Play Is Not a Four Letter Word

One of the most consistent activities in a child's life, especially in the infant stage of life. A child always looks for a way to play at every chance they get and as many times as they can during the day. Many parents see play as a waste of their child's time and would rather see their children spend this time on other activities; however, play may be more significant and essential than parents think. Play may instill valuable skills and teachings in children's minds, and what a child learns can remain with them for life. playground equipment

Significance of play

While it may sound ridiculous, the effects of play go a long way to creating an adult with valuable life skills. Some of the essential benefits of play include:

Stimulates creativity: In the modern world, creativity seems to be more relevant daily. When a child plays, thanks to the absence of adult interference, the children have to find ways to overcome any challenge they encounter and this kind of creative nature usually translates into their adult life and is very useful in navigating the rigors of adulthood. They also learn how to act independently and to think for themselves, which are necessary traits to be productive members of society.

A cherished childhood: Memories are a significant part of a person's psyche. Therapeutic reports of some of the most dangerous minds have shown that most of these individuals were not exposed to events like play during their childhood. Playing fills a childhood with cherished memories, and this can help build a productive society member.

Develop social skills: Children usually play in groups with other children of similar age groups. This creates a robust socializing ability in the children, as they have no problem socializing when they grow old. An inability to socialize can lead to undesirable situations like depression, which can prove fatal, especially since an event could have avoided it as mundane and generic as play. An inability to socialize can also lead to creating a depraved mind. preschool playground

Learning still occurs: Play-based learning is one of the most progressive forms of education and learning. In play-based learning, children learn through active participation in activities (active learning), and since there are no confines of a classroom or pressure to participate, the children tend to participate willingly, as opposed to the traditional setting where a a child can be isolated and detached from the rest of the class. In addition to the educational benefits that are gained, there is also another valuable skill, like teamwork, which is highly valued in the workplace today, and there is also the ability to take the initiative, another rare and highly valued commodity in the labor market.

Thanks to these factors, it is clear that there is more to the art of play than meets the eye. Parents and teachers are advised to incorporate play into their children's schedule to help ensure that these children turn out to be productive members of society. 

New Commercial Playground Installation Featured Project in Austin, Texas

This week's featured commercial playground project is coming to you from Austin, Texas. The project was completed for a new community and consists of 2 areas - 1 for ages 2-5 and the other for ages 5-12. Bucket seats and belt seats, climbing features, slides, modular integrated shades and more.

Play is not only a foundation for learning, it is critical for healthy physical, social, emotional, and intellectual kids development. Our commercial playground equipment manufacturers specialize in playground design, inclusive play, budget-friendly play structures, and friendly playgrounds for children of all ages and abilities. Request a free quote today.

Playground Equipment Safety and Maintenance

Playgrounds are places where children make the best memories of their childhood. They not only laugh and play but learn many new experiences on the playgrounds. Not only this, playgrounds play a significant role in shaping the social behaviors of kids and making new friends.

Although commercial playground equipment today is safer than the previous years, there is always a chance of getting injured while playing at the modern playgrounds. There are many playground-related injuries that are a major threat to our children’s lives. Today, we have come up with four ways you can make the playgrounds safer for your kids.

1. Supervise kids play

Adult supervision is one of the key components of a playground safety strategy. We can better control how our kids play under our supervision. When adults are around the kids when they are playing using playground equipment, they make sure that the kids do not engage in any risky game activity. Adults help kids understand the distance from the equipment, and ensure that elder kids do not violate the playing limits. Even if you don’t do anything, having parents or caregivers around help kids regulate their playing behavior. 

2. Safety Instructions

If you are advocating for the safety of the children on the playground, then the first thing would be to make sure that the outdoor playground equipment in the playground meets the safety standards of watchdog organizations. Look for the recommendations of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. From the past few decades, advancements in technology have produced new playground equipment. As a result, there have been changes to the surface requirements and safety guidelines. Some of the basic guidelines that should not be missed include: 

a) Proper labeling and signage on the equipment

b) Sightline to track the children anywhere in the playground 

c) Safe surface materials including engineered wood fiber, sand, and pea gravel

3. Maintenance 

Once you have safe and modern equipment in place, it is also important to keep checking it periodically to ensure it is working optimally. Proper maintenance makes sure that the school playground equipment is in safe working order. Any obstruction like rocks or stumps of trees must be cleared from the playground area. Soft seats must be installed in place of metal or wooden swing seats. There should not be any sharp edges, instead, make them smooth. All the platforms must be timely repaired. There is another safety rule that the cushioned surface should extend at least 6 feet beyond the equipment. Finally, replace all the worn-out materials to avoid any dangerous situation.

4. Use Age-Related Equipment

Playground equipment today is made according to the age groups and ability levels. It is important to ensure that any equipment that your kids play with must be age-appropriate. Similarly, there is a ladder height of 60 inches for kids in their preschool years. Moreover, age guidelines must be clearly displayed on the playground equipment.