As part of our Summer ’12 sale we are offering our most exciting deal on Freenotes Harmony Park outdoor musical instruments ever. Now through August 31st if you buy any three instruments that we offer we will throw in our most popular instrument, the five-piece drum set, absolutely free!

Outdoor instruments made by Freenotes Harmony Park are the highest quality outdoor instruments available. Designed by professional musicians to bring music to public spaces they are excellent tools for spreading the arts throughout your community, school, or company. There are many models to choose from each with their own distinct tone and design allowing you to create your perfect outdoor music haven. Here are all the Freenotes instruments:

To get more information or to receive a quote request click the quote request button below. View our Freenotes sale brochure below:

Freenotes Sale Flyer – Summer 2012

Now through August 31st, our 2012 play equipment sale is here with exciting stand-alone equipment for playgrounds. This sale includes slides, climbers, tables, spinners, spring-riders, and even newly released items like our Cozy Cocoon all up to 20% off retail prices.

You cannot get this deal anywhere else but right here at NSP3!

View the entire 2012 Summer Sale Flyer Here!

If you would like to request a quote for any of these sale items click the quote request button below:

The U.S. Department of Justice recently revised their Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements for playgrounds which requires all new and modified playground sites be compliant with the latest ADA standards by March 15, 2012.

These standards outline accessible routes to and from the playground, the number of accessible play events, as well as the need for ADA-compliant safety surfacing. All of this can be overwhelming for anyone not in the playground industry so IPEMA has created an excellent 12-step checklist and accompanying infographic to explain the ins and outs of these new standards.
 
Click to Expand the Checklist

As always all of our Playworld Systems equipment is available in ADA models and they provide the Inclusive Design Guide for creating playgrounds that are not only ADA accessible but inclusive for people of all abilities.
 
 

NSP3 believes in physical fitness and development at all stages in children’s lives. We also think that physical fitness is a subject oft ignored until it is too late to develop those habits in kids. The Definitive Guide to Youth Athletic Strength, Conditioning & Performance by Pat Rigsby, Nick Berry, and David Kittner @youthfitnessguy starts by addressing what coaches/trainers are doing wrong when addressing youth fitness. It then goes on to address ways to positively impact children’s lives followed by real world training advice by experts for children of K-12 age and beyond

For fitness educators this book is a perfect guide to developing awesome athletic and physical fitness programs. You can get yourself a copy at Amazon.

Ahh, the good old days. This photo is both a playground fail and a win for us. It is an embodiment of all our hopes as well as our fears because as playground designers we are tasked on a day to day basis with finding safety flaws in playgrounds. But, when is enough enough?

In the old days playground equipment was not regulated at all and kids were left free to explore and play at will. It is our job now to get back to the adventure and excitement that classic playgrounds provide while adhering to modern safety and access standards in place today. It is a tough job, but with partners like Playworld Systems and others who are constantly innovating and designing products that stretch the limits of our children’s abilities we have hope for the future of play.

Mail Online has a great set of classic playground photos, Check them out here.

Download our Concrete Table Tennis Brochure

Introducing Concrete Table Tennis and Chess Tables!
 
In any crowd and on every street, everyone has some level of Table Tennis experience. When you put Table Tennis in public places, something special happens. It’s a touch point and a connection. This is real time social NET working. Artificial barriers are annihilated and strangers smile, interact and get their game on!
 
Bravado Outdoor Products manufactures the world’s toughest Table Tennis Tables and Chess Tables for permanent outdoor use.
 
Casual and competitive Table Tennis has an unrivaled appeal across cultures and generations. Kids like jungle gyms and skate parks, but what was your last project that provided enthusiastic sport for adults, seniors and kids? With Table Tennis’s huge upswing in popularity, why not steal the show at your park or school project this year?
 

We think about permanence and fun at the same time. From beautiful marble inlay Concrete Chess Tables to virtually indestructible Concrete Table Tennis Tables, engineering quality is given the same weight as the user experience. Our Table Tennis play surface is beautiful, but grab a paddle and a friend, and the true aesthetic quality really comes out!
 
Download the Table Specifications for Concrete Table Tennis Tables
 

 
 

 
We got a call recently from a local school district asking us to come out and take a look at the rubber bark they had put in to their playgrounds less than a year ago. What we found was pretty shocking.
 

While the material in the photo is definitely recycled rubber bark we found some serious problems with it that led to us recommending it be removed from their playgrounds immediately.
 
The most obvious problem were the constant complaints by students that they were getting poked by metal wire left behind in the material. Because all tires contain metal wire belts one of the most important aspects of the rubber bark manufacturing process is to remove this with a series of magnets. The material on the playground had obviously gone through this process, but it was clear that they had not been thorough enough.
 
The next issue we found was with the coloring of the rubber bark. Our recycled rubber bark product goes through one coating of polyurethane colorant as well as a clear coat sealant that bonds strongly to both the rubber and the nylon cord that remains when tires are shredded. As you can see in the photo the black chunks have not been colored at all exposing the nylon which is both unsightly and can cause skin irritation. In addition several students (and their parents) complained that red coloring added to the bark was coming off on student’s clothing on a regular basis.
 
Needless to say the school district in question soon realized that while they had saved some money in the initial purchase of their material they would soon be spending a lot more money to remove and replace it due to safety concerns. You may ask: What can I do to ensure I am getting the best recycled rubber bark for playground use?
 
Here are some things to look for:

• Clean material free of metal, oily residue, or other debris
• Coloration that does not wipe of or transfer to clothing
• Little or no exposed nylon fibers
• Use of locally sourced recycled passenger tires
• Consistently sized chunks
• Free of foul odors, or harmful chemicals

 
As always, our recycled rubber bark by RB Rubber meets all of these requirements an then some at a price that is really affordable when you consider how little maintenance it requires. They have also been featured on several television documentaries including the video below which gives a great overview of their manufacturing process.
 

 
If you would like more information or a quote for recycled rubber bark click here:
 

 
 

• 15 Challengers Structures for Ages 5-12
• 5 Challengers Structures for Ages 2-5
• 2 Rockblock Structures
• 2 See-Saws
• 4 Spring Riders
• 3 Climbers
• Triple Shoot Out
• A collection of site amenities including borders, benches, trash cans, and bike racks.

View the Full 2012 Winter e-Flyer

What happens on March 15th, 2012?

 
All newly constructed and altered play facilities of public or commercial ownership must comply with the 2010 ADA standards and will no longer have a choice to use the 1991 standards. The specific sections in the 2010 ADA standards that apply to playgrounds are Chapter 2 Section 240 and Chapter 10 Section 1008.
 

What actions do I need to take?

 
If your playground was built prior to September 15th, 2010 – Since the law is not retro-active you need not take any action unless you are planning to alter your playground after March 15th, 2012 at which time your playground structure would have to be made compliant with 2010 standards.
 
If your playground was built between September 15th, 2010 and March 15th, 2012 – You have a choice whether to comply with the 1991 or 2010 standards. But, keep in mind that if you choose to use 1991 standards following March 15th you will not be able to alter your structure without bringing the entire thing up to 2010 standards.
 
If your playground has not been built yet – If your playground build is going to occur after the March 15th cut-off date your structure will have to be completely compliant to 2010 standards.
 
If you are planning on making alterations to your playground after March 15th – Any alteration to a playground after March 15th will require that the entire structure meet 2010 ADA standards.
 

Can NSP3 certify my playground/s meets ADA standards?

 
NO! All playground inspectors can do is provide opinionated feedback regarding what they think (in their professional experience) is compliant to ADA standards. Anybody claiming to be a certified ADA inspector is a fraud. As such NSP3 will continue offering our standard playground safety inspections with the added benefit of an evaluation of your playground’s accessibility.
 
Click here to request an inspection quote: