Playgrounds for Children’s Hospitals

Engaging Play Areas Designed by Soft Play

In healthcare settings, play spaces promote physical health while helping kids process emotional trauma and build self-esteem. Active play helps kids regain a sense of normalcy, especially during prolonged hospital stays. It also gives them an avenue to interact with peers who may be going through similar experiences.

Some of the play equipment we can provide for children’s hospitals includes:

• Indoor play areas: We have indoor play areas with soft foam sculptures and durable rubber for comfort and safety. To make these spaces more functional, we can add built-in shoe cubbies, specialty wall graphics and video game consoles for older kids.
• Contained play towers: More than keeping kids busy, our play tower systems can be effective instruments for play therapy. We can construct small, medium and large tower systems with activity panels, interactive floor bells, sound features, slides and climbing elements.
• Outdoor play sculptures: Soft Play offers durable outdoor play sculptures crafted to withstand the weather and encourage kids to get imaginative in the fresh air.
• Themed environments: Build custom-themed play areas that complement the hospital’s branding. Pick colors that match your facilities or choose playground equipment most suitable for play therapy. Your imagination is limitless, and our design experts can turn your ideas into reality.

Soft Play is dedicated to creating interactive environments that allow kids to learn and grow while having fun. We remain steadfast in our commitment to providing quality playground equipment that fosters active and inclusive play. At Soft Play, we make active play a part of every kid’s life, no matter where they are — at parks, museums, restaurants, hospitals and beyond.

Strategic Planning for Health Care Environments

Soft Play acts as an extension of your facility’s design team. We collaborate on traffic flow, sightlines for nurse stations and space optimization in high-value areas like waiting rooms or lobbies. We use nonporous, antimicrobial-friendly materials that withstand hospital-grade cleaning protocols, helping individual facilities stay on top of infection control regulations.

Here’s a look at our collaborative planning process:

1. Consultation: We align with your architects, facility managers and child life specialists to define patient demographics, traffic flow and clinical goals. Whether you are looking to build a playground for physical therapy or as a waiting room distraction, we can help bring your vision to life.
2. Design: Our team integrates with yours to create layouts compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) that children can enjoy. We can incorporate specific features, like transfer stations and sensory-friendly zones, to ensure every patient, regardless of mobility or cognitive ability, can participate.
3. Manufacturing: We build your system in our U.S. facility, using commercial-grade, nonporous materials certified to meet rigorous ASTM safety and durability standards. Our experts perform all these processes in-house, so we have complete control over delivery times and quality standards at every step.
4. Installation: Our professional, background-checked installation crews work around your hospital’s schedule to minimize disruption to patient care and daily operations. Our training, certification and testing processes remain consistent across every project, reinforcing our industry reputation.
5. Maintenance: Our maintenance programs are designed for proactive upkeep, minimizing any impact on patient care while preserving equipment integrity and cleanliness. This ensures the ongoing safety, hygiene and therapeutic value of these spaces for children and families.

Funding and Financing Your Play Ecosystem

As a health care facility, you can create themed play zones through donor recognition. These spaces create high-visibility naming rights for hospital foundations, turning the playground into a fundraising asset rather than a cost center. To accelerate these fundraising efforts, Soft Play supports your foundation with high-impact 3D renderings and conceptual designs. These professional visual assets are powerful tools for securing board approval and inspiring donor generosity early in the process.

Soft Play also offers flexible financing and leasing options through our industry partners. Leasing allows facilities to spread costs over time, preserving capital for medical equipment while still upgrading the facility immediately. These leasing options have flexible terms to preserve capital for medical technology and other supplies.

Beyond preserving cash flow, financing may offer significant tax advantages for eligible facilities. Under Section 179, you may be able to deduct the full purchase price of the equipment in the current tax year. These potential tax savings, combined with fixed monthly payments, dramatically lower the total cost of ownership, making a world-class play area attainable. Reach out to your tax advisor for more information.

Start Your Design Consultation Today

Hospitals can be a daunting space for children, so let us help you create a welcoming environment with an indoor playground. Reach out to our team today to get a feasibility assessment and funding guide.