Whether you are refreshing an existing site or brainstorming a new playground site, playground planners and architects are looking at the activity known as bouldering; scrambling and climbing options that mimic actual mountain-climbing but doesn’t require ropes and protective gear. LuckyDog Recreation offers you, our valued customer many bouldering possibilities, one of which is bound to excite and delight the community you serve.

From easy for beginners to technically challenging for experienced climbers, bouldering is perfect for a wide range of users in a public setting. Protective gear like ropes and helmets - for example, are not required. A bouldering challenge is the perfect addition to your playground offerings at schools, regional and state parks, city parks, and housing developments like single family subdivisions and multifamily apartment complexes.

ID Sculptures – With every project LuckyDog does with ID Sculptures, our philosophy matches: “. . . kids thrive when they feel an authentic sense of adventure and can safely explore their limits”. ID Sculptures has the ability to create unique and custom structures, they have become a playground designer's and landscape architect's dream come true.

LuckyDog is proud to represent ID Sculptures in Idaho and Wyoming and through our Playcraft Partners in Utah. Learn more with LuckyDog, check out our On-Demand Webinar from ID Sculptures: Breaking the Mold

ID Sculptures Gallery

Everlast Climbing – Everlast has been popularizing climbing experiences for young people for over 30 years. You can choose from indoor and outdoor climbing walls that attach directly to your building wall, so if you are short on space, with Everlast, lack of real estate for an awesome climbing experience is a non-issue.

There are tons of support and several awesome pre-recorded Webinars about getting started with Everlast. Start here. WATCH TRAVERSE WALL RECORDED WEBINAR HERE: Everlast Climbing

Need help funding your indoor/outdoor climbing wall? Check out this easy Funding Support Guide compliments of Everlast Climbing. FUNDING SUPPORT: Everlast Climbing

TrekFit – If you follow LuckyDog’s monthly newsletters, then you probably know that Trekfit is our newest partner in the line-up of equipment we are proud to offer.

TrekFit is best known for their outdoor fitness equipment. Did you know they have awesome climbing boulders too? The Urban Boulder™ collection features both positive and negative inclinations making the difficulty levels vary. Sizes also vary to meet expanding and contracting budgets.

Check out this line up of climbing/bouldering events:

LuckyDog Recreation is proud to offer this on-demand webinar for Trekfit where you can get an overall view of all their offerings and especially the unique manufacturing process of their boulders. Click here and enjoy

Call your LuckyDog Creative Play Designer today: 800-388-2196

When planning the location for your new playground, shade should be a primary component of the planning process, not an afterthought. In the high desert west of Idaho, Utah and Wyoming we often forget that we have extremes of cold and hot for several weeks each year.

Being in direct sunlight can make the air feel 10-15 degrees warmer than it actually is because of the sun's rays touching your skin. Incorporating shade from landscaping elements such as trees and shrubs reduces heat from the sun’s rays. Evapotranspiration (the process by which a plant actively moves and releases water vapor) from trees can reduce surrounding air temperatures as much as 6° F.

Consider natural shade that can be provided by trees. Never be in too big a hurry to yank out an existing tree. Even if it has to be incorporated into the play area, LuckyDog’s play designers can help you keep that natural element to help shade south-facing play equipment that would otherwise be unusable on a really hot day or later in the afternoon.

Existing buildings can also provide great shade. In the planning process, consider that you don’t allow the eave overhang of a building to extend into the “use zone” of a playground. Also, consider whether or not water runoff from a building will cause excess water to puddle into a playground pit. Other than that, a building that can provide shade to a playground on the hottest part of the day is a cost-effective win.

If you don’t have trees or a building, LuckyDog’s shade experts can help you craft and create summer shade to help playground surfaces stay cool on hot summer days.

Check out these LuckyDog tips:

• Create shaded play spaces under taller decks or in and around equipment pieces like clubhouses. The space created under a tall deck is often void of equipment, but a good designer can help you maximize these areas. A taller piece of equipment can be strategically placed to provide shade to a picnic table or buddy bench so kids can be out of the sun and still engage with friends.
• If you’ve built your playground but need a budget-friendly addition, a shade umbrella is perfect. With a single post design this shade option is simple to install, and at 15-16’ across it can cast a large shadow over a big play area. Use these to shade the bottoms of slides or smaller freestanding pieces, carefully positioning to maximize the angles at key times of the day.
• If you’re just getting started on your new playground design, ask for the inclusion of shade sails or large roofs attached to your play structure. Incorporating shade into your design from the start will make your project usable through the whole outdoor season and save you from having to come back and add shade later.
• As a playground planner or fundraiser, you may have to “sell” the idea of shade on a grant application, to your City Council, or other Board members that has a say in whether or not your playground will be shaded. Knowing and being able to articulate the primary reason for adding shade requires you to be educated and to educate. Download a guide for the prevention of cancer from the Surgeon General: Cancer Prevention 
• Download a report from a task force for the prevention of skin cancer targeting children’s parents and caregivers: Parents and Caregivers.pdf  
• Take advantage of the American Academy of Dermatology's (AAD) Shade Structure Program - that awards funds to schools, day-cares, parks, and other non-profit organizations for installing shade structures where children learn and play. Each shade structure award is a maximum of $8,000, which includes the cost for shade structure materials and installation. Learn more

Let us know you are ready to talk about adding shade to your play space!

Have questions? Reach out to your LuckyDog Play Designer today!

Getting the playground you want at the price you deserve just got easier. Fundraising and grants are great ways to garner interest and funds for your upcoming playground project. But did you know you can also earn big money off your playground directly from the manufacturer?

Remember, these cooperatives (Co-Ops) are not simply a discount; they are nationally recognized purchasing contracts. Playcraft Systems offers a variety of savings through national purchasing contracts, and you can shop for the one that best fits your needs and situation. So what are the benefits? How do they work? Who can apply? Read on for more “big buck” savings.

Purchasing Contract Benefits

• Satisfy bidding requirements while skipping the burden of bidding requirements
• It’s quick and economical to use a purchasing contract and you don’t sacrifice quality. The equipment and service you receive are not watered down to give you a “better deal”
• Purchasing Co-Ops are not a ‘fake’ grants. Don’t fall for the inflating of the MSRP in order to discount it later to make it look like the customer is getting a “good deal”. Trust reputable contractors like LuckyDog Recreation. Call us today!

How Purchasing Cooperative Work

Allowable purchases include playground equipment, surfacing, and in some cases, the site work like concrete borders can be added to the scope of work. The only requirement is that purchaser be registered with the national purchasing agency by visiting their website and filling out a simple application.

Who Can Apply

· Education – K-12, Charter Schools, Private Schools Colleges, and Special Education n Districts

· Non-Profits - like churches, nursing homes and other charitable organizations

· Government – City, County, State Agencies, Park and Water Districts, etc.n

LuckyDog Purchasing Co-Ops

Here is a listing of the purchasing cooperatives through LuckyDog Recreation in Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming. And, if you have any questions at all reach out to us at 1-800-388-2196. We are here to help.

NASPO – ValuePoint supplier Partner (UT)

The state of Utah Purchasing Division awarded Playground Systems with the NASPO State Purchasing Contract to include playground equipment, fitness equipment, site furnishings, fabric shade, hardscape shade and many, many other outdoor sit amenities and furnishings. Work with LuckyDog to get the highest quality and get discounts on your next project. Because LuckyDog Recreation is a turn-key company, you can use your NASPO discount on your equipment and on installation. Now that’s value!

OMNIA Partners – Playcraft Systems

LuckyDog Recreation has helped dozens of playground owners acquire their equipment, surfacing, site work; the whole kit-n-caboodle using a purchasing Co-Op called Omnia Partners.

For Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming (Region 4 Education Service Center) our premier playground vendor, Playcraft Systems has been awarded the competitively solicited and publicly awarded contract to save you time and get you a HUGE discount on all your outdoor park or playground purchases with LuckyDog.

• Includes other Co-Ops you may have used in the past: US Communities and National IPA
• Visit Website to sign up.
• Contract Number R170304

AEPA – Association of Educational Purchasing Agencies - Playcraft Systems (WY)

• Visit website to apply.
• Contract Number – Call LuckyDog Recreation for details

PPA – Public Procurement Authority - Playcraft Systems

• Visit website to apply.
• Contract Number – Call LuckyDog Recreation for details

GSA – Playcraft Systems

• Visit website to apply.
• Contract Number GS-03F-0076U

Ready to get started? Request a catalog here.