It is useful to make a list to help you remember to take into account all the different components and aspects of the grounds that were identified during the people and site surveying process.

Your list can include reminders such as:

Division of space	ways to address the play and social needs of children of different ages; the equitable division of space between grade levels;
Reducing congestion	the need to reduce localized congestion around play equipment by increasing the level of interest in wide-open spaces that are currently little used;
Equipment	ways to distribute play activities over a wider area such as creating a trail of activities to give a greater number of children access to more play opportunities;
Scale	ideas for creating spaces that are more childscale to increase their sense of comfort and security;
Sense of place	ways to create quiet spaces that help develop in children a sense of place and a sense of belonging to a place; ideas for creating places that children can become attached to, observe and learn about on their own (listen to, smell, touch, watch bugs, explore the soil, collect plant debris, find feathers, etc.);
Boredom	ways to relieve boredom by making the grounds more interesting and provide children with a range of play, social and learning opportunities;
Conflict	ensuring that adjacent play or social spaces placed are compatible with one another; considering how new or existing activities affect new or existing planted areas; taking into account the spots where bullying takes place;
Noise	children's requests for quiet spaces; the need to create areas where children can get away from noisy, boisterous play;
Visual appeal	ideas for making the outdoor environment more colourful year round by adding murals, pavement paintings, etc.;
Comfort	ideas for making the school yard more comfortable by creating shade, windbreaks and spaces where children can enjoy some privacy;
Fences	ways to reduce the prison-like aspect of metal fencing by growing vines along it or planting trees and shrubs to screen unsightly views from the schoolyard;
Shade	existing sun and shade patterns throughout the day and how to create shady areas with seating in several locations in the yard for quiet social spaces, outdoor classrooms, and for children who like to watch others at play;
Wildlife	the need to avoid placing wildlife habitat projects next to active sports areas where they can be damaged by stray balls and children running; ways to create habitat for outdoor classroom use in Winter;
Seating	placing seating out of the way of ball games and other activities and making sure that the shape and arrangement of seating is appropriate for what children want to do when sitting singly or in small groups;
Paving	ways to contain soil, sand, wood chips, gravel, pea gravel, etc. in new play spaces and plantings to prevent loose materials from spilling over onto paved areas where they can cause children to slip and fall;
Garbage	how to reduce lunchtime garbage and organize the picking up of litter that blows into the yard;
Vandalism	ways to respond to any vandalism of the projects;
Siblings and friends	creating, where grade levels are segregated in schoolyards, special meeting places for siblings and friends of different ages and abilities to play and socialize together;
Drainage	existing drainage patterns, including problem spots where water and mud collects at different times of the year, or places that do not receive any rainfall such as under overhanging roofs; assessing how rainwater or meltwater flow will be affected by new projects; ways to interrupt the flow of water and direct it towards rather than away from new plantings by forming shallow swales on slopes;
All seasons	ways to use the school grounds in the Winter months and how your greening projects will be both used and protected;
Vegetation	details on existing trees and shrubs, including measurements such as trunk diameter, height and spread and their location; notes on any natural areas or city parks adjacent to the school grounds; observations on the degree of soil erosion and exposed roots around the base of trees;
Gardens	dimensions and shapes of existing raised beds and gardens, the types of plants grown in them;
Soils	details on soil quality and the types of soil found in different locations on your grounds; lists of plants suited to each soil type to help you choose the right plants for the right site;
Gradients	notes on changes in elevations such as slopes, depressions, etc.;
Structures	notes on the measurements and locations of existing buildings, play equipment, doorways, windows, outdoor water valves, steps, canopies, gazebos, shelters, flagpoles, benches, garbage cans, signs, composters, dumpsters, bike racks, fences, driveways, parking spaces, fire hydrants, retaining walls, street lights, hydro and telephone poles, catch basins, underground services and utilities;
Traffic patterns	the routes used by people and vehicles to traverse the grounds; designated and non-designated routes such as sidewalks, driveways and parking spaces, informal pathways and shortcuts; access and turning points for emergency, delivery and maintenance vehicles; school bus stops and drop-off zones;
Current uses	the play and sports areas; busiest and quietest areas during recess; quiet places; little-used featureless spaces; after-hours community use;
Wind	ways to reduce wind in exposed places and areas prone to gusting or swirling and blowing sand;
Views	the views you wish to preserve or enhance and unsightly views you want to screen;
Visibility	the sight lines that need to be maintained from points within the schoolyard and from the street;
Future plans	future school board plans for your grounds such as extensions to the building, renovations, construction work, removal or addition of portable classrooms, etc.;
Snow	notes on places where snow is piled in Winter and turning space allowances for snow removal vehicles.

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