Many parents take their children to play outside at the playground to help their children burn off some of their energy, to allow their kids to get fresh air, and to help tire their child out. While these are all good reasons to take a child to a park or playground, there are many other benefits to allowing your child to regularly play at the playground. A lot of development happens when a child is allowed to routinely play at a playground. Here are a few of the top developmental traits that are developed.
Improved Motor Skills
One of the skills that children develop thanks to regularly playing on a playground is
their motor skills. This includes important skills such as coordination, balance and agility. Playgrounds have different types of equipment that teaches a child to climb or balance or encourages them to run or jump. All of this equipment is key in helping children to develop these motor skills, which they can then carry with them throughout life.
Increased Muscle Strength and Weight Control
Another piece of development that happens on the playground is increased muscle strength and weight control. The activities your child engages in on a playground help them to develop, strengthen and tone muscles, particularly those in the legs and arms. Developing muscles can help your child maintain a healthy weight throughout childhood. Going to the playground often and allowing a child to run and play can also be a base that they use for developing healthy exercise routines throughout their lives.
Improved Brain Development
One of the biggest misconceptions about playgrounds and children's development is that the development that happens is only physical. There is a lot of brain development that occurs when a child regularly plays outside at a playground. Some of these brain development skills include improved academic skills, longer attention span, leadership skills, and communication skills. Children who play outside experience many developments not only physically, but within their brain as well.
Developing Social Skills
The final key place children can develop and grow thanks to the playground is through their social skills. Children learn to communicate and interact with other children at the playground. They learn how to talk to someone you may wish to play with, how to handle kids they may not particularly care for, and how to share equipment. All of these skills help a child to prepare for interactions that they will have with other individuals throughout their life, including at school or later in life at work.
Playgrounds can help children develop many important skills, including improved motor skills, increased muscle strength, improved brain development, social skills and imagination skills. If your park is looking to install a new playground for children to play on, Churchich Recreation Design can help you design the perfect playground for the space. Reach out to us today to learn more about the equipment we offer and our design services.