Articles

Cunningham Recreation’s 2025 Year in Review highlights some of our favorite playground projects from across the country—vibrant, inclusive, and thoughtfully designed spaces that bring communities together through the power of play. From themed school playgrounds and destination parks to fully accessible designs with custom climbers, sensory elements, and modern surfacing, each project reflects our commitment to creating safe, engaging environments where every child can explore, move, and connect. Explore the recap to see how we helped communities reimagine play in 2025.

Every student deserves a place to play, explore, and belong. As schools look for new ways to promote inclusion, playgrounds are becoming powerful tools for connection and learning. Today’s innovative designs go far beyond accessibility—they create multi-sensory experiences, encourage social interaction, and invite students of all abilities to play side by side. From musical play panels and sensory gardens to smart surfacing and interactive technology, inclusive playgrounds are shaping the future of education—one play space at a time.

Jesse Helms Park in Wingate, NC—one of Union County’s most scenic destinations—now features a charming farm-themed playground that celebrates the area’s rich agricultural heritage. Designed with inclusive play elements, it offers fun and adventure for the entire family!

Park site amenities refer to various features and facilities provided in a park or recreation area to enhance the visitor experience. These amenities can vary widely depending on the type and size of the park, its location and the needs of its users.

As school communities become more diverse, you may be looking for new ways to engage students in creative and imaginative play. And one of the best places to support this type of play is on the playground.

School playgrounds need attention from time to time, just as public playgrounds do. It's important that school playgrounds are kept safe, fun and engaging so that students have a place to decompress in between classes.

Cunningham Recreation is the exclusive representative for GameTime in 17 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, including coastal Carolina, the Southeast, and the Midwest.

The month of April is World Landscape Architecture Month, a time to celebrate landscape architecture in both public and private spaces.

Inclusive playgrounds are an invitation for ALL children to play TOGETHER. Playgrounds have come a long way over the years, and it’s now easier than ever to design a play space that has something for everyone.

Inclusive outdoor recreation spaces provide a safe place where kids of all ages and abilities can play and interact together. These spaces don’t just take the physical needs of children into consideration, but also their social, emotional and cognitive needs.