What children need from playgrounds: Building brains, brawn and friendships

SINGAPORE - Children clamber up climbing ropes, go down slides and balance carefully along beams. Some try to go as high as possible on swings, while others bounce on small trampolines or make small structures in a sandpit.

This bustling scene reflects an environment where every element has a purpose: to support physical, social, and creative development.

These are also the features identified in HDB’s new guidelines for playground design.

Released in December 2025, the Play Values Framework sets out requirements for all new public playgrounds. This will start with new BTO launches in Mount Pleasant Crest, Bishan and Woodlands.

Playgrounds must have a variety of physical challenges. The guidelines outline nine aspects of physical play, forming the foundation of every playground. These include sliding, climbing and balancing, as well as hanging, crawling and rocking.

Additional aspects like swinging, spinning and bouncing are included depending on the space and type of playground.

In park playgrounds, eight of the nine physical play elements are needed, while precinct playgrounds in HDB estates are required to have at least five.

HDB said playground equipment can take different forms beyond conventional designs, to offer varied experiences and challenge levels.

For example, swings can range from traditional swings to log and bird nest varieties, while spinning play can include merry-go-rounds, spinners, spinner bowls, and other alternatives.

Using different playground elements, children can engage in social play by playing on their own, or interacting with others through buddy or group play.

For example, a small trampoline or rocker allows for individual exploration and self-discovery, while sitting on a see-saw involves coordination and teamwork.

Group play is possible on obstacle courses, climbing nets and merry-go-rounds, in more complex play scenarios.

Lastly, creative play covers tactile, imaginative and cognitive elements.

Sandpits – which are recommended in park playgrounds – allow for tactile play, where children use their hands and bodies to explore different textures.

This is important for building fine motor skills and sensory regulation.

Thematic playgrounds invite pre-school children to imagine and engage in open-ended play. Those with nature-inspired shapes, mounds, lines of different colours and patterns resembling waves or shapes, encourage children to be creative as they explore different ways of playing.

This could involve group play as they pretend to be on a deserted island, or make up their own rules using the lines or patterns for a game of tag.

Cognitive play happens when children engage with puzzle panels, which are meant to develop problem-solving abilities. This could involve simple matching tasks, competitive play like Tic Tac Toe, or moving a pin through a maze.

Mount Pleasant Crest

HDB said apart from the play features, the design of the playgrounds at Mount Pleasant Crest will incorporate the area’s heritage as the site of Singapore’s first police academy.

The main playground for younger children aged two to five will be shaped like a police car, and feature other traffic-themed components such as road marking patterns.

It will include a climbing structure, slide, spinner bowl and trampoline for younger children to develop motor skills, as well as play panels that hone thinking skills. 

These elements also involve the use of social skills, when children play in groups for more complex play scenarios, partner a friend, or enjoy solo play time. 

The playground for older children, aged five to 12, will have more emphasis on group and physical play, with a range of physical activities at different challenge levels, to build strength and confidence.

For example, it will feature two large structures connected by a raised net bridge, for children to climb and crawl as they move between areas, with a curved tube slide as a means of getting down.

The playground will also have a trampoline and hammock swing to help children develop balance and coordination through bouncing and swinging. Hanging equipment will help build arm strength. 

Balancing beams and small mounds on the ground serve as obstacles for children to navigate and develop spatial orientation and coordination.