Our Favourite Playground Shelters and Canopies

Come rain or shine, it’s really important that children are able to play outside. After being cooped up in a classroom, children need the opportunity to run around outside, breathe some fresh air and let off some steam. Having somewhere to shelter means that children can still get that valuable outdoor play time if it’s raining, snowing, hailing, or the sun is too hot.

At Landscapes 4 Learning, we can provide a huge range of shelters and canopies to make outdoor play possible even when the weather isn’t on your side. In this article we’ve highlighted some of our favourites to get you inspired!

Stages 

Covered stages are a firm favourite type of playground shelter because they’re so versatile. Essentially a wooden platform with a roof, one of our stages can be used for anything your imagination can think of. They are also great for outdoor performances, assemblies and talent shows, as well as a great place to teach or do presentations from during outdoor lessons. 

We also have a selection of different sizes of sandpit stages. These clever shelters are essentially sandpits with a removable wooden covering, so when they’re not in use as sandpits the sand is covered up and the shelter becomes a stage. This makes them extra versatile, so they can be used for a huge range of activities. 

Hobbit houses 

Hobbit houses are always a hit with children of all ages. These cosy huts can be built in a range of sizes and shapes to suit your playground’s needs. We have our traditional octagonal huts, adult size or mini, which create a beautiful cosy cabin, fully enclosed to keep children protected from the elements. We also have smaller hobbit homes, with roofs covered in artificial grass and circular doors and windows to inspire a whole host of magical adventures. 

All of our hobbit houses are handmade to order, so you can rest assured they will be absolutely perfect for you. 

Nature bird hide 

A nature bird hide is a cosy and fun shelter with lots of little windows and look outs, making it the perfect place for children to look at nature up close without scaring it away! By hiding in the shelter and peeking out of one of the many windows, children can see wildlife in a whole new way. 

These shelters aren’t just for bird watching though. They are great all rounders, with enough space for plenty of fun and games under the cover of a beautiful timber roof. 

Challenge wall

If you’re looking for something to add a whole lot of fun to your playground then the challenge wall is the shelter for you. The inside of it is a little shelter that can be used as a den, but the outside is covered in things for children to play on. 

The climbing walls and climbing rope make for great sensory play, whilst developing motor skills, grip strength, problem solving, coordination and boosting confidence. It’s challenging but above all it’s fun! 

Teepees 

Our wooden teepees are great fun, and couldn’t be simpler. They shelter children from the weather, spark their imaginations, and as they’re placed directly onto the ground with no flooring or platforms they are also wheelchair accessible. The accessibility of our teepees is one of the many things that makes them a great addition to any playground, as it means children of all abilities and capabilities can play together.

Mobile snug playhouse 

One of the great things about a mobile snug playhouse is that they are, as the name suggests, mobile. They’re mounted on wheels which means you can easily push them around to a new location, or even just wheel them out when they’re needed. 

The playhouses themselves are charmingly simple and cosy, making a perfect place for children to settle down for some quiet time or reading practice. Children are drawn to the comfort and feeling of safety that comes with being in a little den like this, and the mobile snug playhouse is always very popular. 

Shepherd’s huts

If you’re looking for something more traditional, one of our shepherd’s huts might be just the thing. They are beautiful little huts with decorative wheels, shutters and window boxes, making the shelter feel cosy and magical and perfect for playing in. 

Our shepherd’s huts are delivered with a lovely wooden finish, but why not paint it yourself to give it your school’s personal stamp? These huts can be decorated as much or as little as you want, safe in the knowledge that children will love it either way. 

Lean to shelters 

Our wooden lean to shelters are custom made to order, so can be built to your exact specifications to fit alongside any building. These lean to shelters attach directly to your building, which means that children can play outside without getting rained on at all in bad weather. 

Our lean to shelters always become a much loved feature of any school, and are also a fraction of the cost of similar metal shelters. 

Outdoor classrooms

An outdoor classroom is an amazing way of expanding your school and making lessons exciting in warmer weather. Taking a class outside brings a whole new energy and focus to classes by putting the children in a new environment. It’s also a great way of making sure everyone gets some fresh air and no one overheats in a stuffy classroom in the summertime. 

We have a huge range of outdoor classrooms of all shapes and sizes, and can build something bespoke to meet your particular needs. 
You can browse our full, extensive range of shelters online at Landscapes 4 Learning. Or for more information about any of our shelters and canopies, or to get a quote for custom builds, don’t hesitate to get in touch.