Helping Infant Development and Toddlers Grow Through Outdoor Play
How the Swiss Chalet Infant Play Set from Nature of Early Play Supports Development, Strengthens Your Program, and Gives Families a Reason to Choose You
If you run a daycare, preschool, Head Start program, or early learning center, you already know that parents pay close attention to your outdoor play area. It’s one of the first things they notice on a tour, and it shapes their impression of your program. A well-designed playground tells families that you take children’s physical activity, safety, and daily experience seriously—and the right commercial playground equipment creates a safe, durable play space that reflects that commitment.
Research confirms what most directors already sense. A 2016 cross-cultural study found that parents specifically look for outdoor environments that are both structured and engaging when evaluating childcare programs (Jayasuriya et al., 2016). An IPEMA-commissioned survey of 1,000 U.S. parents found that 80% believe children prefer outdoor play to indoor alternatives—making your outdoor space a deciding factor for many families (IPEMA/Little Tikes Commercial, 2017–2025). Early childhood development begins at birth, and the foundation set during those early years is critical for lifelong learning and well-being.
But a good playground isn’t just about curb appeal. For teachers and caregivers, the right equipment gives children real opportunities to practice physical coordination, work on social skills, and build the kind of focus that carries into the classroom. Play is one of the seven emotional systems of the human brain—as fundamental as happiness, fear, and love. Studies consistently show that children who get regular, quality outdoor play time are more attentive, less restless, and better at self-regulation during structured activities (NAEYC, 2019; UMKC School of Education). A 2024 study found positive connections between outdoor play and preschool readiness across cognitive, social, and emotional measures (Zhu et al., 2024), and research on playground use in early childhood settings shows that active outdoor play can account for up to 40% of daily physical activity while also encouraging cooperative behavior (Schipperijn et al., 2024).
Children develop at a remarkable rate during preschool and kindergarten, which makes sensory play and physical activity critical to their growth. That’s why the equipment you choose matters so much—particularly for the youngest age groups, where every interaction shapes how children learn about their bodies and movements.
The Swiss Chalet Infant Play Set from Nature of Early Play is commercial playground equipment designed specifically for children in the 6–23 month age range. As preschool playground equipment built for these early years, it prioritizes both safety and developmental appropriateness. It’s a ground-level, ADA-accessible structure that fits 20–25 children in a compact 188 × 138 × 98-inch footprint (22’ × 17’ safety zone). The structure is made from 85% recycled materials, including 9,166 recycled milk jugs per unit. It meets IPEMA, CPSC, ASTM F2373, and CSA safety standards. Colors, accents, and panels are all customizable.
A responsive environment matters just as much as responsive caregiving. Primary caregivers who consistently meet a child’s needs help toddlers build trust, establish a sense of self, and become confident explorers. Preschool playgrounds and preschool play environments that support early childhood development reinforce that same trust outdoors—giving children safe spaces to reach important developmental milestones. Research shows that early intervention makes a measurable difference: 1 in 3 infants and toddlers who received early intervention services did not later present with a disability or require special education in preschool.
Below, we’ll walk through each of the play set’s main features—the Shade Roof, Slides, Climbing Stairs, Climbing Ramp, Gear Panel, Nature Image Panel, and Peekaboo Panel—and explain how each one supports physical, social, and cognitive development for the youngest children in your care.
Ready to enhance your program and support infant development? Contact us today to request a quote for customized commercial playground equipment.
The Casa Grande Shade Roof: Safe, Extended Outdoor Time
The Casa Grande Roof provides overhead shade, which makes the play area usable even during the hottest parts of the day. This matters especially for infants and toddlers. Their skin is more sensitive to UV exposure, and their bodies don’t regulate heat as well as older children’s. CDC and AAP guidelines recommend that children under 2 avoid direct midday sun. A built-in shade structure can reduce UV exposure by up to 90% and keeps play surfaces cool enough to touch safely (AAP & CDC sun safety guidelines).
From a physical development standpoint, more time outdoors means more time for crawling, pulling up, and early walking—without having to cut play short because of sun exposure. Research indicates that shaded playgrounds lead to 20–30% longer play sessions and increased moderate-to-vigorous activity, which supports cardiovascular health, bone development, and motor skills in this age range (Corcoran et al., shade studies).
Socially, a shaded space naturally brings small groups of crawlers and early walkers together. Under a caregiver’s watch, children begin to notice each other—pointing at things overhead, reaching for the same toy—which is the beginning of shared attention and turn-taking.
There’s an emotional benefit too. Consistent access to fresh air and natural light supports healthy sleep patterns and reduces stress. A 2024 review of outdoor environments in early childhood settings found that comfortable outdoor spaces were associated with lower stress indicators and higher emotional well-being (Schipperijn et al., 2024). For teachers, fewer weather-related interruptions mean smoother daily schedules and more opportunities to bring sensory experiences into the routine.
The roof comes in ten color palettes (Cardinal, Nature Rocks, Spring, and others), so you can coordinate it with your facility’s look. These palettes use bright colors to make the play area visually stimulating and inviting for young children, supporting cognitive and creative play.
Safety is always a priority with toddler play areas, since young children can be unsteady and fall easily. The play set’s ground-level design and low profile help minimize fall risks—an important consideration for any preschool playground where children are still building balance and coordination.
Infant Slides: Balance, Body Awareness, and Early Confidence
The low-profile New Infant Slide (available with an optional hood for added security) is toddler playground equipment designed to reduce the risk of injury while still giving young children a meaningful physical challenge. Sliding activates the vestibular system—the inner-ear mechanism that governs balance and spatial orientation—which is foundational for later motor skills (Bento & Dias, 2017).
Physically, repeated use of the slide helps strengthen core muscles, improve proprioception (the sense of where your body is in space), and refine coordination as children learn to position themselves, push off, and land. Research on playground-based movement confirms that even short sliding sessions help infants reach balance and coordination milestones (Pawlowski et al., 2023).
Slides also create natural moments for social learning. Caregivers can model turn-taking (“Your turn, then mine!”), and toddlers often end up laughing together at the bottom of the slide, which builds early peer connections and eases separation anxiety over time.
On the emotional and cognitive side, the gentle speed and predictable outcome help children build confidence. The slide offers a small, manageable challenge—what researchers describe as an opportunity for risk assessment in a controlled setting, which is an early building block for decision-making skills. Studies on active play note that vestibular input from sliding has a calming effect on the nervous system (Miracle Recreation & Genius of Play). Teachers often report that children come back inside calmer and more ready to focus after slide play.
Climbing Stairs (Cheesy Stairway): Strength, Coordination, and Independence
The textured, infant-scaled Cheesy Stairway has a playful “cheese-hole” surface that gives small hands and feet a good grip. For children 6–23 months, stair climbing is one of the most effective gross-motor activities—it builds leg strength, hip stability, and the ability to coordinate both sides of the body at once. It also promotes overall physical development and outdoor cardio exercise for infants and toddlers.
Physically, each step works the quadriceps, glutes, and calves while also improving balance and depth perception. Motor development research links early stair navigation to earlier achievement of independent walking and running (Pawlowski et al., 2023).
Socially, the stairway becomes a shared space where older infants model for younger ones. Caregivers can narrate the action (“Up we go—hold the rail!”), which supports both language development and social awareness. Small groups naturally form, and children begin to learn patience and empathy (“Wait for your friend”).
Climbing also requires planning, problem-solving, and persistence—all core cognitive skills. Emotionally, reaching the top of the stairs gives a child a real sense of accomplishment. NAEYC resources on age-appropriate challenge emphasize that manageable physical tasks like low stairs help children build resilience and become less fearful in new situations (NAEYC, 2019). Teachers often notice that children who climb successfully outdoors are more willing to try difficult activities inside—like puzzles or art projects—and show improved self-help skills such as climbing into chairs.
Climbing Ramp (Rocky Ramp with Handrails): Accessible, Inclusive Gross-Motor Practice
The Rocky Ramp pairs with the stairs and offers an alternative way up. It has integrated handrails and a textured “rock” surface, with a gentle incline that works well for pre-walkers pulling themselves up or early walkers building confidence.
Physically, ramp climbing develops upper-body strength, grip, and core stability. It also gives children practice with coordinated arm-and-leg movement patterns that are important for developing a mature walking pattern. The varied surface texture provides additional tactile input, which supports body awareness (Pawlowski et al., 2023).
The ramp’s ADA-friendly design means every child can participate, which from an early age models inclusion and cooperation. Caregivers can set up “buddy climbs” that encourage children to help each other.
Cognitively, children working on the ramp are figuring out cause and effect (“If I pull here, I move up”) and spatial reasoning. Emotionally, the supported challenge—handrails, gentle slope, caregiver encouragement—helps reduce frustration and builds confidence. Research on infant motor play connects these kinds of supported physical challenges to improved focus and persistence during classroom activities like snack time or story time (Bento & Dias, 2017).
Gear Panel: Fine-Motor Skills, Cause and Effect, and Cooperative Play
The interactive gear panel (often installed alongside the Chickadee Chime) gives small hands something purposeful to do: spin colorful, interlocking gears. For children transitioning from infancy to toddlerhood, this kind of activity targets fine-motor development and early problem-solving.
Physically, grasping and rotating gears strengthens the pincer grasp, wrist rotation, and hand-eye coordination—skills that transfer directly to feeding, drawing, and self-care tasks.
Cognitively, gears give children immediate cause-and-effect feedback: “I turn this one, and that one moves.” This kind of interaction builds understanding of how things work and supports early scientific thinking. Research on sensory-motor play panels shows measurable gains in object manipulation and problem-solving (Miracle Recreation & Genius of Play).
Socially, panels encourage side-by-side play. One child spins a gear while another watches and imitates, which is an early form of cooperative activity. Teachers can use the panel for guided conversations (“Which color gear is the fastest?”), turning outdoor play into a vocabulary-building opportunity.
Emotionally, the satisfaction of making something happen on their own supports a child’s developing sense of competence. For administrators, the quiet, focused interactions at the gear panel create useful windows for developmental observation and documentation—helpful for Head Start requirements and state quality rating systems.
Nature Image Panel: Visual Development, Language, and a Connection to the Natural World
The weatherproof Nature Image Panels show landscapes, animals, or seasonal scenes, mounted at infant eye level. They turn otherwise idle moments into opportunities for looking, pointing, and talking.
Physically, scanning images and pointing at details develops visual tracking and eye-movement control—skills that lay the groundwork for reading.
Cognitively and linguistically, the panels give caregivers a natural conversation starter: “Look at the butterfly! What color are its wings?” This kind of back-and-forth expands both the words a child understands and the words they begin to use. Research on nature-themed environments shows increased descriptive language and imaginative play in toddlers (UC Davis, Natural Connections study).
Socially, shared pointing and naming create joint attention—moments where a child and caregiver (or two children) focus on the same thing together. These moments are building blocks for communication and peer relationships.
Emotionally, nature imagery has a calming effect. Research on nature-integrated spaces found improvements in self-regulation and empathy—which in practical terms means smoother transitions and fewer behavioral difficulties in the classroom (UC Davis, Natural Connections study).
Peekaboo Panel: Object Permanence, Social Connection, and Emotional Security
The Peekaboo Panel features safe, shatter-resistant windows, flaps, or mirrors that invite the classic hide-and-seek game for the youngest children.
Cognitively, this is directly tied to object permanence—the understanding that people and objects continue to exist when they’re out of sight. This is a major developmental milestone, typically emerging between 8 and 12 months (Piaget’s theory of cognitive development). Repeated “now you see it, now you don’t” play strengthens this understanding, which in turn reduces separation anxiety and supports early symbolic thinking (Richards, 2023).
Socially and emotionally, peekaboo builds a sense of security through the predictable pattern of disappearance and reappearance. It generates shared laughter and turn-taking. Children learn to read and respond to emotional cues (“You hide, I find you!”), which is early practice for empathy and social awareness.
Physically, reaching for flaps, grasping edges, and crawling to peer through openings combines both gross- and fine-motor practice.
Teachers consistently report that children who regularly play peekaboo games adjust more quickly at drop-off and show greater willingness to explore new classroom materials—both signs of emotional readiness for group learning.
Creating a Supportive Play Environment
A supportive play environment gives young children the freedom to explore, learn, and grow in a space designed for their stage of development. When planning a play space, it’s worth considering the specific needs and abilities of the age group you serve. Age-appropriate playground equipment not only keeps children safe but also creates more opportunities for them to build skills at every stage.
Well-chosen play equipment encourages gross motor skills like climbing, crawling, and balancing, while also supporting fine motor skills through activities that involve grasping, turning, and manipulating objects. Sensory skills develop through exposure to different textures, colors, and interactive panels—helping children process and respond to the world around them. These physical experiences lay the groundwork for more complex movements and coordination as children grow.
A thoughtful play space also supports language development and social skills. Children learn new words as they describe what they see and do, and they practice communication and cooperation during group play. Equipment and activities that invite teamwork, sharing, and imaginative play create an environment where children can build friendships and pick up on social cues.
Safety is always a top priority. Making sure playground equipment is age appropriate and regularly maintained helps prevent injuries and gives both children and adults confidence in the space. Features like safety surfacing, clear sightlines, and accessible pathways make the play area welcoming and inclusive for all children, including those with disabilities.
A supportive play environment is more than a collection of equipment—it’s a space where children can test themselves, celebrate what they’ve accomplished, and develop skills they’ll carry forward. By bringing together the right mix of physical, sensory, and social experiences, you help every child reach their developmental milestones in a safe, engaging setting.
Customization and Daily Use
Every Swiss Chalet set can be customized. Choose from multiple color palettes (Primary, Thyme, Winter, and others), swap or add panels, and coordinate with your program’s logo or theme. Select configurations are available for quick shipping, so you can get up and running without a long wait.
The structure fits naturally into daily schedules: morning gross-motor time, small-group sensory play at the panels, quiet time under the shade roof in the afternoon. Observations made during outdoor play feed directly into developmental portfolios and parent conferences.
To further support infant development, consider exploring additional early childhood structures to round out your program’s outdoor environment.
Why It’s Worth Considering
The Swiss Chalet Infant Play Set is a piece of equipment that does more than fill a space on your playground. It gives your youngest children real, age-appropriate opportunities to develop physically, socially, and cognitively—outdoors, where research consistently shows they benefit most. For teachers and caregivers, it creates a structured environment for guided play and developmental observation. For administrators, it’s an investment that families notice and value.
Research links quality outdoor play environments to reduced behavioral challenges, stronger self-regulation, and improved school readiness. Programs with well-designed playgrounds regularly see stronger enrollment and higher parent satisfaction (Sandstrom, 2024; Little Tikes Commercial, 2017–2025).
Nature of Early Play is a woman-owned, family-operated business that manufactures in the USA. To learn more or customize a Swiss Chalet Infant Play Set for your program, visit natureofearlyplay.com or contact the Nature of Early Play team directly.
References
1. Jayasuriya, A., et al. (2016). Parents’ perceptions of preschool activities: exploring outdoor play. Early Child Development and Care. PMC5383214.
2. Bento, G., & Dias, G. (2017). The importance of outdoor play for young children’s healthy development. Porto Biomedical Journal. PMC6806863.
3. Schipperijn, J., et al. (2024). The role of playgrounds in promoting children’s health – a scoping review. BMC Public Health. PMC11232259.
4. National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). (2019). Outdoor Play Is Essential to Children’s Health and Development. naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/may2019/outdoor-play-is-essential.
5. Zhu, W., et al. (2024). Nature and success: Outdoor play is linked to school readiness. Early Childhood Research Quarterly.
6. Pawlowski, C.S., et al. (2023). The role of playgrounds in the development of children’s fundamental movement skills: A scoping review. PLOS ONE. PMC10718446.
7. Richards, M.C. (2023). Peek-A-Boo, I See You! JAMA Pediatrics. PMID:37652183.
8. Corcoran, A., et al. (various shade studies referenced in playground literature). UV reduction and extended play benefits.
9. Little Tikes Commercial & industry reports (2017–2025). Playground influence on parent selection and classroom behavior gains.
10. University of California, Davis. Natural Connections study on nature environments and social-emotional skills.
11. American Academy of Pediatrics & CDC. Sun safety and outdoor play guidelines.
12. UMKC School of Education. The Importance of Outdoor Play and Its Impact on Brain Development.
13. Miracle Recreation & Genius of Play resources on climbing/sliding vestibular and cognitive benefits (supported by motor-development literature).
14. Sandstrom, H. (2024). Parental Search and Selection of Child Care. ACF OPRE literature review.
These peer-reviewed and professional sources support the developmental claims made throughout this article. Full references with links are available upon request for grant or accreditation documentation.
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