Shade Planning for Schools

Did you know that sun protection should actually start at birth? Did you also know that if someone suffers from as little as one sunburn during childhood or youth, that can more than double the risk that he or she will develop skin disease in the future? These are just two reasons to provide shade for the students and staff at your school. The sun’s UV rays can also damage your eyes and immune system, and the results are cumulative. Everyone, including you, is at risk of being negatively affected if the proper precautions aren’t taken for sun protection.

When you think about it, most elementary students are at school when sunlight is at its most intense between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. This means that during recess and after-school programs, children are exposed to the harshest UV rays. Since many schools lack the proper natural or man-made shade needed for their grounds, students’ tender skin can suffer from irreparable damage increasing their chance of skin disease later in life. If you’re a parent or educator, that is a disturbing thought, which means action should be taken now to protect the skin of your students and staff alike.

Shade can come in many shapes and sizes, from large tall trees to super dome shades over playgrounds. There are benefits to natural and man-made shade applications. Many commercial playgrounds are manufactured with steel and plastic components, which can get warm enough to burn children’s skin in direct sunlight (even during the winter months). You can protect your playground environment from overheating with shade to ensure the safety and wellbeing of your students. Providing shade also keeps your playground equipment and outdoor furnishing colors from fading, which can occur when being exposed to the sun for extended periods of time; this can occur on steel and wood equipment. One last benefit worth mentioning is your school grounds become more usable when shade is provided. Ranging from longer outdoor classroom sessions to longer play times for after-school program participants, all because shade was planned for in the design of your school’s outdoor landscaping.

Hopefully now shade is on your radar to add to your school grounds if it wasn’t already. With the decision to incorporate shade comes a variety of options to consider. Do I use natural or man-made? Hard roof or fabric shade? While there are benefits to both, let’s look at the differences.

Natural Shade for Your School Playground

While natural shade provided by trees can aid in the protection of the students and equipment at your school, keep in mind that while leaves are present for much of the year acting as a natural source of shade, leaves do tend to diminish during the fall and winter. Children do enjoy playing outside in cold weather just as much as they do in warm weather. Additionally, it’s important to make sure the trees stay properly trimmed as to not invade the play space. Read more about shade clearance on playgrounds.

Man-made Shade Canopies for Schools

Shade structures designed for your school grounds are the best course of action for sun protection during all seasons. They can even be customized for your school’s needs to ensure that the students and equipment stay protected throughout the course of the day.

Hard roof structures are great options if you have an outdoor learning area for teachers to conduct classes outside. This could also double as a lunch area during outdoor events such as field days and outdoor festivals!

Fabric shade canopies are the favorable option for playground shade. Not only are they easy to install and provide weather protection, they can also add some flair to the design of your play environment. Shades can be designed in different shapes such as triangles, circles, squares, and even flowers!

Budgeting for Shade

Wanting to add shade to your school grounds and actually being able to do so are two different things. Playground super domes can cost as much as your playground equipment, if not more. Don’t worry because there are plenty of avenues to take to acquire funding to adequately shade your school’s property. Start by investigating different grant opportunities within your state and local areas that you can qualify for. There are also many federal grants that public and private schools can apply for to get funding for playground equipment. To involve the local community, fundraising and crowdfunding are also viable paths to raise money for any school project. You also have the option to make use of many co-operative purchasing and leasing programs which many schools use to gain access to funds for their outdoor recreation equipment.

The Time to Act is Now

The warning signs have never been brighter than they are now when it comes to protecting yourself and students from the harm that can be caused by too much sun exposure. The benefits far outweigh the risks. So when you plan for your next outdoor project, be sure to incorporate shade into your planning process.

For more information about the benefits and options to add shade to your outdoor playground and other school grounds, visit Superior Shade and Superior Shelter online.

References:

https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/pdf/shade_planning.pdf
https://www.skincancer.org/get-involved/schools/sun-safety-at-school
http://www.educationbusinessuk.net/features/sun-safety-schools-%E2%80%93-ensuring-duty-care
https://wehavekids.com/parenting/Natural-Playgrounds-For-Kids-Advantages-and-Problems