From January 2026, playgrounds in newly tendered Build-To-Order (BTO) developments, as well as new HDB parks, will introduce more engaging and diverse play experiences for children. Guided by the new Play Values Framework, the new HDB playgrounds will be specifically designed to encourage physical, social, and creative play, to actively support the holistic development of children across different age groups.

Evolution of HDB Playground Designs

2 Playgrounds are an integral part of HDB estates, serving as shared social spaces that bring families and communities together. Over the decades, HDB playgrounds have undergone significant evolution in design, form, and function. What began in the 1960s as simple slides, swings, and see-saws, later evolved into creative designs during the 1970s and 1980s, with playgrounds shaped like iconic dragons, animals, and fruits.

In the 1960s, playgrounds mainly comprised simple play equipment such as swings and see-saws.

3 By the 1990s, playgrounds evolved into integrated structures that combined multiple play elements such as slides, bridges, climbing structures, and play panels, which catered to different age groups and encouraged greater interaction among children and their families. In the 2000s, HDB introduced 3G Playgrounds with co-located play and fitness areas, enabling families to enjoy recreational time spent together.

Playgrounds in the 1990s combined multiple play elements, catering to children of different ages.

4 Since 2015, new housing projects featured thematic playgrounds which incorporate elements of the area’s heritage and history, to help strengthen the overall town identity as well as encourage imaginative play and exploration. HDB also launched the Build-a-Playground initiative, inviting residents to co-create play spaces in Canberra, Toa Payoh, Woodlands, and Pasir Ris, deepening residents’ sense of belonging.

Inspired by Tengah’s agricultural past, the pineapple-themed playground at Plantation Farmway recalls the area’s former fruit plantations, villages, and farms.

Play Values Framework

5 Starting from January 2026, HDB will introduce a new Play Values Framework to guide the design of HDB playgrounds. Shaped with input from different stakeholders such as parents, early childhood and health professionals, as well as playground specialists, the Play Values Framework adopts an evidence-based and comprehensive approach to enhance the play experience for children, while addressing their developmental needs.

6 The framework emphasises three key aspects of play – physical, social, and creative – each with its own comprehensive set of elements to create fun and engaging playgrounds, while balancing considerations such as safety, age-appropriateness, and space availability. An overview of the three key aspects is as follows:

Key Aspects of Play	Play Values	Benefits
Physical	Swinging Spinning Bouncing Sliding Climbing Balancing Hanging Rocking Crawling	Physical play forms the foundation of playground design, and includes a variety of elements such as swings, slides, climbing walls, and crawl spaces. These enhance children’s motor skills (e.g. coordination, dexterity, strength) and provide vestibular input to improve sense of balance whilst encouraging them to stay longer at the playground.
Social	Solo Buddy Group	Social play is facilitated through a range of interaction opportunities. Solo play (e.g. trampoline, rocker) allows for individual exploration and self-discovery, while buddy (e.g. see saw) and group play (e.g. climbing nets, merry-go-round) foster collaboration, teamwork, and social skills development.
Creative	Cognitive Tactile Imaginative	Creative play focuses on tactile, imaginative, and cognitive elements (e.g. play panels) that encourage exploration and experimentation, strengthen problem solving abilities, and enhance sensory development.

7 Under this framework, playground equipment can take diverse forms beyond conventional designs, to offer varied experiences and challenges. For example, swings can range from traditional swings to log and bird nest varieties, while spinning play can include merry-go-rounds, spinners, spinner bowls, and other creative alternatives.

8 HDB’s Director (Landscape), Mr Leonard Cai said, "HDB strives to create playgrounds that are vibrant, fun, and safe for our young residents. To ensure our playgrounds continue to meet changing needs and play patterns, we engaged different stakeholders to develop the new Play Values Framework. This framework will ensure that our playgrounds offer a wider range of play features to support children’s holistic development, enhancing play experiences to spark children’s imagination and create joyful childhood memories.”

Tailoring Play Experiences for Different Age Groups

9 The framework guides age-appropriate playground designs to provide suitable input for different developmental stages. In addition to physical play options, playgrounds for younger children aged 2 to 5 will prioritise creative and imaginative play, which is crucial for their development. This could include thematic designs with open-ended play features such as nature-inspired shapes, mounds and bright floor patterns. Sand pits can also be introduced in suitable park locations for sensory development.

10 For older children aged 5 to 12, greater emphasis will be placed on physical and group play. All playgrounds will offer elements that develop fundamental movement skills like climbing and balancing, alongside a mix of other physical activities such as swinging, spinning, and bouncing. These elements balance adventure with safety to provide age-appropriate challenges. Larger park playgrounds can also accommodate additional equipment such as merry-go-rounds and spinners where space permits.

11 The Play Values Framework will also be extended to Town Councils, who maintain and facilitate cyclical playground upgrades in HDB estates, so playgrounds in existing precincts and parks can also provide more varied and engaging play.

Playground Design at Mount Pleasant Crest

12 The Play Values Framework was piloted at Mount Pleasant Crest, a BTO project launched in October 2025. Drawing on Mount Pleasant’s heritage as the site of Singapore’s first police academy, HDB worked with consultants to create playgrounds that foster imaginative play and exploration while incorporating the site’s identity.

13 To encourage children to explore imaginative role-playing scenarios, the main playground structure for younger children will be shaped like a police car, a nod to the site’s heritage, and will be accompanied by other traffic-themed components such as road marking patterns. The playground will also feature a climbing structure, a slide, spinner bowl and trampoline where younger children can develop their motor skills, as well as play panels that encourage thinking skills. These elements have also been designed to be social; they can be enjoyed individually, with a friend through shared adventures, or in larger groups for more complex play scenarios.

At Mount Pleasant Crest, traffic-themed components such as a police car-shaped play structure and road marking patterns, provide opportunities for younger children to explore imaginative role-play.

14 The playground for older children places greater emphasis on group and physical play. To build strength and confidence, it will offer a range of physical activities of different challenge levels. Two large structures, connected by a raised net bridge, will encourage children to climb and crawl as they move between different areas, while a curved tube slide provides an exciting way down. The playground will also feature a trampoline and hammock swing to help children develop balance and coordination through bouncing and swinging, while hanging equipment builds arm strength. Additionally, balancing beams and small mounds on the ground create fun obstacles that improve spatial orientation and coordination.

The playground for older children will offer a range of physical activities for different challenge levels.

15 Together, these playgrounds demonstrate how the framework will create more fun and developmentally rich play experiences for children of all ages. HDB residents can look forward to having more playgrounds that help promote imaginative play and support the holistic development of children.

New HDB Playgrounds to Enhance Children’s Play Experiences and Support Holistic Development