Little Tikes Commercial Puts New Spin on Playgrounds at Gibbs Elementary School
Explore This Playground
When Principal Jane Drennan began planning the playgrounds for the new Gibbs Elementary School in Rochester, Minnesota, she knew she wanted something different. It had to have the traditional favorites like swings and slides, but also new and unusual elements that would get kids excited about playing.
"I was looking for new things that you might not normally find on a playground," says Drennan.
She found those elements at Little Tikes Commercial. Drennan created a wish list of the equipment she would most like to have, and then turned design duties over to Flanagan Sales. The Flanagan team transformed Drennan's wish list into reality, creating a playground that not only included all of the individual components, but tied them together into a comprehensive play experience.
"Jane knew the kids would love the Matrix® Web Climber, but she wanted it to be attached and integrated into the rest of the playground," says Mike Dorsey, sales consultant at Flanagan. "Little Tikes Commercial is one of the few companies that can actually connect the ropes to the main structure, allowing kids to climb right from one area to another."
Other unique Little Tikes Commercial components include the Spinfinity®, Hypersonic Slide, twin Spiral Slides and eight-foot high decks that allow kids to climb high off the ground. A mixture of bright red, green, yellow, black and white colors infuses the play areas with an extra sense of fun. "The combination of colors really makes this one of the most eye-catching playgrounds in the area," says Dorsey.
The playground was put to the test when Gibbs welcomed its first students in the fall of 2009. The result?
"They love it," says Drennan. "It really did accomplish what we were hoping for. The kids run to get out there. They are using it and enjoying it every day."
In fact, the kids' enthusiasm has been contagious. Much to their delight, they even managed to convince Principal Drennan to take the Spinfinity® for a test spin!