Playground partners with ZkTeco USA to provide access control hardware that integrates directly with our software. Customers purchase door lock hardware directly through a ZkTeco USA licensed installer (usually Mellintech), who provides a comprehensive quote for installation and hardware costs.
Once door locks are installed, Playground becomes the only app that you need to open, monitor, and control your connected doors. Every unlock, either through someone’s phone, or from a check-in kiosk, runs through Playground, and is logged.
Note: If you are a multi-site or enterprise customer, you will be provided with several ZkTeco licensed installers to choose from. Your onboarding consultant will provide you with more information.
Playground Door Lock Software Features
The two ways to open connected doors through Playground are through the mobile app, or via a tablet in kiosk mode.
Mobile App Unlock
You can unlock a connected door through the Playground mobile app. Navigate to the door access tab. If a door is connected in purple, it is available to unlock, and you can tap to unlock the door.
Kiosk Unlock
Parents can unlock doors through your check-in kiosk, which must be set up on a tablet with the Playground app. This makes it easy to collect attendance and unlock a door.
For an overview of how Playground’s check-in kiosk works, read this article
Parents enter their unique PIN into the check-in kiosk, sign for their child, and the connected door will unlock.
Playground Features by Use Case
When trying to understand what features will work best for you, ask yourself these questions:
How many doors are you connecting to Playground (1, 2, or 2+)
Are the doors internal or external-facing?
External-facing: an exterior entry point, like your main entrance.
Internal: a door inside the building, like the door leading to your classrooms, or lobby
How is this door primarily used?
Are families using the door to enter the building?
Are families checking students in before the door unlocks?
Is this a staff-only entrance?
Use Case | Playground Door Feature | Additional Recommended Features |
External-facing door used by families | Mobile app unlock | Geofencing, access hours, role-based access |
External-facing door used by staff | Mobile app unlock | Geofencing, access hours, role-based access |
Internal door with a check-in Kiosk | Kiosk unlock | None |
Internal door without attendance
Note: This is feature must be toggled on by the Playground team. Contact us if you would like this enabled | Kiosk unlock without logging attendance | None |
🚨 Kiosk unlock isn't a fit for an external-facing door. It requires a tablet stationed at the door, and your tablet lives inside the building.
Additional Software Features
These features are meant to enhance safety and security at your building. By enabling any of these features, you will have more granular control over who has access to connected doors, and who can attempt to unlock them.
Feature | What It Does |
Access hours | Set specific hours and days of the week when staff and families can unlock a door |
Access via roles | Grant door access to specific staff roles |
Geofencing | Require someone to be within a physical radius near the center before they can unlock a door |
Access logs | Review every unlock attempt for each door |
The Door Lock Setup Process
Step | Who's Responsible | What Happens |
1. You see a demo of door lock features | Playground representative | Your sales representative will provide a demo of how our door lock software features work |
2. Intake form | You | You complete an intake form describing your current access control setup, including pictures. |
3. Installer introduction | Playground | We connect you with the MellinTech team (or alternative installers if you are an enterprise/multi-site) |
4. Installation quote | MellinTech | MellinTech provides an installation quote. If they need more information first, for example a site visit, they'll gather it before quoting. |
5. Your decision | You | You review the quote and decide whether door locks make sense for your center. This is the purpose of the quote. Nothing has been billed, and nothing gets scheduled until you move forward. |
6. Install scheduling | You & MellinTech | You work with the MellinTech team to coordinate your install. |
7. Installation | MellinTech | MellinTech completes the installation. |
8. Feature setup | You | Your doors appear automatically in your Integrations tab once installation is complete. From there, you can follow the steps in Set Up Your Door Lock Features to set up your door features.
Note: Mellintech does not configure your Playground product setup |
9. Billing begins | Playground | Your $30/month per location subscription begins on your next invoice after installation. |
Hardware & Pricing
There are several purchases that are required in order to set up connected doors with Playground
Hardware/Purchase | Cost | Who to Purchase From | Notes |
2 Door Controller | $650 | MellinTech/installer | One-time device cost, covers a one- or two-door setup |
Installation + additional hardware (wiring, strike, etc) | Quoted by your installer | MellinTech/installer | Varies based on your center's current setup |
Tablet to run the Playground app | Variable | You must purchase this yourself | If you are planning on connecting doors to your check-in kiosk, you must purchase a tablet yourself that can run the Playground app without issues |
Playground Door Subscription | $30/month | Playground | Automatically added to your next invoice after your access control hardware is installed |
In order to put together an accurate estimate for your specific wiring and hardware, MellinTech gathers as much information as possible, sometimes including a site visit. Your total cost will include the controller, any installation or hardware costs, shipping, handling, and tax.
🚨 The controller, installation labor, and any other hardware must be purchased through MellinTech or a Zk-Teco certified installer.
You can't buy the hardware and arrange your own separate installer that has not been licensed by Zk-Teco.
🚨 You cannot purchase any other access control hardware (like physical keypads, cameras, or biometric locks) as part of this partnership. Any access control hardware purchased outside of what is listed above will not integrate with Playground.
🚨 Connecting more than two doors requires a larger controller, so your hardware cost will be higher than $650. MellinTech will include the exact amount in your quote.