6 Sun Shades for Playgrounds to Maximize Outdoor Play

It's a bright, sunny day, and the children are primed and ready to play outside. Unfortunately, the sun's harmful UV rays beating down can force adults to coop them up inside. 

Kids don’t have to miss out on vital outside playtime for their physical and mental development! Beat the heat and keep them safe by installing sun shades for playgrounds. 

Crafted with cutting-edge engineering, these shade structures don’t only provide comfortable outdoor spaces. They also offer sun protection and enhance other playground equipment, making them a valuable long-term investment.

Here are six creative ideas, along with their differences and benefits.

6 Innovative Shade Covering Ideas

Playground shade structures come in a wide range of styles. From basic shade canopies to custom patio covers, there’s a shade covering for every need and budget. This guide will help you determine which are best for different outdoor areas.

1. Umbrella Shades

Umbrella shades are a classic and cost-effective option for smaller play areas. They’re a versatile option that work well for shading pool areas, outdoor seating areas, preschool playground sites as well as many other types of spaces.These fabric canopies are frequently seen covering individual play areas and picnic tables. With just a single, center post, they only require one concrete footer, which makes installation pricing far more affordable as well, an added bonus! We typically will design two to three umbrellas in a preschool play space to disperse the shade around high traffic areas and help effectively shade different areas of the site. 

2. Shade Sails

For irregularly shaped spaces, playground shade sails are usually better than umbrella shades. They create a larger shaded area and can be customized to provide effective coverage. Shade sails have no central support pole and are only anchored by tensioned cables, creating a sleek, modern look. We are finding that these sail shades are becoming more and more popular out in California and Arizona, with many of our parks and rec clients including these in their playground designs. Sail shades also allow for some flexibility at the time of installation, which can help in case there needs to be a minor adjustment to the post layout during construction. This allows us some wiggle room if there were to be issues with existing utilities below, or site obstacles that must be accounted for on the fly. 

We love the look of a 4 post hypar rectangular sail shade over a play structure, its a fantastic modern design approach that looks better aesthetically than a standard hip shade. 

3. Playground Shape Toppers

Playground shade toppers provide excellent shade coverage while adding a fun design element to play areas. This type of fabric shade is also suitable for outdoor recreational areas and public parks. 

At Zoom Recreation, our modular shade toppers feature an array of shapes, including square, rectangle, hexagon, quad sail, and pinwheel designs. We can go as big as a 20 foot by 20 foot modular shade on certain play structures, which allows for as much shade as some freestanding shade options! 

4. Cantilever Shades

Cantilever shades have become go-to commercial shade structures in recent years—and it's easy to see why. They offer unobstructed views and only require a quick and easy installation process. 

The support posts are built on one side of the structure and overhang, ideal for playgrounds as well ascar parking and pool areas. These are great for shading one section of a pool space for a hotel or resort, as well as shading a dog park for owners to sit and relax while their dogs roam. 

5. Rectangle Hip Shades

Rectangular hip shades are affordable and dole out plenty of shade coverage from multiple angles. The four sloping sides meet at the top of the structure, providing better airflow and ventilation. 

To cover an even wider area, you can combine multiple rectangle canopies to form a multi-dome hip shade.

These are the most common shade structures we find over playground spaces, as they typically provide the most shade for the best price. 

6. Custom Sun Shades

Didn't find what you need? A custom playground shade is a one-of-a-kind and tailored solution to your specific requirements. It allows you to customize shapes, sizes, and colors to match existing architecture or branding. 

If you want something unique and remarkable, go with Zoom Recreation's custom sun shades for playgrounds. Our signature designs, like the stunning Halo Disc Shade and Flower Shade, are sure to add an eye-catching element to your play area.

Create A Space Children Will Love

Whether you want to renovate an existing commercial playground, build a new one, or improve your outdoor living space, we can help. 

Don't let the heat ruin the playground fun. Let kids soak up the sun—safely and securely—with Zoom Recreation’s shade covers. Contact us to learn more.