Does your Playground have adequate Shade for the Summer?

With spring well and truly underway and summer just around the corner, it's the ideal time to ensure you have enough sun shade so children and teachers can still make the most of outdoor learning opportunities. 

The great British weather is unpredictable-from soaring temperatures last summer to snow and ice in the winter, we are seeing extremes and everything in between!

Outdoor learning is shown to have benefits for pupils mental health and learning outcomes, as well as encouraging children to get active. Our mission is to ensure your outdoor spaces can be enjoyed all year round. 

What are the Practical Benefits of Outdoor Shelters

Outdoor classrooms and learning gazebos provide quiet, sheltered places for students during breaktimes, and give teachers the opportunity to take learning outside whatever the weather.

This right outdoor shelter gives children and teachers the flexibility to utilise their outside space at anytime of the year. Even when it is a little wet or very hot, having more outdoor shelters means children may still be able to go out for some fresh air without fear of getting wet or sunburnt.  

Scandinavian countries have the motto “there is no bad weather, only bad clothing” and this can be applied to outdoor shelters too. With the right shelters and shade, outdoor learning can still happen whatever the weather, with the addition of extra layers or SPF!

From easy to install shade sails to open classrooms, we have effective solutions to ensure you can continue using your outdoor space, and make the most of the great outdoors, whatever the great British weather throws at you!

Sheltered Playground Areas

Timber shelters are a freestanding shelter which can give overhead protection from  rain and sun but they are more open than an outdoor classroom. They create a great flexible space which can be used for story time, an outdoor learning activity or a sheltered place for children to play.

Outdoor Classrooms

Outdoor Classrooms create a dedicated sheltered space for taking your learning outside. It provides a change from the traditional indoor classroom setting and shelter from weather for parents, staff and pupils.

Our range of timber Hexagonal and Octagonal Outdoor Classrooms are also a great shelter for playtime and allow children to socialise and play outside whatever the weather. 

Rectangular Canopies

Our range of timber canopies can come in a variety of sizes to suit your needs. They can be built to provide a dry walkway between classrooms or attached to an early years classroom to extend the space.

Our canopies come with premium polycarbonate sheets that filter out 98% of harmful UV rays. The polycarbonate sheets can come in either opal or a wide range of colours to provide colourful and safe shade in your playground.

Shade Sails

Shade Sails are a popular addition to many playgrounds providing shade, UV protection and a wave of colour! They are lightweight, constructed from heavy-duty HDPE shade fabric and have been specifically designed to meet a wide range of weather conditions.

They come in two options; permanent or detachable. Permanent Shade Sails are constructed with heavy duty galvanised steel posts and are designed to withstand 300mm of snowfall and all British weather conditions. Unlike Detachable Shade Sails they do not need to be removed in inclement weather. Detachable Sail Shades are constructed with timber posts and are designed to survive moderate wind and weather conditions of the British summer. They will need to be removed in high winds or heavy snowfall.

Playground Shelters

Our Playground Shelters can be adapted to suit the needs of any school or nursery setting.
They have been used to create a space that can be used for performances, seating, free play and even cake sales!

You can add side panels such as whiteboards or chalkboards, decked flooring, bench seating - whatever you need to make the space workable for your needs and to maximise your outdoor space.

Classroom & Shelter Accessories

We offer plenty of accessories so you can fully customise your outdoor classroom to meet your requirements for the area.
You can add:
•    Chalkboards
•    Whiteboards
•    Full or Slated Infill Panels
•    Bench Seating
•    Decked Flooring 
•    And much more....

Outdoor Classroom Design and Installation

We can help you plan and design your outdoor space and make sure you’re covered!
You can book in a call here for an informal chat about your playground. Tell us your ideas and goals and we'll come up with some exciting initial ideas within your budget.

We can then proceed with a site visit so our playground consultant can get measurements and make any other suggestions. You’ll be provided with a 3D drawing of your space so you can see how it will look once finished.

Over 90% of our products are designed by us and are all handmade in the UK. Our timber outdoor classroom structures are installed by trusted, DBS checked professionals, and come with a 15-year warranty. 

Get in touch to plan your shade!