Commercial Playground Slides
Playground Outfitters has the widest variety and best selection of commercial playground slides in the industry. Our prices and selection are unmatched in the industry.
Why Children Love Playground Slides
When you first get to a playground with your family, odds are your kids will be heading straight for the slides! Why? Because most children are born with the natural sense to seek out thrills and excitement while exploring. There are few things that allow a child to safely experience the adrenaline rush they are seeking, but a slide definitely will. That's why children naturally gravitate to this playground staple!
Benefits of Slides on Playgrounds
While a slide will always remain a favorite in the eyes of a child, there are actually a lot of benefits that come along with sliding down a slide. Slides encourage bravery in children from a young age which in return gives a child a lot of confidence. A slide is super fun for a child, but it also takes a ton of confidence that a child must muster up when deciding to let go at the top and quickly descend to the bottom.
Initially, the journey of climbing through the tall playground structure can seem rather daunting for a child to get to the top of the slide, the sense of accomplishment that will wave over the child after the first initial slide down makes it all worth it. Plus, the adrenaline rush they will feel will have them racing to the top to slide down again and again! Not only does it take a lot of courage to climb through a playground, but it also takes a lot of balance and coordination.
Since a slide is often so high in demand on the playground, this opens the opportunity for a child to learn real-life social skills and order. When there is a line to go down a slide, children learn very to patiently wait their turn. Also, all this racing and climbing up and down the playground to get to the slide is a great healthy way to engage children in physical activity.
Types of Slides
Specifically, commercial playground slides come in all different shapes, sizes, twists, and turns that are guaranteed to be a fun, adrenaline rush for any child! We have a wide variety of slides that will fit into any playground design. Here are some of the slides that we have to offer:
Spiral Slides - Aside from its obvious fun value and attractive appearance, these let children slide around corners and take tight turns all the way down.
Double Slides - These are double the fun because they allow two children to slide at once racing to see who can get to the bottom first.
Straight Slides - Straight slides are super fast but super fun and thrilling all the way down in a straight angle.
90 Degree Turn Slides - This slide starts out as going straight then takes a fun sharp 90-degree turn one way to add a little excitement.
Left/Right Turn Sectional Slide - Create a slide perfect for your design with sectional slides. This slide allows you to decide where the twist and turns will be and to be able to be creative.
Tube Slides - The chute of this slide resembles a tunnel and is completely enclosed and available in either straight or spiral.
What to Look for When Picking Out a Slide
There are numerous factors that go into picking the right type of commercial slide for your playground and a lot of questions you should be asking yourself. How much space are you working with? Does the material and shape of a slide matter? How many kids and of what age groups do you vision playing on the playground? Below are some of the features to keep in mind when deciding which slide(s) to place on your playground. Ensuring all the below features are present allows you to ensure your slide choice is of the utmost quality.
Material
The material of a slide is a very important factor to consider, especially in terms of durability. The two main materials that slides are made of are plastic and metal. Metal slides are slick, built to last, and offer quicker speeds than other slides. However, this kind of slide is best placed in a shaded area because metal slides can get extremely hot and burn exposed skin during the summer months when placed in direct sunlight. Plastic slides are by far the most popular in a commercial environment. Mostly due to safety and cost. For this reason, we do not carry metal slides and have chosen to stick to a product that is backed by cost-effectiveness, durability in all elements and safety.
Shape
Playground slides come it all different sizes and length. Whether you envision an 18 ft slide or a 5 ft slide, it’s important to consider the blueprint of your playground when considering what size to go with. You should ask yourself how high is your playground going to be? Then you can start narrowing down the options. Another thing to consider is where the slide is going to go. If you want to squeeze one in a tight corner, a spiral slide is the way to go. If more space is available then you can choose a larger slide that takes up more surface area like a straight or wave slide.
Location
Location, location, location! There is a reason why people know this saying and it still lands true with a commercial playground slide. When choosing a color for your slide the location is especially important. Ask yourself, is your slide going to be in the sun or be in a mostly shaded environment? If your slide will be mostly in direct sunlight, then a brighter color will work better than darker colors. This is because darker colors (i.e. green) will soak up and attract more heat, creating a hotter surface than a lighter color, such as yellow.
Thickness
The thickness of a slide matters because the thicker the slide, the more sturdy and durable it will be. Thicker slides are also more UV stabilizing, therefore, the slide color will be less likely to fade or crack from the sun’s rays.
Conclusion
As you can tell a ton of factors go into picking out the perfect commercial playground slide. And while deciding on the right slide for your playground might seem like a daunting task, don’t worry we are here to help every step of the way! Whether you are starting a brand new design or just need a little sprucing up on an existing playground, our team of commercial project managers can assist you on what your best options are and you can rest assured knowing that whichever slide(s) you choose, kids will enjoy for many years to come!
