Outdoor playgrounds are used year-round, and it’s easy to see why. With plenty of different activities for children, outdoor playground equipment can be designed to appeal to a wide range of ages and created from materials that are safe to be used outside. However, simply acknowledging that a playground is a fun place to spend time hardly does justice to the measurable benefits it provides a community.
Today, we’re going to explore the top four benefits of an outdoor playground, and how they benefit both individual families and the community as a whole. Along the way, you may very well discover inspiration to create a playground in your own hometown.
1. It’s a way for families to spend time together for free.
Modern life seems to place an emphasis on spending money in order to enjoy an afternoon out. However, after a meal and movie tickets, a nice afternoon becomes something that families can only do rarely, if at all. Outdoor playground equipment provides a unique oasis. It’s a place where families can go, for free, to spend as much time as they like. Everyone is welcome, and there’s an activity for everyone to enjoy.
2. It strengthens both the bodies and minds of the kids who play on it.
There are plenty of passive activities out there, but playgrounds aren’t one. Outdoor playground equipment is designed to encourage physical activity and mental stimulation. Every climbing wall is an exercise in endurance and problem-solving. Every slide is a challenge to confidence. Kids may love the freedom of play that the equipment provides, but as they explore and create games, they’re also putting valuable time into the development of their minds and bodies.
3. Outdoor activity has been proven to improve mood and increase feelings of happiness.
Sure, an indoor playground will still provide children with plenty of opportunities for growth and development, but outdoor playground equipment has a secret weapon: exposure to nature. It’s well-documented that exposure to the outdoors lowers stress, promotes the production of mood-boosting hormones, and helps relieve attention fatigue. Spending time outside can also help stimulate creativity, which, coupled with the free play encouraged by playgrounds, creates an ideal environment for children to thrive.
4. It’s an essential part of developing social skills and friendships.
Outdoor playground equipment is usually shared by a community. At first, children may not like the idea of having to take turns to use it, but over time, this exposure to other children and the social skills that must be developed for harmonious play can help kids develop better social awareness and consideration. Similarly, friendships are grown and tested on playgrounds. Kids will work together to create fantasy worlds, to coordinate fictional rescues or, in adventure playgrounds, the construction of a brand-new environment.
Finding Outdoor Playground Equipment for a New Playground
An outdoor playground is an installation that continuously gives back to the community that hosts it. If you’re thinking about creating a playground in your neighbourhood, you may be at a loss as to where you can find the equipment you’ll need.
SPI Plastics produces customizable, colourful playground equipment, and our products can be found in playspaces all around the world. From activity panels to tube slides, there’s something to appeal to children of every age, giving you the freedom to create the right playground for your neighbourhood.
If you’d like to learn more about SPI’s outdoor playground equipment, contact us online or give us a call at (519) 935-2211.