A great outdoor space doesn’t happen by accident - it comes from smart planning that makes play flow naturally and keeps daily setup stress-free for staff too. The good news? You don’t need to come with blueprints or tech skills… that’s where we support!
Here’s how we approach turning outdoor areas into environments that are safer, cleverer, and genuinely more fun to use - every single day.
The site survey: the starting point
Those conversations matter just as much as the measuring tape.
This is the stage we lead from start to finish. A site survey isn’t just about noting down measurements - it’s where we get to grips with how the space is used in real life.
We’re checking practical bits like ground type, natural walkways, drainage, boundaries and access routes, but just as importantly, it’s where we listen. What’s tricky about outdoor time right now? What do the kids always gravitate to first? Which areas are hard for staff to supervise? And what’s missing that could bring more opportunities into the day?
Designing zones that make sense for daily play
Once we’ve surveyed the area, we start shaping clear play zones - not random sections, but areas with intention.
A movement zone might sit where children can flow freely without blocking high-traffic routes. Messy play finds its home where the space can handle water, mud, mixing and pouring without turning into a slip hazard. Imaginative play zones often come alive when placed with structure around them, giving children a clear context for storytelling and role play. And the calmer areas? Those land in spots where the atmosphere naturally shifts, giving children and teams a breather when needed.
The end goal isn’t perfection, it’s balance - a space that feels good to use every single day, for everyone involved.
Turning survey insights into a CAD layout
After the survey, Millhouse translate everything into a CAD layout that shows how the space could work in real life. This is where the planning really clicks, because you can actually see supervision sight-lines, equipment spacing, storage planning, and pathways forming before anything moves outside.
CAD doesn’t need to look dramatic or complex - its power is in showing the real flow.
Choosing equipment that works across play types
A well-planned outdoor space isn’t about filling every corner. It’s about putting in equipment that children engage with over and over, and that supports different types of play without disrupting the layout.
Some of the pieces we regularly build zones around include things like:
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Raised play structures like dens or platforms - giving children perspective, imaginative potential and natural grouping spaces
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Water walls and interactive panels - ideal for cause-and-effect play, teamwork and sensory exploration
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Crawl-through pathways like tunnels - supporting spatial awareness and movement confidence while linking zones together
When it comes to mud kitchens, there isn’t one “perfect model” because every setting needs something a bit different. What matters is choosing options that complement each other, fit your zones, and are easy to set up, clear, move around and maintain.
We help you visualise the best combinations, so nothing ends up feeling like an afterthought.
Summary
Outdoor updates don’t always happen all at once, and that’s completely fine. A phased approach actually works better when it’s planned early - it means future additions land naturally, without suddenly creating storage battles or confusing the layout for children or staff. The key to phasing is that it should look intentional from the start - as if the space was always designed to grow at its own pace. Phasing should feel like progression, not disruption.
We don’t disappear once the CAD layout is signed off either. We stay stuck in, helping you think through delivery timing, installation order, safety spacing and the long-game stuff like maintenance and storage. Because the best outdoor areas are the ones that still feel effortless six months later, not just on the day they go in.
Outdoor planning should feel exciting, not complicated. We handle the surveying, the layouts, the spacing, the logic - you tell us the dream and we build the plan.