Adults and children appreciate having plenty of seating areas in and near their playspace. We've included instructions for a KaBOOM! favorite here, a combination bench/planter! Benches encourage adult supervision when placed in close proximity to the playground equipment. Seating also encourages a sense of community by creating a designated area for neighbors to gather together, much like a “town square." The double planter bench can be a combination bench + planter OR can be used as a bench with a chessboard tabletop in the middle!
Sort all materials into piles by like items to ensure you have materials needed to complete project.
Take [7] of the 4x4x8' boards. Cut each into [4] 24" pieces for a total of [28] 4x4x24" pieces.
Take the [8] remaining 4x4x8' boards. Cut each into [3] 31" pieces for a total of [24] 4x4x31" pieces.
Take the [5] 2x4x8' pieces. Cut each into [3] 31" pieces, for a total of [15] 2x4x31" pieces.
Do NOT cut the [2] 4x4x10' boards.
Inventory and sort all of your materials.
Build the planter squares. Create 12 planter squares using (2) 4x4x24" and (2) 4x4x31". Attach these 4x4s using 6" nails and a hammer. You will want to pre-drill the holes with the ¼" drill bit to avoid bending the nails.
Build the planter bases. Using 6 of the squares you just made, build 2 planter bases, each 3 levels (or squares) high. Attach one level at a time, rotating each level 90° so the 31" pieces always sit on top of 24" pieces. Use 6" nails to make two connections per level, one connection in the middle of each 31" piece.
Connect the planter boxes. Connect the two planter bases with the 4x4x10' beams, sandwiching 24" pieces between them as pictured. Attach both the 4x4x10' pieces and the 4x4x24" pieces with 6" nails.
Build three more levels on top of the 4x4x10' beams to complete the planters (each planter should be a total of 7 courses high). Use the same rotation method from Step 3, using 6" nails for the connections.
Using the 2 ½" screws, attach the 2x4x31" pieces to the 10' beams, leaving even-spaced gaps (about ¼") between the pieces and between the end pieces and the planters.
Sand all rough edges and place the bench its final location.
Fill the first ¾ of each planter box with dirt, rocks, or other fill material. Fill the remainder of each box with potting soil and add plants.
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An outdoor classroom is a great way of encouraging schools and other organizations to take advantage of their outdoor playspace and turn the entire area into a learning environment.
Adults and children appreciate having plenty of seating areas in and near their playspace. Picnic tables provide seating, which encourages supervision when placed near a playground. Also, picnic tables provide opportunities for groups of people (families, friends, community members) to socialize and enjoy one another’s company.
Recycling bins and trash containers help you maintain the playspace by providing places for community members to properly dispose of waste. Bins can be placed inside these containers, making for a much more attractive receptacle. The availability of recycling units can also increase the consideration of the environment and empowers playspace users to put green ideas into practice.