05/01/2018
Why Should You Invest in Wooden Playground Equipment?
It is no secret that the physical health of children is not as good as it was twenty years ago. Studies show that, in South Africa, two out of every ten children under the age of twelve are now classified as obese. This brings with it a lot of problems – diabetes, heart problems, emotional difficulties, and self-esteem challenges. The obesity problem can be ascribed to bad diets, but the main culprit is the stationary lifestyles that children lead in modern life. They spend a lot of time playing computer games or fiddling on their cellphones, and playing sport, getting exercise and playing outdoors is no longer seen as the best way to stay entertained.
As parents, we all have to do our bit to ensure that our children stay active, and one of the best ways to do this is to invest in wooden playground equipment or jungle gyms that will stimulate their imaginations and encourage them to be more physically active by climbing, pulling, hanging and sliding.
There are many benefits associated with metal or wooden jungle gyms. These include:
Physical strength: While in play, children get to use a range of muscles that they would not ordinarily use during everyday activities. A jungle gym that includes monkey bars, for instance, will increase the strength and resilience of arm, hand, chest and abdominal muscles. Ladders increase leg strength, and other parts of wooden playground equipment are specifically designed to increase the use of specific muscles.
Better self-esteem: Mastering the art of achieving certain movements or being able to scale the jungle gym for the first time can give the child a sense of accomplishment and pride. This improves their self-esteem and gives them more confidence.
Weight loss: Active children are generally slimmer than non-active children. Spending some time on the wooden playground equipment in the garden, schoolyard or local park every day provides them with physical exercise that can help to keep fitness levels up and reduce weight.
Better hand-eye coordination: Because a lot of the exercises and activities of metal or wooden playground equipment include the use of various body parts, it helps to improve the hand-eye coordination of the child. Climbing from one position to another, holding onto the monkey bars and grabbing the next one, and balancing on the bars all help to develop some necessary coordination and balancing skills. Different heights and levels also help to develop sensory abilities to gauge depth, height and distance, and to negotiate these more effectively.
Social skills: Often, it is difficult for children to make new friends in a static setting. When you introduce wooden playground equipment, they have this interest in common, and quite often naturally start playing and communicating. Playing together in a public park or in someone’s garden on a jungle gym also gives children the comfort to get to know each other better while focusing on a common interest. Games are developed with a similar goal and children learn to communicate better in order to achieve this common goal. It also helps with problems solving and teaches them to deal better with conflict.
If you are interested in learning more about wooden playground equipment and the benefits they hold for your children, just ask around, do some research on the internet. You will soon realise that investing in a good set of playground equipment can mean a good investment in your children’s physical and mental health too!
Article courtesy of Jungle Gym World
