At Cunningham Recreation we are dedicated and committed to creating safe, inclusive spaces for children and their families through thoughtfully designed custom playgrounds and outdoor recreation spaces. These spaces promote physical activity and help in children's holistic development, including boosting their social skills, confidence, and creativity.
While every playground has its own unique design features, here are some of the standout playgrounds we've had the pleasure of being a part of this past year. If you're near one, don't miss the chance to check it out—you won’t be disappointed!
Atascocita Springs Elementary School - Humble, TX
Prehistoric creatures, volcanos and lookout “watch” towers…Tropical jungles teeming with dinosaurs. Students at Atascocita Springs Elementary School can NOW experience a one-of-a-kind play environment!
As students approach the entrance to the playground, there is a custom entryway to give the experience of entering a Jurassic Park like play space. Several life-like GFRC dinosaurs can be found throughout the playground including a T-Rex with the Oviraptor protecting her nest, a Triceratops serving as a climber connecting to a 5’ deck height, and a freestanding Brachiosaurus as well as a swimming Stegosaurus in the river graphics of the poured-in-place (PIP) safety surfacing.
The Jurassic Park play experience also includes a 30' tall volcano tower with two slides: one at 12’ and the other at 18’. The outside panels look like hot lava and inside the volcano, the panels look like cracked volcanic rock. Students can see the Pterodactyl flying out of the top of the volcano and another one sitting on top of the swings.
To further immerse students into the Jurassic Park theme, Gingko Leaf toppers were used around the lookout tower which includes an eight-foot T-Rex that peeks back at you, dinosaur footprints and a large fossil can be found in the PIP safety surface. Custom play panels providing educational information about the dinos can be located throughout the playground.
Winterset City Park - Winterset, IA
Winterset celebrated the grand opening of their first ever inclusive playground April 13, 2024. This almost 10,000-square-foot playground was a project initiated by the Winterset Rotary Club and the Parks and Recreation Department. Together their goal was to make a playground for everyone to enjoy, and that bridges Madison County’s history to its future.
The Winterset Rotary Club was hoping to celebrate their 100th anniversary with a project. At the same time, the 150th anniversary of the Winterset City Park was underway. They decided on creating an all-inclusive park and partnered with the Parks and Recreation Department to raise donations for the project.
And the community did just that, raising over one-million-dollars in just six months.
They named the playground Play For All and it has several features that make it inclusive, starting with the unitary accessible turf safety surfacing and accessible ramps throughout the playground structure. There is an inclusive seesaw and zip track with an adaptive seat. Along the perimeter of the playground there are freestanding musical play components that are inclusive and allow for intergenerational play.
This custom designed playground is connected to the county's extensive history, an is split into two sections with an area for children 5-12, and another area for ages 2-5. The larger main play structure has an entrance that is a replica of the historic Clark Tower. It also includes a covered bridge as a tribute to farmers who built bridges across the rivers and streams in Madison County, and the Zip Track pays homage to John Wayne, an acclaimed actor with roots in Winterset. The play structure for younger children has a custom tractor play structure, irrigation-themed swings and corn stalk climbers to represent Madison County’s acres of farmland. View the case study here.
Brandy Myers Memorial Playground at Lake Park - Carolina Beach, NC
Dive into a new aquatic adventure at Carolina Beach! This immersive playground invites children to explore a vibrant coral reef, weaving through "rocks" and colorful "kelp" on their way to a giant custom stingray rope-based play adventure. Every detail has been carefully crafted to bring the underwater world to the land - even the safety surface tells the story of life under the sea.
This play experience shows how to draw inspiration from your surroundings to create engaging and imaginative spaces that bring your community together. View video here.
Whalehead Club @Historic Corolla Park – Corolla, NC
Check out this amazing GameTime playground in North Carolina! This new playground in Historic Corolla Park is adjacent to the Maritime Museum, Currituck Beach Lighthouse and the historic Whalehead mansion. All of this makes Historic Corolla Park a great destination for a day trip!
This GameTime playground by Landmark Design features custom-designed equipment that highlights Currituck’s waterfowl and outdoor heritage, including a large freestanding Canadian goose play sculpture and a modular play unit that resembles a duck blind featuring a climbing platform, slide and other fun play components. The playground is completed with sprout climbers, cattail spinner, swings, turtle climber, fallen log balance beam, stepping stumps and boat adding to the outdoor theme. Poured-in-place (PIP) rubber safety surfacing with graphics and mounds provide added play value and help park visitors become fully immersed in the outdoor waterfowl/duck blind theme. For added style and comfort, the park includes nice amenities, site furnishings and the playground area is completely fenced.
Washington Irving River Park – Bixby, OK
Washington Irving River Park, located in Bixby, Oklahoma, is a new one-of-a-kind custom playground design. This playful landscape design is not your typical post and platform playground, it is a creative non-traditional play environment. Mounds, spheres, towers, rope-based play, tunnels, spinning nets, hillside slides and climbers create a unique experience for children and their families. Custom towers with ropes and net climbers provide a bird’s eye view for those who are adventurous enough to climb to the top. The sky’s the limit! Irving River Park playground safety surface utilizes colorful Poured-in-Place (PIP) rubber safety surfacing.
Pendergrass Park – Dayton, TN
Pendergrass Park at BCBS Healthy Place is located in Dayton, TN and is a large PlayCORE National Demonstration Site for Inclusive Play and Outdoor Fitness. The playground features a PowerScape modular play structure with tree stump platform, seat and table for two, turning bar, therapeutic rings, river rock climber, notched log climber, play port bridge, bongos, frog slide puzzle, sounds of water, and slides giving it a nature outdoor look.
The playground uses many nautical themed elements including fishing rod, box turtle, dock themed posts that look and feel like real wood, as well as GFRC (glass fiber reinforced concrete) bass head climber, catfish climber, tackle box climber, and Dayton tackle sign. The play area has exciting freestanding play elements including the Sky Run Zip Track and Skyline Tower, and nets for various climbing adventures including the VistaRope Race 4 and VistaTree Top. Swings include a Zero G Chair, and custom swing shade with the popular GameTime Expression Swing. Adjacent to the play space is a Thrive 450 outdoor gym to include a place for adult outdoor fitness, and the area is completed with a 20’ x 34’ steel gable shelter, picnic tables, benches and poured-in-place (PIP) safety surfacing with BCBS logo graphics.
Charlotte-Douglas Airport Lookout Park – Charlotte, NC
Charlotte-Douglas Airport Lookout Park is a unique airport themed playground featuring two GameTime play structures. The PrimeTime modular play unit accommodates ages 2-5, and a the other PowerScape custom designed play structure is for ages 5-12 with Altus X2 Tower spiral slide, horizontal overhead loop ladder, arch bridge, Double Zip Slide and Double Swerve Slide. The playground also features an Inclusive Whirl, along with fun airport play components, including a custom Air Traffic Control Tower, Airplane Climber, Luggage Cart, Fuel Truck Climber, and Sea Plane 2-Person Spring Rider. The playground is completed with Poured-in-Place (PIP) safety surfacing with airport themed graphics.
Oskaloosa Elementary School – Oskaloosa, IA
This school playground features are large fully accessible GameTime Powerscape modular play unit with a Funnel Bridge, spiral slide, Wilderslide, River Rock Climber, Sprout Climber and many other fun climbing challenges. The playground also features another modular GameTime Powerscape PrimeTime Hybrid play structure with a Trillium Climber, Spiral Climber, Plank Climber, Wilderslide, Sensory Wave Rock N Raft, ADA Wide Sensory Wave Ramp, and the unique Odyssey Pod with internal climber. This play unit provides students with lots of various types of play and graduated challenges. The Kidcourse custom design includes Parallel Bar, Olympus Climber, 90 Degree Caterpillar, Loop Ladder Link, Overhead Climber Access Ladder and more fun components promoting physical fitness. Adding to the fun are several freestanding elements, including a RoxAll See Saw, Merry-Go-All and the exciting 33’ Sky Run Zip Track with Zip Seat. The playground is completed with an eight bay PrimeTime Swing, including the ever-popular GT Expression Swings, Zero G Adaptive Swing Seats and Poured-in-Place (PIP) Safety Surfacing.
Mitchell’s Landing – San Antonio, TX
Ahoy matey! Check out Mitchell's Landing Park playground, a new custom pirate-themed inclusive GameTime playground, in San Antonio, Texas. Mitchell’s Landing is named in honor of Mitchell Chang and was gifted to the community by the Mitchell Chang Foundation. The pirate-themed playground features a custom Spanish Mission play structure, custom ship play unit for ages 5-12, with Walk the Plank Climber and Schooner Bow with net and panels, and another custom PrimeTime play structure for ages 2-5. The play space has many custom GFRC elements including a Sea Turtle, Stump Treasure Map Climber, Treasure Chest, Crab Trap, Cannon Climber, and H-E-B Rocks & Mermaid Tails. Additional fun freestanding elements include a Shadow Play TriRunner, Reed Traverse Climber, Sensory Dome, Inclusive Whirl, Sensory Cove Climber, Rock A Bout, Rockin’ Robin, RoxAll See Saw, Curved Balance Beam, Roller Slide with Transition Bench, Freenotes Harmony Park Butterflies outdoor musical elements, and Kidnetix Cargo Net Hammock. The playground also features XScape Swings including the exclusive GT Expression Swing and is completed with shaded seating and Poured-in-Place (PIP) safety surfacing with shark graphics. Approximately three fourths of the play area is shaded for added comfort.
Mitchell's Landing is full of fun play options for families and children of all abilities featuring poured-in-place rubber safety surfacing for ease of mobility in any device. We know the community will benefit from this play space for years to come!
Loris Nature Park – Loris, SC
Loris Nature Park, located in Loris, South Carolina, is a PlayCORE National Demonstration Site for PlayOn! This inclusive GameTime playground features an accessible Powerscape modular play unit for ages 5-12 with the Trillium, tree stump, leaning wall, sloped funnel, river rock and Erratic climbers, Roller Slide, and other fun play components. The play structure has integrated shade with the Sunblox hex canopies throughout. The playground also features an arch saucer swing, Inclusive Whirl, Sensory Wave Arch freestanding climber, Ladybug, Inchworm, Flowers, Habitats Fun Facts and PrimeTime Swings including the exclusive GT Expression Swing. The park also includes outdoor adult fitness equipment. GT Fit stations include Balance Board, Chest Press, Joint Use Chin Up Bar, Sit Up/Back Extension and Step Up Fitness. The playground is completed with Poured-in-Place (PIP) safety surfacing with a river and animal tracks graphics, benches and trash receptacles. A great place for children and their families to play and stay active together.
These playgrounds not only provide fun and adventure but also create spaces for children to grow, learn, and thrive. They are a testament to how thoughtful design can create environments that foster development and joy for children of all ages and abilities. If you have the chance to visit one of these playgrounds, it will certainly be an experience worth remembering!
