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. 

Ever Wondered What Constitutes a Place Surfacing? We’ll Show You

Kids could never have as many options for fun in the past as they have now. All sorts of mobile toys and equipment are within their reach. Kids’ playgrounds have been customized now, and amid obesity and other health concerns, the need for children to play outside has never been more critical.

Outside playground parks are now very comfortable. Foam padding for playground makes the rubber
surface even relaxing for kids. This surface is created in two layers to create a safe playground surface.

The bottom layer is a cushion layer and is made up of either foam material or buffings. The size and cut of the area are measured to choose the cushion material for the playground. The cushion is settled at specific depths for proper fall height protection.

When this layer is cured, the top layer is called “wear course”. This layer is made of synthetic rubber,
other than the foam padding for the playground. This material is thermoplastic vulcanized and offers
durability and superior color quality. Wear course is that layer of the playground that is visible to the
people.

This layer surface can be of different qualities. There are various aspects that determine the right one
for your job. It depends on the fall height requirement, color options, UV stability, and high or low traffic areas. If you have the right knowledge, you can determine the right type of rubber material for your project. It offers many benefits like durability, comfort, and it also protects children while they play. You can also use these layers for indoors and outdoors. The coolest thing about this surface is that you can create designs with it as well.

Three Things to Remember Before Installing Playground Equipment

If you plan to install playground equipment for kids, you must think beyond fun and games. There are many important aspects to cover during its planning. These include everything related to security of the kids and other liabilities for the community members. Here are three things that must be considered:

Safety Features of The Playground

Safety is the prime aspect to cover before installing playground equipment. When you install equipment then the elevated portion of the playground should be protected by the barriers. This will prevent the kids from falling off, thus averting the risk of any serious injury. No matter what the age of children playing, guard rails and barriers must be installed. Similarly, the swings should not be close together to avert any collision. A space of 24 inches is recommended in this case.

Choosing Age-Appropriate Equipment

Most of the injuries occur due to children playing on the inappropriate equipment. Every playground equipment is designed for a specific age group of children. These age groups are divided into three main categories:

1.    Equipment for ages 2 and under
2.    Age 2 to 5
3.    Ages 5 to 12

You must choose the right equipment according to the age of the children even if you have to pay more. This will prevent unnecessary injuries.

Avoid Wood Construction

There have been concerns about the use of wood in playground equipment. Though it has not been verified experimentally, there are concerns about the use of pressure treated wood in many structures including the playground equipment. These chemicals are considered toxic to the kids. So you must keep this in mind and avoid using any equipment that involves wood until you make sure that there are no harmful effects of it.

Best Tiles for Playground

Does probability of getting injured scare you when you take your kids to a playground? Do you often hear about playground injuries and you are unable to help it? A playground should be one of the safest public places where children could play worry-free, but unfortunately, the reality isn’t what it should be!
 
The manufacturers focus on installing the best preschool playground equipment and school playground equipment while making a playground structure, but they hardly focus on floors. In this post, I will talk about the five best playground tiles that should be, in fact, MUST BE spread in order to ensure kids’ safety.

1. Sterling Rubber Athletic Tiles

The standout feature of these tiles is the unbeatable price. Can you imagine getting a 2x2 title just in $23? Yes, you can get sterling rubber athletic at this price that makes around $.8/Square foot.

When I first came to know about the price, I got pretty certain it mustn’t be robust and long-lasting, but, guess what? I was amazed to realize I was totally wrong because the quality doesn’t get low with the lowered cost. They are strong enough to bear the heaviest equipment as they are tightly connected to ensure a simple yet closed interlocking system. 

Precaution

Despite the robustness, it is advisable not to use these tiles in a playground with tall equipment as they aren’t made to protect from falling. They should be used in the outdoor exercise areas.

2. Sterling Tiles

If falling injury is your biggest fear, then sterling tiles should be your first choice as they are designed for height falling protection. Greatmats has given them the first rating on fall height protection and it has also been given a rating of 10 ft height fall by the American Society for Testing Materials.

The reason why they provide ultra security is the highly engineered shock absorbers located inside. Furthermore, the thickness of these titles also contributes to the protection. What is more, they are vandal-resistant that doesn’t only make them tough, but also provide durability and safety.

3. Interlocking Tiles

Installing titles on a playground and then maintaining them, later on, are the toughest job to perform while playground manufacturing. You can simplify this task up to a great extent by using the interlocking tiles as they are made from recycled rubbers that make the task of connecting tiles hassle-free and as easy as a piece of cake. You won’t need any heavy equipment and expensive specialized contractors for installing these tiles.

4.  Roof Top Sterling Tiles

These tiles make an area multipurpose due to its versatile quality. If you are planning to utilize the playground for more than just playing, get sterling roof tiles without giving a second thought. They can be used on rooftops, patios, and even decks. Additional benefits include attractiveness due to the availability of different colors, safety (non-slip flooring), and a lifetime warranty.

I hope the above-mentioned choices will help you in making a safe playground. However, if you are looking forward to making a vibrant yet secure playground, then the rubber tile max day bright should be your choice. Are you ready to provide your kids with secure flooring so they can play safe?

How Restrictions in Playing Effects Children’s Well-Being?

Unreasonable restrictions in children’s playing have created many negative impacts on children’s learning abilities. If we look at the reasons behind these restrictions, we find both the negative and positive aspects. The limitations are meant to ensure safety within playground structures; however, they can limit children’s learning, confidence, and independence. According to experts, children are needed to get out and play in order to grow and advance, and such restrictions can be a hindrance in their path of learning.

Not only does it create individual problems, they also create social problems. When children are being restricted from being independent while playing, their social skills do not develop as much they need to be. They become slower in problem-solving and find difficulty in coping with stress and depression in adulthood.

According to a research, most of the children and teenagers who are bad at fighting depression and anxiety face a lot of limitations in play. We come across several examples where kids are being stopped from playing independently as a safety measure. Up to some extent, it’s correct, but the elders should make sure the restrictions they are putting aren’t unreasonable for kids.

Children, especially school going kids, should be given a free access to preschool playground equipment when they are allowed to play outside. Kids love exploring and discovering new things; therefore, let them do it. Moreover, it is important to note that every kid is different with unique mental and physical abilities. As a result, his observations and learning capabilities also differ, but all kids need independence to be creative.

Extending the Life of Your Outdoor Playground Equipment

Creative Systems Installed Structure

It’s no secret that playgrounds will be on every child’s to-do list once the summer vacations begin. And once school’s off, you can expect playgrounds and parks to be regularly occupied with children and their families. So, considering the sudden surge in attendance, what can you do to make sure that your outdoor playground equipment is functioning at peak reliability and performance? We’ve outlined a few steps that you can take to ensure better care of your play structures.

Schedule Monthly Maintenance

This one’s a no-brainer. Commercial playground equipment maintenance goes through a lot of wear and tear and before the whole things comes crumbling down, it’s important to fix and patch the little issues that prevail. Skipping on maintenance can not only prove costly in the long run, but can also be dangerous to use for the children.

Playground Maintenance by Creative Recreational Systems. inc, 

Know When to Replace

It’s vital to realize that certain playground equipment can’t be salvaged once their time is up. Knowing when to scrap the existing equipment and bringing in new is essential. Swing sets, merry go rounds and slides if damaged mechanically, need to be replaced completely. Repairs might get the job done temporarily but can prove to be a safety concern each time someone uses them.

Resurfacing the Grounds and Adding Shades

Foam Padding can add a layer of safety for children, but it is important to know when to have it replaced. If your playground is carpeted or has artificial grass, it can get incredibly hot to sit on. Adding shades is a great way of bringing your playground’s temperature down.

Armed with these key steps, you can almost be certain that your playground is not only set for the coming season, but for a much longer time.

Read More: Shade Structures in Playgrounds and Their Benefits

Must-To-Do Things with Your Kids This Summer

Summers bring so many opportunities to have fun. Sunny days and warm nights call for a lot of fun and physical exercise that not only allows for spending pent up energy but also helps in staying healthy. This is especially true for children. Their young minds and bodies need constant workout to function and grow properly. The best part about summers is the holidays. However, there is only so much time kids can spend on the commercial playground equipment before they get bored. Besides school playground equipment is always available so holidays should bring something different for them to enjoy and have fun with. So here are some exciting ideas for parents to plan this summer vacations and have a quality fun time with the little ones.

Have a Fishing Trip

This is not only an entertaining activity for summers but it is also a very important skill for the little ones to learn. Also if you get to catch a big fish, that is a celebration in itself. Take your kids out for a fishing trip to the nearest sight and have a picnic. Take some food materials like bread, ketchup and juices. Catch some fish and cook it on site to have a proper picnic and a day filled with smiles.
While you are planning for a fishing trip, you might also consider a trip to some beach. Make some sand castles and teach your little ones to swim near the shore. It will be an excellent way to beat the heat and to have some summer fun, all at once.

A Road Trip Would Be Great Too

Kids love to take trips. Even the fussiest of them get excited at the chance of seeing something new or playing at different commercial playground equipment. Spend some time looking for the places nearby or in the outskirts of the city where you live and plan a weekend away from home enjoying the scenery or the attractions in the area. Pack an extra pair of clothes and teach the kids usefulness of travelling light.

Chase an Ice Cream Truck

The number of cafés and ice cream parlors these days is too high to leave ice cream as much fun as it used to be. Children’s love for ice cream hasn’t reduced though. To add some extra dose of fun in the ice cream, keep an ear out for the sound of the ice cream truck and next time it is in your neighborhood, get out of the home and chase it with your kids. Get them their favorite flavors and enjoy it on the walk back home on a sunny afternoon.

An equally delicious alternative to chasing a truck would be to make some ice cream at home. Download a recipe from internet or ask grandma for her expert opinion. Make your own ice cream and home and allow kids to enjoy as much as they want as a summer holidays treat.

Have a Camping Night Out

Nothing would beat the experience of a camping trip. The entire process of packing bags and tents, to erecting those tents in sand or soil and spending the night out is entertaining and educational. However, if it is difficult to go someplace out of home, your backyard would be an equally good place to start. Prepare some barbeque in your own backyard and sleep in a tent outside. Tell your kids stories under the stars or do some star gazing for a memorable summer night.

Plant a Garden or Paint Rocks

Summers allow for some fun outdoor time. While it may be difficult to enjoy outdoors under the scorching sun, the early mornings and evenings are great to spend out of home. This summer season plant a garden in your backyard or in your front lawn. If you have more than one kid, then get different plants or different colors for flower plants. Each child gets to take care of one plant and then compete on whose plants gives most flowers and looks the best.

Alternatively, bring some rocks for your lawn and get the little ones to paint them as they please. Allow them to put their creativity and love for colors to use and get a delightful addition to your house.

Enjoy fall with Your Children

Summer is officially over and with Halloween behind us, we can finally look at ways in which play can be fun not just for children, but for the entire family. But there’s a problem. With winter looming around the corner, temperatures have inevitably fallen, so outdoor play is limited to mornings or warmer afternoons only. And with shortened days, that can be a problem as you juggle between work and your family. So how does one exactly manage a situation as this?

It’s simple if you give it a little thought, if we’re honest. Bring the play indoors! No matter what the season, play for children shouldn’t pause a bit, and they should be encouraged to have fun with the entire family. You can make sure that they do by getting hold of some church playground equipment for your home and keep your young ones busy as you go through the day.

If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, a trip to the beach or the woods should make for a decent family picnic. The weather isn’t too harsh yet to stop you from coastline breeze nor does it get foggy enough to cause visibility issues in the woods. This can especially help on the weekends and instead of being bogged down at home, why not go out and enjoy as a family?

Amusement parks are another place where you can visit as a family and have a fun time. Amusements parks in the autumn months are especially a treat you can expect a lot of carnivals and theme parks randomly popping up (if they aren’t already there). Amusement parks should fill in for whatever kids miss at the beach and they guarantee a great time too.

But if none of these flatter you, you could opt for the last option and visit a large playground or park. The great thing about this decision is that you can (if you try) visit the area on weekdays as well as on the weekends. And the fun is unlimited as children spend hours playing on the outdoor playground equipment there. And in the rare circumstance that your neighborhood playground or park doesn’t feature impressive play-structures, you can always check out the Creative Recreational Systems Inc. website to view some of the best ones available and get one for yourself.

The choices are endless this fall, and entertaining your children isn’t going to be a hassle anymore.

Minimal Playground Equipment? No Problem!

Not every playground or park is as privileged as the other, more expensive ones, you take your children to and some don’t even feature the most basic of outdoor playground equipment. But that doesn’t necessarily have to be a problem. Don’t get us wrong, children love dedicated play-spaces, but there are still a lot of substitutes if the park or playground of your choice is running short on them. We’ve listed some of them below so grab your notepads!

 

1. Go old school and play contact games with the entire family or friends. Tag and hide-and-seek are great fun and benefit children equally, if not more, than playing on play-places. The benefits of running, for example, during a game of tag, are a lot and help build a child’s stamina and key-core strength.
2. And speaking of contact games, you can always play contact sports too. Getting a child into sports like soccer, baseball, tennis or even badminton helps them develop more healthily. The better their participation, the more it is likely that your child will be among sports teams in schools.
3. Remember Dodgeball? The thrill of the game was unreal back when we played it. And I’m aware most of us didn’t quite have good memories attached to the game (I know I wasn’t) but it doesn’t mean your child will end up with a bad experience too.
4.  And if all else fails, you could look for elevated land there. If you succeed in finding one, roll down with the kids!

These should help overcome any problems the next time you take your kids to a local park that does not have to offer much. It’s no secret how important commercial playground equipment in parks and playgrounds are for children during play, but we’ve shown you that you can always manage if they aren’t present.

And if your local playground doesn’t have playground equipment and you are looking to change that, do visit the Creative Systems' website. They have got an enormous catalogue of playground equipments that would be fit for any park or community garden. And they are tailored for almost every budget as well! So find the one that best suits yours playground.

We would love to hear if your neighborhood is missing out on necessary play-spaces in the comments section below, and let us know how you and your family tackle this problem.