Design, Curriculum and Resources

Research has shown time and again how important play is to a child’s development – mentally, socially and physically.  Communities, churches and schools are tasked with providing young children with a safe, fun and developmentally stimulating place to play—and with maintaining that play environment for years to come. GameTime and J.A. Dawson & Company provide you with years of expertise and advice to partner with you as you build, utilize and maintain your play environments.

J.A. Dawson and Company is GameTime’s exclusive representative in Alabama, Mississippi and the Florida panhandle. Providing quality playground and park equipment, J.A. Dawson & Company and GameTime offer a variety of resources and design approaches for those planning and maintaining playgrounds and parks. Plus, curriculum programs are available for educators to incorporate into lesson plans.  Equipment, Design, Curriculum and Resources are all focused to encourage children’s cognitive, social and physical development, and in the process, keep children safe.

Best Practice Expertise on Playground Design Philosophies

Get guidance on design considerations, including the latest approach to:

• Inclusive Design—Inclusive means that all developmental needs—physical, cognitive, communicative, social/emotional, and sensory—are met.  And inclusive and accessible playgrounds are important not only to the children, but to adults with disabilities to enable multi-generational interaction.
• Design that Incorporates Nature—Research conducted by the Natural Learning Institute (NLI) supports the benefits of playing outdoors and exposure to nature in a child’s physical and mental development.   With the increase in urban and suburban areas, it becomes important that we bring reintroduce nature to our play environments to promote richer childhood play experiences.
• Design that Features Pathways—Introducing children to trails and open spaces can create a lifelong interest in physical activity and play in the outdoors, leading children to live healthier lives, both physically and spiritually through a better understanding of the environment.

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Education/Curriculum Based Programs

Play is educational.  And GameTime recognizes how play contributes to the overall learning experience.  See all we offer in curriculum-supported play:

• Inclusive play program - 2 Playtogether
• Physical fitness programs - FitKid and Play On
• Musical education program - GT Jams
• Environmental education program - Playtrails
• Math education program - TouchMath

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Resources

Take advantage of various resources to help answer questions and provide expertise, tips and advice about:

• Playground maintenance
• Playground supervision
• Playground surfacing
• Building healthy communities through school-park partnerships
• Trends and best practices for creating urban play environments
• The importance of play