The events and daily habits of a child’s early years are crucial to their development and one such area that provides incredible opportunity for development is the playground. Early years outdoor play equipment, while it may surprise you, actually offers several benefits such as promoting fitness, strength, improving social skills and even coordination. Before we dive further into the developmental opportunities of a playground setting, let’s first look at what exactly child development is.
Child Development – What Is It?
When we talk about child development, we’re referring to a sequence of psychological, biological and emotional changes that happen during the stages between birth and the very beginning of adolescence. During these hugely popular stages, children progress from being completely dependent on parents to being self-sufficient. Development however doesn’t just occur during ‘educational’ moments but rather during everyday life and by incorporating play on playground equipment, we can actively encourage the progression of development further in a truly positive environment.
How Do Playgrounds Assist With Development?
There are three main ways that playground equipment can help with a child’s early years development. They are…
Physical Health
Development Of Skills
Mental Health
Here’s how each area can benefit from playground equipment:
Physical Health
According to NHS guidelines, children are recommended to exercise for 60 minutes per day however the results of multiple studies have suggested one in three children does less than 30 minutes of physical activity per day. Outdoor playground equipment however is the perfect way to encourage young ones to remain active and encourage a healthy lifestyle from an early age.
Playground equipment is fun, interactive and helps involve a child’s entire body, encouraging them to use their growing muscles while developing their coordination, awareness and even their balance.
Development Of Skills
It isn’t just their physical health that playground equipment can be of benefit too, as the development of skills is high on the list also. From social skills to their gross motor skills – playground equipment gives children the opportunity to swing back, hang, climb and jump and ultimately, test their boundaries and push them further in a safe environment.
Add in an ability to improve their social skills by learning to listen, interact and share their space and it’s truly wonderful just how beneficial playground equipment can be.
Mental Health
The discussions on mental health are becoming ever more prevalent now, especially around the subject of children. Children, even during early years can find themselves under a surprising amount of stress and routine. By allowing them time to burn energy and play freely on playground equipment, children can de-stress. This can ultimately lead to a better opportunity for development as stress and anxiety slowly melt away.
It also helps promote the release of serotonin which aids with brain development and should not be underestimated.
Contact Us Today
If you’d like more information on how our playground equipment can help the development of early years children or how best to implement this type of equipment in your educational setting – or even your own back garden – then please don’t hesitate to Sovereign Early Years.
