Our Mission
To build safe, accessible playgrounds and bright futures for children
About the LSU Community Playground Project
The LSU Community Playground Project has partnered with local and surrounding parish public school systems since 1998 to bring safe, fun, accessible playgrounds to the schools.
Students in a first-year, biological engineering design class are assigned to specific public schools and are tasked with working with the school's community to create a playground that reflects the unique soul and spirit of that school community. LSU students take the dream playground concepts created primarily by the true experts at play, the children at the school, as well as input from teachers, parents, and community members, and turn those ideas into playground designs. These designs are presented to the school community, who make final recommendations. After school and community fundraising is completed, the design is built at the school by volunteers to promote learning and community spirit, and to minimize construction costs.
Together, we have built over 30 playgrounds in Baton Rouge and surrounding parishes. These playgrounds serve approximately 12,000 children every school day. Our focus is public schools because generally, there is no funding for play equipment in public school budgets, and because for many of the children enrolled in the school system, their school playground is the only access they have to play equipment. However, we have branched out to include private schools and community centers as partners.
For more information about the LSU Community Playground Project and what it stands for, see our Importance of Play page.
Students in a first-year, biological engineering design class are assigned to specific public schools and are tasked with working with the school's community to create a playground that reflects the unique soul and spirit of that school community. LSU students take the dream playground concepts created primarily by the true experts at play, the children at the school, as well as input from teachers, parents, and community members, and turn those ideas into playground designs. These designs are presented to the school community, who make final recommendations. After school and community fundraising is completed, the design is built at the school by volunteers to promote learning and community spirit, and to minimize construction costs.
Together, we have built over 30 playgrounds in Baton Rouge and surrounding parishes. These playgrounds serve approximately 12,000 children every school day. Our focus is public schools because generally, there is no funding for play equipment in public school budgets, and because for many of the children enrolled in the school system, their school playground is the only access they have to play equipment. However, we have branched out to include private schools and community centers as partners.
For more information about the LSU Community Playground Project and what it stands for, see our Importance of Play page.