the living room and those hideouts in the yard). The lower playhouse is usually enclosed, except for a doorway and windows; this little space often adds to the excitement of the playset. Add-on a playhouse to your kid’s swing set to create the perfect playful oasis to encourage your kids to play outside more.
5. Nest swing
Give your children some extra fun with a Premium Metal Nest Swing, perfect for gliding through the air or sitting back and relaxing too. Kids love a two-person swing where they can swing together and play make-believe. Whether they’re making shapes out of the clouds or pretending to pioneer a flying ship, your kids will love the addition of a nest swing.
6. Glider nest swing
Our Glider Nest Swing is a versatile addition to any swing set! Whether you’ve got one user or two, the glider nest swing can function as a two person glider or a one person hammock. Perfect for playing and relaxing! The removable padded seats can add extra comfort, and the padded handlebars and frame provide added protection. We also have options with teal and lime hangers!
7. Growing baby swing seat
If you’ve got an infant who’s growing faster than you can keep track of, you probably need our 3-in-1 Growing Baby Swing Seat! This versatile seat has three different assembly methods to suit babies, toddlers, and children. Simply remove the t-bar and back rest as your child gets larger and more comfortable on the swing. This is the perfect accessory to help your child develop confidence in their body as they grow.
8. Extra toys
We’re sure your kids will agree that the more, the merrier when it comes to toys. Adding a few more gadgets to your swing set is a terrific way to improve it. The ship’s wheel, gigantic binoculars, steering wheel, telescope, and telephone are among our favourites. We recommend getting playcentre, such as this Lookout Tower with swings and monkey bars, if you want to get the most for your money, because it has super awesome accessories already included.
Plum Play swing accessories
Give your children the ultimate play area by customising your swing set with awesome accessories just for them. Here at Plum Play, we have a fantastic range of quality made, durable and safe swing accessories you can add to your kid’s swing set, perfect for playtime at any age.
What makes a baby swing safe? Should we make all swings from wood? Can you put a baby swing set in your backyard? These are questions that many parents ask when they are looking for the perfect way for their baby to play. Swings are a great way for babies to get exercise, and they can provide hours of fun! In this blog post, we will discuss the different factors that go into making a Plum Play baby swing set safe. With a Plum Play baby swing set, parents can have peace of mind. Their children are riding a quality swing set, with safety standards at the centre of its design.
What Material Should Baby Swings Be?
The material we make baby swings from is the most important factor when it comes to safety. It is best to choose a wooden swing set, as this material is reliable, safe, and durable. Plum Play has a range of wooden swing sets to suit your needs. We even stock a baby swing set that grows with your child! We also have our 2-in-1 metal swing set. This is made from powder coated steel, which ensures full protection against rust.
At Plum Play, we test all our products against the relevant European Safety Standards. Our products follow or exceed EN71-1, 2, 3 and 8. They also meet or exceed REACH chemical standards. REACH is a European regulatory body. Its full name is Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. What does complying with these standards and regulations mean in layman’s terms? We make our products from materials that are, at minimum, non-toxic and non-flammable. We also use FSC certified, sustainable sources of timber. You can rest assured your new products are environmentally conscious as well as safe.
What Makes A Baby Swing Safe To Use?
A good baby swing will have a safe seat for the child. A high back and harness is essential. We design our baby swing seats with a T-bar front, so your infant has something to hold on to while they’re having fun. Our wooden growing swing set also has an adjustable lap belt. This has a clip fastening, which doesn’t only make your baby safer. It also makes it easier to get them in and out of the swing!
How Can I Make My Baby Swing Safer?
It is important to make sure that you concrete your swing set into the ground. This will help prevent it from tipping over if someone pushes or swings too hard. Plum Play recommends that new owners concrete all our swing sets into the ground. This is necessary to follow Australian safety standards. All Plum Play baby swing sets come with the hardware and ground anchors to secure your set with ease.
How Do I Choose The Right Baby Swing Set?
It is important to choose a swing set that is appropriate for your baby’s age and size. We design sets for children of all ages. Some are for babies as young as six months old, while we intend for toddlers and older children to use others. Be sure to read the product description before clicking ‘buy’! Our product descriptions list appropriate age and weight ranges for each swing set.
Where Can I Buy Baby Swings?
Do you need more help selecting the right baby swing set for you? Check out our range, then get in touch with our helpful team. We’ve been in this business for over thirty years, so we are leaders in the field. We’re more than happy to give you the benefit of our expertise. Ensuring that you and your child have fun with their new toys is our top priority!
At Plum Play, we understand the importance of safe play. To this end, your child’s well-being is at the forefront of our design process. We pride ourselves on creating toys and play equipment for childhood development. Our mission is to encourage healthy, active outdoor playtime.
As parents, we dedicate ourselves to ensuring all our products encourage safe play. We design affordable, innovative and fun products for all ages. We refuse to compromise on safety or quality.
Playing on metal swings is some of the most fun you can have as a child. That’s why we ensure our swing sets are extra safe! Anchoring your swing set is crucial. Read on for our guide to securing your swings with ease. With these tips, you’ll be able to ensure the safety and enjoyment of your kids for years to come!
As a parent, your main concern is that your backyard swing set is safe. Anchoring the legs in concrete is a simple and effective way to make sure of that. Grass is a nice padded surface to land on should you fall or jump from the swing. It doesn’t provide ideal stability though. Swinging will give the set momentum, especially if there is more than one child playing at once. If it rocks back and forth too much, the set might tip. This is why we recommend concreting.
What Do I Need to Anchor My Metal Swing Set?
Plum Play metal swing sets come with all the necessary materials for anchoring. These include anchoring plates, stakes, screws, nuts, bolts, and bolt covers. Always use the manufacturer’s recommended ground anchors. If circumstances prevent you from doing so, use replacement anchors from Plum Play.
Make sure that you have all the tools needed before assembling. You won’t need much except for a wrench, hammer, shovel, and drill. You will need to buy some concrete, and it’s useful to have a post hole digger. Your shovel will suffice if you don’t have one, though. You might also need a tape measure.
How Do I Anchor My Metal Swing Set?
Begin this process by marking the position of your swing set legs. An easy way to do this is to tap stakes into the ground where you intend for each of the swing set legs to go. This is most useful if you’re using a post hole digger. If you’re not, any other method of marking will suffice.
Next, dig a hole about 20cm deep and 25cm wide. You should position these holes so that they’ll be on the inside of each of your swing set’s legs. If you’re using a post hole digger, put it over the stakes you’ve inserted into the ground. Take a handle in each hand, lift it up, and slam it down into the ground. Pull out the handles and the blades of the digger will collect dirt. Wrench the digger out of the ground, then release the handles to dispose of the dirt. Repeat this until you have the right amount of holes to match the number of swing set poles.
If you’re using a shovel, dig the holes the traditional way. Make sure they’re somewhat uniform in size, so the finished product looks nice.
Now you need to fill these holes with concrete. Take a 20kg bag and pour it into a wheelbarrow, or another suitable container. Add the amount of water recommended by the manufacturer and stir with a shovel. Make sure there are no dry bits left over. Shovel concrete into each of the holes you’ve dug and smooth it over with a trowel.
At this point, you can take the ground anchors provided and insert them into the concrete. Push them in at a 45° angle to their corresponding swing set legs. Once they’re secured in place, you can leave the concrete to set overnight. If you roughed the wet concrete up while inserting the ground anchors, smooth it over.
The next day, you can attach your ground anchors to your swing set’s legs. You can do this with chains, straps, rope, or the hardware provided with your Plum Play metal swing set. Once you’ve done this, your swing set is ready to enjoy! The combination of ground anchor, secure strap, and concrete will keep your kids safe.
Each one of our swing sets comes with the necessary materials for anchoring. We make a commitment to keeping playtime as fun and safe as possible. If you have any questions or concerns about the safety of Plum Play products, we are always happy to help.
Trampolines are the best way to guarantee hours of fun and garden play for your child. A staple in childrens’ toys, they’re a great investment for aiding the development and adventurous streak of your child, while allowing parents and the whole family to join in on the fun.
But what are the considerations for parents when purchasing and setting up their child’s new trampoline? Keep reading to find out.
1. Choose Safe Australian Trampolines
There are a number of things to consider when purchasing a trampoline for your child. For one, the safety features included. This is super important to any parent wanting to ensure the safety of their child when playing with outdoor equipment. To us, safety isn’t child’s play, it involves the best quality, ethically sourced materials, made to protect little hands and feet.
At Plum Play, we value the safety and enjoyment of your child above all else. This is why we are committed to going above and beyond to deliver the highest quality. Engineered to deliver the best bounce, and the greatest level of fun, our trampolines are designed using Springsafe® technology to facilitate your little one’s bounce-time in the safest manner possible.
Plum trampolines are secured with extra safety measures so that your bundle-of-joy can bounce while you sit back and relax. These features include additional padding around the frame of trampolines, shorter springs for a more controlled bounce, soft-grip handles for tiny hands, and netting to keep them from falling and tumbling, making sure they’re nestled in the cocoon-like barrier between them and the trampoline.
The second thing to consider when choosing your child’s first trampoline is the maximum weight it holds. For older children, you want to go for the largest weight option. For toddlers and small children, a smaller weight capacity is preferable.
Lastly, you want to go for the trampoline best suited to the age range of your child, and pay close attention to the minimum user age in the description. When it comes to Plum Play products, toddlers may require the Junior Bouncer Trampoline, made with children 18+ months in mind.
Tweens and young teens desire a greater challenge to their smaller counterparts, and we may have just the thing you’re looking for. Accessories are the best way to customise your trampoline so it can continue to grow with your kids. We recommend the Trampoline Accessory Kit,Bowl Freebound Trampoline and the 14ft SpaceZone Springsafe® Trampoline, for bigger kids, looking to up their bounce game, while still maintaining a sense of safety.
2. Find Safe Trampoline Positions
Concrete is a big no-no when positioning your child’s new trampoline in the backyard. A concrete surface under their trampoline means that with every bounce, their precious feet and legs will graze the cement. This doesn’t only cause a racket and put your child at risk, but it can compromise the lifespan of your trampoline. If you are going to go with the concrete ground, make sure there’s something soft your kid has to land on if they are to fall out of the netting.
You may decide to position the trampoline on wood instead, but this still isn’t ideal. Prevent any scrapes and bruises by adding some extra cushioning to the legs, outside the entrance, such as rubber. Trampolines like the 4.5FT Junior Trampoline & Enclosure – Stardust come with padded safety pads that shield the springs and frame.
Direct ground is good, but just be aware of chemicals in the soil that could spur on the rusting process in the trampolines’ legs. Luckily, our trampolines are made with durable materials designed to withstand most weather conditions and prevent premature rusting.
3. Place The Kids’ Trampoline Wisely
All parents know that, at times, kids can have a seemingly endless supply of energy. And we, as parents, can sometimes struggle to keep up. But it’s important we stay on top of any possible hard objects in the garden, before our little ones can find the time to charge into them. Make sure their trampoline is a reasonable distance from bricks, rose bushes, tools, wires and branches. Sloping ground is another obstacle to look out for, and overhead surfaces can pose another problem, so make sure to measure the clearance space above the trampoline.
Now that you’ve got your checklist for childrens’ trampoline safety, your kid can go out and jump to their heart’s content.
One of the leading providers of quality, ethical and sustainable toys for over 30 years, Plum Play products are made with care in the UK. For a full range of kids’ trampolines, covering all ages, abilities and play preferences, you can’t go wrong with this treasured company. Shop the trampoline collection today.
Bring the park to your back garden with Plum Play. Swings are the ultimate outdoor toy for fun in the sun and reaching for the sky, so they can swing into life with confidence. They’re suitable for kids of all ages from babies to pre teens, as you can purchase different swing sets specific to their age range and size. Let their imaginations roam free while honing their coordination skills, balance and strategic thinking. They’ll be rewarded for the extra effort they put into each swing by going higher, and they can control the height they reach by adjusting the momentum to what feels comfortable and safe to them. Swinging also allows young ones to coordinate their movements and practice a physical activity.
1. A Growing Baby Swing Set
They’ll be ecstatic and giggling all afternoon in the 2-IN-1 Baby swing seat. This delightfully colourful outdoor swing set is the perfect starter swing, to get your baby or toddler swinging with ease. Everyday is an outdoor adventure with this sturdy swing, which grows with your little one as it can easily convert from a toy suitable for babies, to toddlers, to children. Suitable for 12 months and up, it sports chunky polyhemp ropes which are soft and kind on tiny hands. All the better to play with! Even better, the growing swing seat has a comfortable back rest and t-bar front support adjustable lap seat belt for additional snugness and security.
Get them on their way with this durable baby-friendly swing, made with safety and comfort in mind, and they’ll be swinging up, up and away! Allow them to engage in self directed play, with peace of mind, as this cleverly-designed outdoor play set instinctively inspires children to be active. Plus, you can increase the fun factor with the Plum range of swing accessories that are perfect for creating fun new combinations of outdoor activities. Swings can be exchanged with rope ladders, or swap baby swing seats for a glider; adding extra hours of use and energy-burning fun to playtime. This particular swing is compatible with wooden swing sets, Lookout Tower with Swings and Climbing Pyramid with Swings.
2. Childrens’ Climbing Frames
Climbing, like many things in life, can be broken up into two categories: physical and mental. A climbing frame will help children develop both; however, they tend to focus more on the physical element. Climbing requires your child to use muscles such as those in their arms, legs and even core (in some cases). It’s a great way to help strengthen their muscles so they grow up to be strong adults.
These activities can also improve your child’s coordination. That sounds simple, but the ability to coordinate the right movements at the right time takes practice. It can take several years for babies and young children to master this skill, and encouraging safe climbing practices (with the right equipment and supervision) encourages them to climb and play more. Plum Play swing sets can become even greater with climbing frame accessories to customise your swing set to really make your kids’ climbing frame unique and their own adventure!
3. Swing, Climbing Frame and Trampoline Mat
While we want our little ones to be able to play independently, we also want to ensure our garden remains intact. A Plum Play protektamat does just that, adding that extra padding in the area under your swings, climbing frames and trampolines, gives safety and protection at all times. Get one or get a couple, depending on the space you’re trying to cover.
4. 2-Seat Glider
Double up on the fun with this Double Glider. With adjustable height capabilities, comfortable moulded plastic seats, foot grips and handlebars for little hands to grip on, the 2-Seat Glider is the ideal swing accessory. Made with galvanised steel, this outdoor accessory play set can withstand rainy days and high temperatures. It’s compatible with round pole swing sets, which you can also find on the Plum website.
5. 3-Sided Rope Ladder
Have you got a future mountain climber on your hands? Introducing the 3-Sided Rope Ladder with lime hanger. The Jumbo Rope Ladder will provide a whole new challenge for your adventure seeking child. This rope ladder swings from side to side and features solid wooden rungs and super soft polyhemp ropes, designed to help little hands get a grip on things.
Trampolines are one of the best ways to get your little one energised and bouncing for joy. While many parents may have concerns about the safety of trampolines for younger children, at Plum Play, we design our equipment with safety in mind. Our Junior Trampolines are perfect for energy burning fun, encouraging physical development and outdoor play, whilst parents take a break.
Children’s Trampoline
The Plum Play 7ft Junior Trampoline with Enclosure Net is a great option for primary-school-aged children, as it uses patented Springsafe technology and a lower height to allow for hours of fun spent bouncing to the moon. Smaller trampolines leave less distance to fall, preventing scrapes, bruises and tears, promoting more laughter between you, your kids and their friends. The Springsafe netting enclosure is a huge bonus too, it creates a barrier between them and the trampoline springs and frame, so they’ll be held in tight. In fact, they’ll be bouncing off the walls instead!
Toddler Trampoline
Meanwhile, our 4.5FT Junior Trampoline and Enclosure means toddlers can join in on the fun too. This trampoline is an ideal height for kids aged 3-6, specifically designed for young children, the lower height frame provides a shorter fall if your bundle-of-energy takes a tumble. There are a number of other incredible features that are sure to make any parent happy, such as the enclosure net, zips and clips and shorter springs for a controlled bounce, all incorporated into the design so that excited kids can stay safe and sound.
There are so many amazing options in our Junior Trampoline collection, there’s bound to be a model for every child, at every age and ability level. Not to mention, a range of colours they have to choose from, whether they’re obsessed with pink, enchanted by blue, or fun animal prints, our trampolines come in vibrant shades that kids love.
Trampolines are a wonderful way to promote active outdoor play and adventure in young minds. Your child can build confidence and shoot for the stars, free to play as parents watch on with peace of mind.
Parents can rest assured knowing our trampolines are safe and provide an enticing alternative to the playground for after school activities.
Younger kids deserve to have all the outdoor fun that their bigger friends and siblings have access to. This is the easiest way to get them started and introduce them to the world of trampoline play.
Your kiddly-winks will adore the extra time spent in the garden and sunshine, and you’ll relish a bit of time to yourself. Trust us, we’ve been in the game for decades.
Children’s outdoor toys aren’t all fun and games, and we recognise the responsibility we have to provide children and families with the best possible product. At Plum Play, we don’t take that duty lightly, and we want all our customers to know they can depend on us as their store of choice, throughout the span of their child’s development.
We know the toy business isn’t child’s play (mind the pun), and we offer our Plum Promise, that the materials used in this equipment are ethically sourced, sustainably built and made to last for years. Not only that but our trampolines, swings and all of our toys are made with care, to provide your family with joy and laughter for years to come.
Their First Trampoline
Searching for your little boy or girl’s first trampoline? Look no further than Plum Play, for all your outdoor adventure supplies.
A leading provider of children’s toys for over 30 years, you can count on us to put a smile on your toddler or child’s face. The Plum Play bouncer is the best product to jump off from, allowing toddlers to practice their motor skills in a safe and easy environment. The soft-grip handle offers that added security you want in a first trampoline; it’s also spring-free, with extra padding around the corners with woven elastic cords for a softer bounce.
With the safety tick of approval and the fun tick of approval, what’s not to love? Here at Plum Play, all our products are easy to assemble and come with simple instructions, our materials are ethically sourced and safety is at the forefront of our products. Shop now to jump off their journey with our dream collection of Junior Trampolines.
High energy trampoline games are a wonderful way for children to get outdoors, stay active and make use of the garden. We all know kids can be full of endless playtime enthusiasm, so why not reward that with some trampoline accessories and equipment to aid the fun? These trampoline based activities will have you set for school holidays, play dates and weekends. Some games they can engage with independently and some are great for parents to get involved with. You can ensure the safety of your child parkating in these games by investing in a good quality kids trampoline with net or safe trampoline with additional safety features. Plum Play has a range of Junior Trampolines and Premium Trampolines built with tons of safety details for added precaution.
You can find plenty of trampolines with nets and enclosures on our website. The Bowl Freebound Trampoline is a fantastic option for outdoor games and one of the best 14 ft trampolines on the market. With its curved shape designed to maximise functionality and form, this is the ultimate thrill-seeking experience. The freebound traditional flatbed trampoline is still there, but the bowl trampoline is revolutionised with the curved track. Not only will they be bouncing off the walls, but your little one will remain secured inside at the same time. If it’s been approved by an Olympian athlete, then you can be assured that it’s got to be good! The 8ft SpaceZone Springsafe Trampoline is also an incredible option that makes for bouncing heaven. Complete with Springsafe™ technology, they can play any game they want without tripping or hurting themselves. Now let’s jump right into the games.
1. Catch and Bounce
Got a tennis ball lying around? Perfect! That’s all you need to increase the bounce level in your backyard. A ball-based game, it requires youngsters to time their bounce so that they catch the ball in the air. A 2 person game, it requires one person to stand outside the trampoline and one to be the catcher inside, meaning it’s a great opportunity for parents to get involved as the thrower. Your child can accumulate points for each catch won out of 10.
2. Piggy in the Middle
The fun doesn’t stop there! A throwback on a classic childhood game with a twitst, this fun-filled activity requires three players: one being the piggy in the middle of the trampoline, and the two others positioned on either side of the trampoline from outside. The players outside of the trampoline then take turns passing the ball between one another, as the child inside attempts to catch the ball.
3. Bounce to The Beat
This is a game of timing, coordination and expertly refined jumping skills! Plug in your device to some speakers or crank up your phone on loudspeaker and play some of your favourite tunes. This bouncing version of the capture the treasure game we played as kids, it makes for an exciting party game. Children can jog about the perimeter of the trampoline while music plays and when the parent yells “bounce”, they must bounce to the beat of the song. Anybody who is still standing when the music stops or the song changes is ‘out’, and those left standing are the winners.
4. Trampoline Basketball
Just like it sounds, a basketball net for your trampoline will allow your little basketball start to shoot hoops while bouncing up a storm. Take a look at our Basketball Hoops and Accessories, such as the Trampoline Accessory Kit and Trampoline Basketball Kit. A trampoline with basketball hoop is your ideal year-round trampoline game and is great for slightly bigger kids aged 6 years and older. Find out which family member is the sharpest shooter, with this trampoline basketball hoop designed to be enjoyed by the whole family. Compatible with Plum Spacezone and Magnitude Trampolines, it works with the trampolines between 8ft – 14ft. Your kids can flex their bounce and ball skills with this amazing accessory. Not only does it provide hours of energetic fun, but it is super safe too! Built with soft EVA foam to cover hard edges. Parents can relax because your sportstar won’t come into contact with any hard edges.
Trampolines Australia
At Plum Play we sell kids trampoline, trampolines for toddlers and trampoline accessories, so bounce on over to our website to browse the collection. Shop now!
From launching our first toy over 30 years ago to now, it’s been quite a journey. At Plum Play, we’re passionate about designing and manufacturing toys that look great, are super safe and have that all important fun factor.
Ethical Manufacturing
We are extremely proud to sustainably source and manufacture each element of our products. Our commitment to be kind to the environment goes all the way back to our beginnings; we are now celebrating over 30 years of sustainable trading.
Sustainable Play Vision
Plum cares about the environment and takes an ethical and responsible approach to the products we create. Responsible production and harvesting of forested products is important to us, therefore we ensure that all of our timber based products are sourced from FSC certified or sustainably managed forests.
Over 1 million trampolines sold wordwide
Our unique Springsafe technology ensures that users are out of reach from trampoline springs and frame parts at all times. Our commitment to safety also means that all products are tested and comply with, or exceed all relevant European safety standards. EN71-1, 2, 3 and 8.
Family life around the world rapidly changed in 2020. With the impact of Covid, families are finding new ways to get through lock downs, juggling homeschooling and full-time jobs. To help overcome these changes, many of us have focused on finding health and well-being in a time of uncertainty. Parents are now seeking the right tools to support their children and to create a rounded home environment that includes a winning combination of learning, safe playtime and relaxation.
With this in mind, here are 5 activities you can incorporate into your daily plans to encourage more feelings of well-being in your family life.
Sitting down together at meal times without distractions is a great way for your family to catch up about the day. This environment helps your little ones get things off their chest as the group listens and offers advice. This can also be a great environment for both parents and children to unwind and relax into the evening.
Here is what the experts say…
‘Regular mealtimes which are shared provide a sense of rhythm and
regularity in lives. They offer a sense of containment and familiarity,
and can evoke deep feelings of contentment and security. Humans need
structure and routine.’
We all know that helping others feels good, but during these times it can feel more difficult due to social distancing and being advised to stay home, however there are still lots of ways you can lend a helping hand. Why not offer to do an elderly neighbours shopping or on your daily exercise you and your little ones could do some litter picking in the local community.
How does volunteering impact on our well-being?
‘Acts of kindness have the potential to make the world a happier place. An act of kindness can boost feelings of confidence, being in control, happiness and optimism.’ -Mental Health Foundation 2021
Family memories are a part of our identity and help children to
understand more about who they are and why they are here. Telling
stories from the past and sharing photos with our families gives us a
great sense of wellbeing. The stories you tell can be happy, informative
and interesting; these stories help the past live on into the future.
What are the benefits of sharing family memories?
‘They can increase well-being, reduce anxiety and depression, reinforce feelings of closeness among family members, and build resilience for navigating life’s normal ups and downs.’
Getting active as a family does not have to involve relentless
workouts or mountain climbing; a trip to the park or a little boogie to
your favourite playlist is still getting active and let’s face it… a lot
more fun! Take the pressure off of yourself to become a personal
trainer or class instructor (parenting and teaching are enough!).
Getting active as a family can be fun and a great way to get little ones
outdoors.
How is being more active as a family good for your health and well-being?
‘Physical activity keeps the body strong and healthy and
can improve mental health by decreasing symptoms of depression, anxiety,
pain and loneliness. Physical activity can also improve focus, school
performance, sleep and energy levels.’
We often tell little ones to treat others the way you would like to
be treat. Maintaining positive friendships with family and friends helps
your children to grow in confidence and self-esteem. Maintaining
positive relationships is difficult, especially as we get older. Sharing
the challenges of friendships with children helps them learn problem
solving skills, which will help them throughout their lives.
How do positive relationships effect our well-being?
‘The benefits of social connections and good mental health are
numerous. Proven links include lower rates of anxiety and depression,
higher self-esteem, greater empathy, and more trusting and cooperative
relationships.’
-Better Health 2017
We put these few suggestions together, like volunteering or family meal times to inspire your family on their health and well-being journey. It is important to remember this is a challenging time for families; not every day will go smoothly. You won’t be able to get outside or get everyone around the dinner table every day. We just wanted to give you a little bit of inspiration, so that if you do have time one of the days you can do a small activity.
Our Plum outdoor toys and Discovery range has been developed with family well-being at its heart. Our collection encourages learning through play in your backyard (ideal for homeschooling). Encourage your little ones to get into the fresh air for hours of fun, helping them to burn off some energy and enjoy some screen free play.
This year outdoor spaces have become more valuable than ever before, making outdoor toys this year’s must-have products. We have put together our own gift guide, to help you find the best outdoor toys to surprise your little ones with this Christmas.
Gifts for 12+ Months
Our Little Plum picks will create a magical first Christmas for you and your baby, from their very first swing, creating hours of laughter and play all the way to their brave first climb. Watch your child grown and develop through active play, with our specialised items, perfect for outdoor adventures.
Gifts for 3+ Years
As your little ones grow more and more energetic than ever before, we have selected four of our favourite products for your inquisitive adventurer, that will inspire their imagination and put their increasing energy into hours of playtime.
Combining sand, water and storage with outdoor eating and drawing, what could be better for social play with a friend.
The Plum® Tamarin Wooden Swing Set will inspire hours of outdoor fun and active play. For a little fun and adventure, the Plum® Tamarin Natural Wood Swing Set is the perfect play platform. Swing to the sky and swoop down the slide!
At 6+ years your child is an independent explorer. They want to create their own world and set out on new adventures each day. Adventure play will build your little ones confidence as they push their boundaries and reach new heights while developing new skills.
The Plum® Free Standing Wooden Monkey Bars are perfect for monkeying around. Watch as they burn off energy and conquer swinging across from bar to bar.
Plum’s Space Zone Trampolines with Spring Safe® technology promise an even safer, springier bounce. These trampolines are perfect for the whole family, and built for long-lasting outdoor fun!
Bring the trampoline park to your own backyard
The ultimate fun for the whole family imagine their faces when they wake up and see the Plum Freebound Bowl Trampoline® in the backyard!
From learning to walk to climbing trees, kids are always looking for ways to pull themselves up and explore. Climbing frames allow little ones to use their imaginations and safely challenge themselves whilst developing important physical skills such as balance, co-ordination and agility.
Encourage Self Directed Play
Free play on a climbing frame in a well-designed outdoor play area naturally inspires children to be active. It also allows kids to entertain themselves and helps them to think independently and develop important decision making skills.
Coordinate Movements
Swinging allows children to develop and practice coordinated movements. Climbing can also help a child’s cognitive development through problem solving, memory and the feelings of fear and motivation often experienced through climbing also have great benefits to children.
Build Balance
Through sliding, children learn to keep their torsos balanced as gravity pulls them down the slide. Climbing to the top of the ladder also helps with leg strength.
“Pretty sure we won’t ever need to leave the house for park visits again! These girls are loving their new Plum Play Climbing Pyramid with swings, rockwall and a slide. It also offers a fun little hideout under the fort. Hours of play are sure to be had with this neat little set up!”
We just love Zaras amazing play ideas and her creative ways to use her new Plum 8ft Trampoline are no exception. Check out her latest blog post below:
Ok, so we love the trampoline but why? Encouraging Aidan and Evie to use their gorgeous energy in a positive way is HARD, especially when we are stuck at home. Have the trampoline as a crazy zone outlet is just perfect for the moments when they need to bounce off the walls…because they literally can!
Physical exercise is not only something my kids love it is a necessity! Did you know the Australian Department of Health states ‘ Preschoolers (aged 3 – 5 years) should spend at least 180 minutes a day in a variety of physical activities, of which 60 minutes is energetic play such as running, jumping and kicking and throwing, spread throughout the day.’
That is 3 HOURS! EVERY.SINGLE.DAY!
Stuck for ways to play on your trampoline?
Here are just a few that will not only inspire your active children
but will make them laugh too! I use a lot of these, especially in the
cooler months as it encourages the kids to move outside and keep their
bodies moving!
BALLOON PARTY
You can do this with 1 balloon or 20, it really doesn’t matter! The way the balloons jump, bounce and float within the trampolines safety enclosure is just so much fun! Throw them to friends, try and jump on them, whatever you feel like!
WATER BALLOON JUMP
Although this balloon was very hard to pop, I recommend doing it on a warm day! This is a 90cm latex balloon from our local party store. I filled it with water, tied the top and let the kids at it. It ended up taking 3 hours for this one to pop, that is three hours full of jumping, crashing and giggling. This also works with standard balloons but of course you can’t fill them with quite this much water. Check it out
DRAWING
Have you ever tried drawing on your trampoline with chalk? The colours are SO vibrant! Draw some shapes, jump on the shapes until they disappear and then start again. If it is a warm day, grab the hose once you have finished and get the kids to clean the trampoline!
TRAMPOLINE BED
Too cold to go outside? Take your doona and some pillows and make a warm and cosy trampoline bed. Don’t forget some books and maybe even a nice warm cuppa! Be warned though, there is a high possibility this will turn into a game of ‘No more monkeys jumping on the bed’.
SPRINKLER TRAMPOLINE The perfect summer game, those days when it is too hot to run around but there is still lots of energy trapped inside us! Pop a sprinkler under your trampoline and GO!
For even more fun play ideas be sure to check out Zara’s Instagram @zaras_play_tribe
We are so excited to have received another glowing product review from Belinda Jennings, Founder of Mum Central – the go to hub for Australian Mums with real stories from real women.
“The one thing I loved most about the Plum Freebound Bowl Trampoline compared to other traditional trampolines was the whole new dynamic it brought to outside play. Not only do you have your traditional flatbed trampoline, but the curved ‘track’ transforms into bouncing heaven! It’s safe, secure and my kids were blown away.”
“My kids have had a few trampolines growing up but the Plum Freebound Bowl Trampoline has definitely exceeded all our expectations. My boys could easily do flips, perform tricks and get some crazy air with minimal effort.”
“I really found it easy to get the hang of the angled net, and was actually really surprised at how quickly I could learn to do a front flip.” – James, 11
So let them bounce off the walls and discover the difference a Plum BOWL trampoline can make.
Introducing the Plum® Freebound Bowl Trampoline®; AKA your saviour.
The Plum Freebound Bowl
Trampolineis no ordinary trampoline. For starters, it
doesn’t just have a flat bed. It also has a curved mat surrounding the flat
part of the trampoline which can also be jumped on. This radical curved,
bowl-like shape makes it the funnest and safest trampoline on the
market. Your thrill-seekers are going to love it.
The CURV shape allows
you to move or ‘freebound’ in any direction. Use the markers on the mat to
track your movement and refine your freebounding moves. Bounce, run, flip,
spin, kick, dance – you are only limited by your imagination.
There are absolutely
no springs on this trampoline. 136 bungee cords work in unison to support and
bounce you. This FLX system also makes the Plum Freebound Bowl Trampoline
really, really quiet. Just the ticket for the parent trying to make a few work calls
while keeping an eye on the kids.
This trampoline is
extremely safe. The see-through Supernet is extra thick and super soft, so your
little darling can’t fall out and you can watch them at all times. Thick
padding and soft cushioning can be found all over the frame. Even the ladder
has anti-slip rubber grips on each step.
With a weight rating of 125kgs adults can jump in on the fun too! A ten-minute bouncy burst provides a great cardio workout and all over tone. And it’s a hell of lot more fun than running around the block.
As the Melbourne weather warms up we are spending more and more time outdoors. Ever heard the outdoors referred to as nature’s playground? Well, that is exactly what it is. Endless opportunities for play right out your back door!
Although our backyard already offers many sensory experiences in our grass, trees, flowers, textures, smells and sounds, sometimes Aidan and Evie like me to take it a step further and offer different sensory adventures.
We recently got an outdoor sensory table, it is called a sand and water table BUT has so much more potential than just sand and water!
Although it does have a removable lid, the lid rarely goes on because the kids are too busy creating! There are two sections in the table, one that is made for wet substances and one that is made for dry. Let’s be honest, it all ends up getting mixed together which is AMAZING!
So far, we have tried a few different table combinations:
Sand & Water with scooping and pouring utensils
Beans & Coloured Water as a potion making station
Blue gelatin & ocean animals as an ocean theme
Truck washing station
When I
reset the table I have left the ‘leftovers’ from previous play in there,
it adds extra elements and the kids love building on their previous
play experiences.
Engaging in sensory play outside not only gives
the kids room to move and explore in new ways it gives me, as their mum,
peace of mind knowing that the couch, the carpet, and the walls won’t
get covered in sensory goodies. Plus kids and fresh air certainly have a
certain magic about it!
The best part is that cleaning up is literally just hosing it all down, how good is that!
Thanks for the fantastic review. For even more amazing play ideas, check out Zara’s website playtribe.com.au
We are extremely proud to sustainably source and manufacture each element of our products. Our commitment to be kind to the environment goes all the way back to our beginnings; we are now celebrating over 30 years of sustainable trading.
Ethical manufacturing is non-negotiable; all of our suppliers and factories are audited to ICTI and BSCI standards. These standards support the rights of the workers who manufacture our toys.
Long before FSC® was established our founders were actively involved with the ethical sourcing of wood products and to this day are still committed to taking care of the forest environment, and the people and wildlife who live there.
When we came across the @alittleatlarge Instagram account we couldn’t be more inspired by wonderlust and fairydust!
Writer and creative photographer for A Little At Large, Narelle and her daughter Tiah have crafted a profile full of cherished childhood memories.
We loved the beautiful beach vibes and couldn’t resist reaching out to see how they would style their very own Wooden Teepee Hideaway!
This blog entry below is a repost, originally written by Narelle at A Little At Large – http://bit.ly/LittleLoves
One of the things I love most about having a 5-year-old is finding things to do that ignites both our imaginations, but also creates an opportunity for us to work together to make the kind of memories we will both cherish.
With this in mind, we recently partnered with Plum Play Australia to create and curate our very own Wooden Teepee Hideway.
I have to admit to not being the handiest of handywomen, and my husband had never excelled in the “build it yourself” stakes either. So I posted the task on airtasker.com and within half an hour I had Andrew, my trusty handyman on route.
Andrew made pretty short work of putting it all together, while Tiah supervised.
With the building done and the excitement rising, we hit Bunnings to pick out some paint. Tiah insisted she wanted it to look just like our big house, so Cabot’s Beach House Grey was the winner, a water-soluble wood stain that would be easy to apply and just as easy to clean up little paint dipped fingers.
To the garden shop we ventured, where we picked out some marguerite daisies in bloom and two Chinese star jasmine that we thought would look pretty amazing growing over to form a natural floral arbour in time. A quick stop to Domayne to pick up some joy (you will spy the sign later), and also to Spotlight, for some tulle and fancy lace ribbon.
Completing the painting was the fun part. Tiah worked on the bottom and I worked on the top simultaneously, giggling as we went when paint splashed down on her nose from my drips and my feet from hers. Two coats and we were done. We left it for a few hours to dry and got our accessories ready for the part we both love the most – the styling.
With plants in place and a few choice bits from inside the house (including the gorgeous Sheridan fluffy Icelandic sheep pillow and a sustainable reindeer hide), we were almost ready for the exciting final touches.
A swag of tulle placed over the door (the teepee does come with a roll down awning that affixes with Velcro, we just embellished it a little), some battery operated festoon lights that we got for a song and the final piece – JOY- the battery operated light from Domayne’s Christmas collection that fitted snugly above the door.
Tiah was glowing, her teepee was more beautiful than we ever imagined and proud as punch, she immediately rounded up the neighbours, including Grace, the friendly dog from next door to join in the housewarming. We did not expect there to be jumping- well maybe just from Tiah – but when Grace joined in the festivities, I could not help but snap a moment I know we will smile about well into the future.
As a play space, the teepee is ideal. We have a small yard and its compact footprint fits perfectly. As for the materials themselves, we were thrilled with the excellent quality. Even our handyman Andrew commented, saying how well cut the pieces of timber were, no rough edges and everything fitted together so snuggly that he said it should last a lifetime. Thumbs up Andrew.
We created some beautiful memories building and styling our teepee, but the ones I am most looking forward to are the ones still to come. I know this will be a place where carefree summers will be savoured, where tea parties will be hosted and treats from the pantry smuggled. There will be secrets shared, giggles giggled and good times had with friends. And not forgetting Grace, who pops in pretty regularly for a snuggle and random joyful jumps.
You can win your very own Grand Wooden Teepee from Plum Play, head HERE to find out how to enter. But be quick, competition ends this Sunday, 10th December 2017. Alternatively, if you’d like to purchase a Grand or Great Wooden Teepee Hideaway for your little ones this Christmas, use the promo code ALITTLEATLARGE for 15% off (also valid until Sunday, 10th December 2017). These dates are in line with Plum Play’s Christmas delivery deadlines, but this can be extended to Wednesday 13th December for Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne, Wollongong, and Newcastle.
Why is the Importance of Physical Activity for Kids Undeniable?
In today’s screen-dominated world, the importance of physical activity for kids cannot be overstated. Active play goes beyond just keeping children healthy—it supports their emotional, social, and cognitive growth, shaping well-rounded individuals. From playing outdoors to engaging with fun equipment like trampolines and climbing frames, staying active is essential for every child.
Benefits of Physical Activity for Kids
1. Boosts Physical Health Physical activity builds strong bones and muscles, enhances cardiovascular health, and reduces the risk of chronic conditions like obesity and diabetes. Encourage your child to try activities such as jumping on a trampoline, climbing, or running outdoors to keep their body agile and strong.
2. Improves Mental Wellbeing Exercise releases endorphins that improve mood, reduce anxiety, and promote better sleep. Active kids often experience higher energy levels and a more positive outlook on life. Explore our range of playsets that inspire joyful movement.
3. Enhances Social Skills Activities like team sports or group play can teach children communication, teamwork, and leadership. Even unstructured play on a climbing frame allows kids to practice problem-solving and build friendships.
4. Supports Cognitive Development Research shows that regular physical activity boosts brain health, leading to improved focus, memory, and creativity. Simple activities like scootering or swinging can foster these skills while keeping kids engaged.
How to Promote the Importance of Physical Activity for Kids
Incorporate Fun: Choose activities your kids enjoy, such as trampolining, cycling, or climbing. Our Plum Play trampolines are perfect for hours of energetic fun.
Be a Role Model: Show your child the value of physical activity by staying active yourself. Whether it’s a family walk or a game of backyard cricket, make exercise a shared experience.
Create a Play-Friendly Environment: Equip your outdoor space with exciting play equipment that encourages movement. Consider adding a swing set or a water play table for variety.
Why Choose Plum for Active Play?
At Plum, we specialise in products designed to keep kids moving. Our innovative range includes trampolines, swing sets, climbing frames, and water play options—all crafted to make active play irresistible. Visit our homepage to find the perfect fit for your family.
Final Thoughts on the Importance of Physical Activity for Kids
Encouraging physical activity isn’t just about staying healthy—it’s about preparing kids for a well-rounded, happy life. By prioritising movement, you’re setting your child up for success in every aspect of their development. Explore Plum Play to discover exciting ways to help your child stay active today.
Spring is in the air, so what better way to celebrate than by giving your Plum Play equipment a fresh look for the start of the season?
Why Should You Do DIY With Your Kids?
DIY allows
children to develop key skills and nurtures their creativity. Painting or digging
enhances their fine and gross motor skills as they learn to grip a paintbrush
or a spade.
Involving the kids in backyard DIY projects will spark their imaginations. So, Spring is the perfect time for families to come together and have fun working on these projects.
Get Ready For Spring!
As the weather gets warmer and the days get longer, we want to inspire you to get creative with the kids and explore ways you can revamp, reuse and recycle your play equipment. Whether it’s a wooden sandpit, a cubby house or a trampoline, we have some great tips and tricks to inspire you to refresh your backyard play equipment and make your outdoor area more fun and inviting for your little ones. So, let’s get started!
Revamping
How To Decorate a Wooden Cubby House?
Decorating a cubby house can be a fun backyard play area DIY for children and grown-ups alike. Whether you’re looking to give your child’s cubby house a new look or you just want to add some personal touches, there are endless ways to get creative with decorating…
Cubby House Painting Ideas
One way to
give your wooden cubby house a fresh look is by giving it a coat of paint. You
can choose from a variety of colours to compliment your outdoor space or even
opt for a theme to create a unique play area style. Pastel shades like pastel
pink, mint and pastel blue are popular choices for cubby houses, as they can
add a cheerful splash of colour to your backyard landscape.
To make your cubby house really pop, you could even add some quirky patterns, like polka dots or stripes. To fully embrace the DIY spirit, you could even create a mural on the outside of the cubby house, with a different pattern on each wall or paint a scene from your little one’s favourite storybook.
How to Decorate Inside a Cubby House?
Remember, it’s not all about the look on the outside. The inside of a cubby house can also be decorated to make it a cosy, inviting retreat for your kids. You can add some vibrant cushions, a little table and chairs and some playful wall decorations or plants to create a welcoming space that your kids can’t wait to spend time in. Adding a rug will give the cubby house that next-level warmth and comfort, making it the perfect place for your kids to play or read.
Let your creativity run wild
When it comes to decorating your kids cubby house, the sky’s the limit. You could add some fairy lights for an enchanted touch or even add some window boxes and hanging baskets filled with colourful flowers or herbs to give the cubby house a calming feel and allow it to blend seamlessly into your outdoor space.
How to Decorate a Treehouse?
A treehouse
is a wondrous place for kids to let their imaginations run wild and enjoy
outdoor play. Decorating a treehouse can be a fun opportunity for parents and
kids to connect, spending quality time enhancing the treehouse together. Here
are some innovative ways to decorate your kid’s treehouse in time for Spring.
Use recycled materials – Decorating your treehouse doesn’t need to be expensive. Recycled materials like old cans make great plant pots, and plastic water bottles are ideal for making a cascading water run. To add a dash of colour, your kids can get creative, painting the cans and bottles, so their vibrant artwork can be seen from the treetops.
Add some greenery – Incorporating plants and flowers into your treehouse décor can create a natural and calming space. The Plum Discovery Woodland Treehouse encourages your little ones to tend to the flowers with a built-in potted planter so they can get a head start on sowing their veg patch or cultivating their own herb garden.
Use outdoor lighting – Adding some outdoor lighting to the area around your treehouse can create a magical atmosphere for evening play as dawn turns to dusk. Use string lanterns or solar-powered lights to illuminate the space, making it safe and snug for your little nature nurturers to enjoy active play in their treehouse all year round as the seasons change.
Whether you’re using recycled materials, adding greenery or incorporating outdoor lighting, decorating the treehouse is a creative way to spend time with your little one and make their outdoor play space even more special.
Need a Spare Part for Your Trampoline?
Head over to the Plum Play website to discover our complete catalogue of trampoline spares for our full trampoline range. Simply use the handy spare part checker by typing in your product code to show all the spare parts available for your trampoline. Sprucing up your trampoline has never been so easy!
Top tip: Unsure of your trampoline’s product code – look for the sticker on one of your trampoline’s legs, and you’ll find it there.
Reusing
How to Repurpose Play Sand?
Reusing play sand is a resourceful way to give a new purpose to your children’s outdoor play materials. Here are a couple of easy ways to repurpose your play sand…
Make Textured Paint
Simply mix some sand and paint to create a textured paint effect. This can be a fun way to add a sensory element to play. By creating artwork with this paint, your children can explore the sensation of the rough texture and gritty feeling of the grains of sand in contrast against the smooth paper.
Revitalise Your Compost
Adding play sand to compost can improve its quality. Adding sand to compost improves drainage and aeration, which leads to healthier soil and happier plants – carrots especially love sandy soil as it helps them grow deep into the ground.
Repurposing your play sand is a creative way to give new life to something that may have otherwise gone to waste. So next time you have some leftover sand, don’t throw it away – repurpose it!
Recycling
Plum Play
products are built to last for years to come, but perhaps your kids have
outgrown their sandpit, or you no longer need your trampoline. If so, you can
always recycle your play equipment when it’s no longer needed.
Sandpits also
make the ideal container for a mini veg plot. By removing the sand, replacing
it with soil, and planting some of your kids’ favourite veggies, you have an
instant mini allotment in your backyard.
Encourage your children to embrace their green fingers and plant the seeds together. Looking after their own veg patch will help teach them the importance of nurturing something and caring for the environment.
Wooden Products
All Plum Play outdoor wooden products are made using FSC®-certified wood, so they come from sustainable sources and can be recycled at the end of product life. Even our sandpit liners can be recycled, so the environmental impact is minimal.
Trampolines
100% of the metal used in a Plum trampoline is recycled, so the impact on waste is minimal. To keep this reduce, reuse, recycle circle going, you can recycle the elements of your Plum Play trampoline after use – be sure to check with your local recycling centre to recycle the different elements efficiently.
Chicken Run
Did you know
trampolines can be transformed into the ideal home for chickens?
When you no longer need your trampoline, turn it into the perfect sanctuary for your feathered friends by removing the enclosure and securing chicken wire around the base of the trampoline. The jumping mat becomes the coop roof, and your hens can then live sheltered under the sturdy trampoline base, making it the perfect pen.
Even More Ways to Transform Your Trampoline…
Of course, if you want to reuse the trampoline for yourself, then other options are to transform the base into a robust frame to hang a hammock for backyard dozing or use it as a trellis for plants that love to climb high.
These are just a few ways to inspire you to get your play equipment Spring ready and revamp, reuse and recycle your Plum Play products. So, if you give your play equipment a new lease of life, then be sure to let us know over@PlumPlayAus#LifeAtPlay. We’d love to see your revamp, reuse and recycling innovations.
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