Accessibility Statement Skip Navigation
  • Why PRWeb
  • How It Works
  • Who Uses It
  • Pricing
  • Login
  • GDPR
  • Create a Free Account
Return to PRWeb homepage
  • News
  • Resources
  • Contact
When typing in this field, a list of search results will appear and be automatically updated as you type.

Searching for your content...

No results found. Please change your search terms and try again.
  • News in Focus
      • Browse News Releases

      • All News Releases
      • Multimedia Gallery

      • All Multimedia
      • All Photos
      • All Videos
  • Business & Money
      • Auto & Transportation

      • Aerospace, Defense
      • Air Freight
      • Airlines & Aviation
      • Automotive
      • Maritime & Shipbuilding
      • Railroads and Intermodal Transportation
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Transportation, Trucking & Railroad
      • Travel
      • Trucking and Road Transportation
      • View All Auto & Transportation

      • Business Technology

      • Blockchain
      • Broadcast Tech
      • Computer & Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Components
      • Electronic Design Automation
      • Financial Technology
      • High Tech Security
      • Internet Technology
      • Nanotechnology
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Semiconductors
      • View All Business Technology

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film and Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Financial Services & Investing

      • Accounting News & Issues
      • Acquisitions, Mergers and Takeovers
      • Banking & Financial Services
      • Bankruptcy
      • Bond & Stock Ratings
      • Conference Call Announcements
      • Contracts
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Dividends
      • Earnings
      • Earnings Forecasts & Projections
      • Financing Agreements
      • Insurance
      • Investments Opinions
      • Joint Ventures
      • Mutual Funds
      • Private Placement
      • Real Estate
      • Restructuring & Recapitalization
      • Sales Reports
      • Shareholder Activism
      • Shareholder Meetings
      • Stock Offering
      • Stock Split
      • Venture Capital
      • View All Financial Services & Investing

      • General Business

      • Awards
      • Commercial Real Estate
      • Corporate Expansion
      • Earnings
      • Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
      • Human Resource & Workforce Management
      • Licensing
      • New Products & Services
      • Obituaries
      • Outsourcing Businesses
      • Overseas Real Estate (non-US)
      • Personnel Announcements
      • Real Estate Transactions
      • Residential Real Estate
      • Small Business Services
      • Socially Responsible Investing
      • Surveys, Polls and Research
      • Trade Show News
      • View All General Business

  • Science & Tech
      • Consumer Technology

      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Blockchain
      • Cloud Computing/Internet of Things
      • Computer Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Consumer Electronics
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Gaming
      • Financial Technology
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Multimedia & Internet
      • Peripherals
      • Social Media
      • STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Math)
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Consumer Technology

      • Energy & Natural Resources

      • Alternative Energies
      • Chemical
      • Electrical Utilities
      • Gas
      • General Manufacturing
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Oil & Energy
      • Oil and Gas Discoveries
      • Utilities
      • Water Utilities
      • View All Energy & Natural Resources

      • Environ­ment

      • Conservation & Recycling
      • Environmental Issues
      • Environmental Policy
      • Environmental Products & Services
      • Green Technology
      • Natural Disasters
      • View All Environ­ment

      • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Aerospace & Defense
      • Agriculture
      • Chemical
      • Construction & Building
      • General Manufacturing
      • HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning)
      • Machinery
      • Machine Tools, Metalworking and Metallurgy
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Paper, Forest Products & Containers
      • Precious Metals
      • Textiles
      • Tobacco
      • View All Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Telecomm­unications

      • Carriers and Services
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Telecommunications Equipment
      • Telecommunications Industry
      • VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Telecomm­unications

  • Lifestyle & Health
      • Consumer Products & Retail

      • Animals & Pets
      • Beers, Wines and Spirits
      • Beverages
      • Bridal Services
      • Cannabis
      • Cosmetics and Personal Care
      • Fashion
      • Food & Beverages
      • Furniture and Furnishings
      • Home Improvement
      • Household, Consumer & Cosmetics
      • Household Products
      • Jewelry
      • Non-Alcoholic Beverages
      • Office Products
      • Organic Food
      • Product Recalls
      • Restaurants
      • Retail
      • Supermarkets
      • Toys
      • View All Consumer Products & Retail

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film and Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Health

      • Biometrics
      • Biotechnology
      • Clinical Trials & Medical Discoveries
      • Dentistry
      • FDA Approval
      • Fitness/Wellness
      • Health Care & Hospitals
      • Health Insurance
      • Infection Control
      • International Medical Approval
      • Medical Equipment
      • Medical Pharmaceuticals
      • Mental Health
      • Pharmaceuticals
      • Supplementary Medicine
      • View All Health

      • Sports

      • General Sports
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Sporting Events
      • Sports Equipment & Accessories
      • View All Sports

      • Travel

      • Amusement Parks and Tourist Attractions
      • Gambling & Casinos
      • Hotels and Resorts
      • Leisure & Tourism
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Passenger Aviation
      • Travel Industry
      • View All Travel

  • Policy & Public Interest
      • Policy & Public Interest

      • Advocacy Group Opinion
      • Animal Welfare
      • Congressional & Presidential Campaigns
      • Corporate Social Responsibility
      • Domestic Policy
      • Economic News, Trends, Analysis
      • Education
      • Environmental
      • European Government
      • FDA Approval
      • Federal and State Legislation
      • Federal Executive Branch & Agency
      • Foreign Policy & International Affairs
      • Homeland Security
      • Labor & Union
      • Legal Issues
      • Natural Disasters
      • Not For Profit
      • Patent Law
      • Public Safety
      • Trade Policy
      • U.S. State Policy
      • View All Policy & Public Interest

  • People & Culture
      • People & Culture

      • Aboriginal, First Nations & Native American
      • African American
      • Asian American
      • Children
      • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
      • Hispanic
      • Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual
      • Men's Interest
      • People with Disabilities
      • Religion
      • Senior Citizens
      • Veterans
      • Women
      • View All People & Culture

  • Hamburger menu
  • Cision PRWeb provides efficient communication tools to continuously engage with target audiences across multiple online channels
  • Create a Free Account
    • ALL CONTACT INFO
    • Contact Us


      11AM ET Sunday – 8PM ET Friday

  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • News in Focus
    • Browse All News
    • Multimedia Gallery
  • Business & Money
    • Auto & Transportation
    • Business Technology
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Financial Services & Investing
    • General Business
  • Science & Tech
    • Consumer Technology
    • Energy & Natural Resources
    • Environ­ment
    • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing
    • Telecomm­unications
  • Lifestyle & Health
    • Consumer Products & Retail
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Health
    • Sports
    • Travel
  • Policy & Public Interest
  • People & Culture
    • People & Culture
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR

North American “Smart Playground™” Unveiling Announced for National Head Start Conference
  • USA - English


News provided by

KOMPAN Playgrounds

Apr 20, 2014, 03:00 ET

Share this article

Share toX

Share this article

Share toX

Teacher with students using the new Smart Playground
Teacher with students using the new Smart Playground

Tacoma, Washington (PRWEB) April 20, 2014 -- Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Ugly Duckling,” “The Little Mermaid” and “The Tinderbox,” “the playground structures were created to enhance language and movement development as well as social learning with parents and teachers in truly fun ways,” explained Torben Hundevad, Innovation Director for KOMPAN.

Creative literacy environments: stories, play, apps and teacher curricula guides

Teachers are looking for creative ways to engage the whole child in learning, recognizing that young children often learn best through experiential learning and do not usually sit still for too long. In response to this need, the playground structures and accompanying small pieces “tell” stories. Additionally, each structure consists of two facades, one per side, allowing children to play on two playgrounds, or in two worlds, as they desire.

Social Conduct/Moral Lessons

On one of the façades, children follow the story of “The Ugly Duckling,” who starts life as a duckling in a farm’s chicken run, and because he is different, suffers taunts and bullying from the chickens. When he ultimately turns into a beautiful swan, his life changes for the better. Not only do the chickens accept and even admire him, they also realize that they have been unfair to him. Importantly, the swan has also accepted himself. The plot appeals to all children, and is a great way for teachers and caregivers to address the issues of the differences among us and the unkindness of bullying in an age-appropriate way. On the other side of the structure, children find themselves submerged into the world of “The Little Mermaid.” The structure is designed so that her story begins at the bottom of the sea (children will recognize this at the bottom of the structure) and continues up into the structure to the ship where she encounters the prince and a whole new world. From this story, teachers and caregivers can discuss issues such as personal decision-making and its outcomes, which are sometimes not perfect.

Cognitive Development/Sensory Play

The structure features numerous manipulatives that offer an array of tactile and explorative experiences. On “The Ugly Duckling” side, children can move eggs along grooved openings; fill and then dump the scoops with sand, playground material, or whatever is handy; shift the duck’s tail; or push down the hen’s head so she lays an egg. With “The Little Mermaid” façade, children can play with the crab and starfish game or move the mermaid’s tail.

Additional Educational Benefits: Language Development, Apps, and Teacher Curricula Guides

The developmental benefits from free play for children’s physical, social and cognitive skills are well documented. However, KOMPAN believes that play structures can do more. One area of particular importance to our educational system and country in general is language development. Because of our hectic lives, many families do not have the time to read to their young children. This can affect a child’s future success. So the job of teaching a child to develop language facility is often left up to the school system or the community at large. The Hans Christian Andersen stories featured with this play structure are an excellent way for children to understand that language learning and reading are fun.

Additionally, immigration to the United States continues to create large numbers of children who live in homes where English is not the first language used to communicate. As a result, child care centers and schools around the country are creating “differentiated classrooms” to accommodate the different cultures and languages that are coming into their realms.

This play structures supports both of these educational goals. The associated apps include the stories, spelling games, and strategic running games. There are also teacher curricula guides - developed by curricula specialists, evaluated by teachers, and aligned with the US Common Core State Standards - for playful learning activities.

Visit the Smart Playground™ website for more information at http://www.smart-playground.us or http://www.kompan.com

Plan to visit our booth #335 at the NHSA Conference during Expo Hours: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday (4/30 and 5/1) for a demonstration of a play structure, educational apps and teacher guides.

About KOMPAN

KOMPAN is the world’s No. 1 playground supplier.

KOMPAN develops, produces and markets an extensive range of playground equipment that covers all age groups.

All KOMPAN’s playgrounds are designed using extensive research into child development to improve childhood health and learning. KOMPAN is renowned for their compelling design, uncompromising safety, unique innovation and long-lasting quality.

The SMART Playground™ is the first children’s playground to have its own app. The SMART Playground™ represents a significant investment by KOMPAN, which is committed to pioneering breakthrough innovations for play and learning. The Smart Playground™ is patent-pending.

Helle Burlingame, KOMPAN Playgrounds, http://www.kompan.com, +1 (800) 426-9788 Ext: 235, [email protected]

Modal title

Hans Christian Andersen SMART Playground products flyer
Hans Christian Andersen SMART Playground products flyer
Hans Christian Andersen SMART Playground products flyer

Contact PRWeb

  • 11AM ET Sunday – 8PM ET Friday
  • Contact Us

About PRWeb

  • About PRWeb
  • Partners
  • Partnership Programs
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Resources

Why PRWeb

  • Why PRWeb
  • How It Works
  • Who Uses It
  • Pricing

Accounts

  • Create a Free Account
  • Log in
  • Contact Us

Do not sell or share my personal information:

  • Submit via [email protected] 
  • Call Privacy toll-free: 877-297-8921

Contact Cision

Products

About

My Services
  • All News Releases
  • Online Member Center
  • ProfNet
Cision Distribution Helpline
888-776-0942
  • Legal
  • Site Map
  • RSS
  • Cookie Settings
Copyright © 2025 Cision US Inc.