Hexo: A Play Element That Children Co‑create

31. august 2026

Environment

The HEXO play element was initiated by the Karel Komárek Family Foundation (KKFF), where we have long sought to change the way people think about using school gardens. We help restore school gardens so that they can fully serve the development of preschool children and support their physical and mental health. The HEXO play element gives children the opportunity to change the form of the play space according to their own imagination. Through its variability, the element supports natural movement, creativity, independent decision making, and cooperation. HEXO will also be presented at Designblok 2026, where visitors will be able to learn about its principle and the opportunities it offers children.

The Foundation approached design students from several Czech universities and, in cooperation with SKULL studio, organised a series of workshops focused on designing a play element for preschool gardens. The aim was to introduce the young generation of designers to the topic, show its complexity, and give participants experience of the real process of developing a play element.

Good Design Begins with Understanding

Experts from different fields took part in the workshops, including; a designer, a certifier, teachers, and project implementers. Students were therefore able to learn about the full process of creating a play element, starting with understanding the needs of children and teachers, continuing with the principles of high‑quality play, as well as the technical, safety, and certification requirements. An important part of the process was finding a balance between creativity, functionality, safety, and the possibilities of real production.

Based on the information and experience they had gained; the students were asked to design an innovative play element for preschool gardens that would be based on the needs of children and teachers, while offering new opportunities for play and discovery. Another aim of the workshops was to introduce young designers to one of the topics the Foundation strives for.

„Children do not need just another play element. Above all, they need opportunities for movement, discovery, and shared play. HEXO is interesting because it does not offer one predetermined use. It gives children space to actively shape the form of play according to their imagination, current needs, and age. This openness and variability support: motor development, creativity, independence, communication, and cooperation among children. I appreciate that the design was created through dialogue between designers, teachers, and other experts, and that it therefore reflects the needs of children as well as the kindergarten environment.“

Tomáš Perič

Sports Educator

„When professionally guiding the creation of the play element, I made sure that we gave the students a multidisciplinary and broader perspective on the children’s playground. I planned and structured the workshops to guide students through the complexity of disciplines, not only design, but also teaching practice and physical education. The greatest challenge for the participants was to deal with safety standards while not compromising on aesthetic quality.“

Matěj Hájek

Co‑founder of SKULL Studio

„In my view, the Hexo project was an example of professionally managed cooperation that succeeded in sparking students’ interest in the field of playground safety. I am pleased that our company, TÜV SÜD Czech, was able to provide expert support for this inspiring project.“

František Šoltys

Certification Expert

The Winning Design: HEXO ‑ When Children Create Their Own Play

The winning design was the HEXO play element, created by Martin Bielik and Tereza Sedláčková from Tomas Bata University in Zlín. Their design works with the principle of variability and open‑ended play. The individual parts of the element allow children to actively co‑create the play environment according to their current needs, imagination, and way of playing. Children are therefore not only users of a finished play element, but can also take part in shaping the space in which they play.

This variability is one of the main values of HEXO. The element offers space for both individual and group play and supports creativity, cooperation, communication, and independent discovery. Its open character also allows the way it is used to change naturally according to the children’s age and the specific situation.

How the Design Becomes Reality

The design phase was followed by prototyping and further development of the element in cooperation with Egoé. Students thus gained another unique opportunity to take part in the real development of a new product with an experienced team of engineers and other experts. During this phase, they jointly looked for the most suitable material, structural, and technical solution that would respect the original design vision, while meeting requirements for safety, durability, and real production.

The HEXO project therefore brings not only a new play element for preschool gardens, but also shows what successful cooperation between a foundation, students, designers, experts, and a manufacturer can look like. It confirms that involving young designers in a real development process can bring new perspectives and innovative solutions, while also giving them valuable experience of turning a design into a concrete, functional, and feasible product.

„Our original idea was to create a basic structure that could be connected using ropes or poles. We gradually developed it, refined the construction, and looked for a suitable material so that the final result would also meet the requirements of standards approval.“

Tereza Sedláčková

Co‑author of the winning play element

„For me, working on the play element was a step forward in every respect. The design was only the beginning. Once I started looking into standards, construction methods, and material selection, I began to see the whole topic much more broadly.“

Martin Bielik

Co‑author of the winning play element

Technical Description of the HEXO Play Element

Materials

Steel · acacia wood · recycled EPDM granulate with anti‑slip surface

Basic Module

Hexagon, side length 210 mm

Height Variants

S – 600 mm · M – 750 mm · L – 1,000 mm

Safety Standard

ČSN EN 1176 · requirements for playground equipment and surfaces

Variable System

The individual hexagonal modules can be combined with one another to create different spatial play configurations. Thanks to the variable arrangement, the way the element is used can change according to the children’s age, abilities, and the specific situation.

Mobile Ropes

The playset can also include mobile ropes, which expand the possibilities of play and allow children to further transform the structure. The ropes are not a fixed part of the structure and are intended to be used under the supervision of a responsible person.