Everything you need to know about Playground door locks — features, setup, pricing, and the installation process.
Door Lock Features
Playground includes a full set of door lock features so you can control access from anywhere, decide exactly who can open which door, and keep a record of every unlock.
Feature | What It Does |
Mobile door unlock | Open any connected door from your Playground mobile app |
Kiosk mode unlock | Automatically unlock a door when a family or staff member checks in or out via PIN |
Access hours | Limit when staff and families can unlock a door, on a per-door basis |
Access via roles | Grant door access to specific staff roles |
Access logs | Review every unlock attempt for each door |
Kiosk unlock without logging attendance | Unlock a door in Kiosk mode without recording an attendance check-in |
Geofencing | Require someone to be physically near the center before a door will unlock |
💡 Which feature for which door? Kiosk unlock requires a check-in tablet stationed right at the door, so it's best for an inner door, like a classroom door or an interior entrance where a tablet lives. It's not recommended for an outer/exterior door, since there's no tablet outside. Every other feature — remote mobile unlock, geofencing, access hours, and role-based access — runs from the phone or app with no tablet required, which makes them the right fit for your outer doors (your main entrance and other exterior entry points).
Door Type | Best-Fit Features |
Outer / exterior doors (main entrance, side entrances) | Remote mobile unlock, geofencing, access hours, role-based access — anything that doesn't need a tablet |
Inner / interior doors (classrooms, interior entrances) | Kiosk unlock (requires a physical tablet at the door) |
Each feature below includes a quick overview of how it works and a link to its full step-by-step setup guide.
Mobile Door Unlock
Open any connected door from anywhere using your Playground mobile app — no tablet or keypad required, which makes it a great fit for outer/exterior doors.
📱 If you're on the Mobile App, door unlocks can only be done from mobile, not the web version of Playground. From the Door Access menu, tap a door to unlock it. It shows an Unlocked status for a few seconds, then automatically re-locks. Every remote unlock is logged.
For the full step-by-step walkthrough, see Manage Door Locks in Playground — Open Doors Remotely.
Kiosk Door Unlock
Set up a check-in Kiosk that automatically unlocks a door when a family or staff member checks in or out with their PIN code.
💡 Best for inner doors. Kiosk unlock requires a physical check-in tablet stationed right at the door, so it fits interior doors — like a classroom or inner entrance — not an exterior door where no tablet is present.
🚨 In Kiosk mode, doors only unlock with PIN codes — scanning a QR code won't unlock a door. Each Kiosk device connects to one door at a time, so you'll need one device per door.
Door Access Hours
Control when staff and families can unlock each door, on a per-door basis — for example, limiting guardian unlocks to your drop-off and pick-up windows.
💡 Great for outer doors. Access hours govern app-based unlocks (no tablet needed). You can set each door so guardians and staff either can't unlock it, can unlock it at certain times, or can always unlock it. Changes apply immediately.
Access via Roles
Decide which staff can unlock doors based on their assigned role. Staff only see the Door Access tab in the mobile app if their role allows it.
💡 Works from the app, so it's great for outer doors. Give directors and lead teachers door access while keeping other roles limited — all managed from your staff role settings. See Staff Roles for more on configuring role permissions.
Door Access Logs
Review every door unlock in one place. Each log entry shows who unlocked the door, who it was unlocked for, their coordinates (relevant for geofencing), the source, and the status.
You can view logs per door from the Integrations tab in your admin dashboard.
Kiosk Unlock Without Logging Attendance
In some cases, you may want a Kiosk to unlock a door without recording an attendance check-in — for example, at an entrance that isn't your primary check-in point.
🚨 This setting must be enabled by the Playground team.
Geofencing
Set up a "digital fence" around your center so a door can only be unlocked by someone physically on-site — not remotely from off-site.
💡 Best for outer doors. Geofencing is most valuable on exterior entry doors. We recommend a 100m radius, which is also the product default.
Full guide: Set Up Geofencing
How the Door Lock Setup Process Works
Getting door locks up and running is a partnership between you, Playground, and our hardware installer, MellinTech. Here's the end-to-end process:
Your Playground representative demos the door lock features with you.
You're sent an intake form, which asks about your current access control setup, along with pictures.
After the form is completed, you'll be connected to the MellinTech team.
MellinTech provides an installation quote. If needed, they'll gather additional information first (for example, a site visit).
You work with the MellinTech team to coordinate your install.
MellinTech installs the locks, and Playground syncs them to your account.
Your $30/month per location subscription begins on your next invoice after installation.
💡 You won't be billed the $30/month per location subscription until your door hardware is installed. This lets you get a quote from MellinTech first and decide whether the pricing makes sense for you. Once the hardware is installed, you'll see the $30/month per location charge on your monthly invoice.
Door Lock Pricing
Door lock costs fall into three parts: the controller hardware, your Playground subscription, and installation.
Cost | Amount | Notes |
Controller | $650 per unit | Purchased through MellinTech |
Playground subscription | $30/month per location | Begins only after hardware is installed |
Installation | Quoted by MellinTech | Varies based on your center's current setup |
💡 Installation cost depends on your center's current setup, so the final price is always quoted by MellinTech, not Playground. Because security is important, our partner gathers as much information as possible (sometimes including a site visit) to put together an accurate estimate for your specific wiring and hardware.
Hardware & Installation
Here's what you need to know about the hardware and how it gets installed:
Playground offers door controllers through our MellinTech partnership. We don't offer other hardware types such as physical keypads, biometric locks, or cameras.
We don't offer physical keypads because they don't integrate with the product. Instead, more advanced tools like geofencing replace the need for a keypad — one of the upgrades that comes with moving to Playground.
Controllers and installation labor must both be purchased through MellinTech. You can't buy controllers and arrange your own separate installer.
Click here for more information on MellinTech Door Locks and how to integrate them with Playground.