How Playgrounds Benefit Children’s Health
The Current State of Children’s Health in America
America’s children could be considered to be relatively healthy, especially in comparison with those in many other parts of the world. Much of this can be attributed to the fact that the U.S. enjoys access to some of the best healthcare there is. Dramatic improvements continue in areas like reducing infant mortality, treating and preventing infectious diseases, and reducing exposure to environmental contaminants like lead.
But despite the many positives, there are still areas of concern, too. The health of the U.S. population (including both children and adults) still lags behind that of several other Western industrialized nations. Much of this has to do with our diet, lack of exercise, and a greater propensity for developing conditions like diabetes and obesity.
Fighting Obesity
Any way you slice it, childhood obesity is a serious problem in the United States, and it puts both children and adolescents at risk for poor health. According to data from the CDC, the prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents ages 2-19 between 2017 and 2020 was 19.7%, and those numbers only look to be rising. That being the case, it’s time for us to take action as families and as a nation. One positive step is to limit the amount of fast food and sugary junk food in our children’s diets. And another positive move is to encourage age-appropriate physical activity and exercise for our children, including getting outside and enjoying some commercial playground equipment.
The Importance of Getting Outside and Getting Fit
The need for American children to get outside and get more exercise has been flagged as important by government officials, too. For example, many states – including North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee – have passed laws which require elementary schools to provide at least 20-30 minutes of scheduled physical activity for students every single school day. Similar laws exist for preschools and childcare facilities, too, with a specific focus on providing for outdoor play each day (weather permitting). What these state lawmakers have realized and decided to prioritize is something that most of us already know. Providing children with proper opportunities to play outside is essential to the health, growth, and development of each individual child.
Benefits of Outdoor Playground Time for Children
Honestly, there are a lot of good reasons to invest in installing a commercial playground facility for your school, preschool, daycare, park, HOA, or other community property. Commercial playgrounds are designed to be places where children can have some plain fun while also getting needed exercise and developing both motor skills & social skills:
Encourage outdoor play.
The persistent presence of technological devices and screens tends to lure children into staying indoors. These devices can serve some positive purposes, but they honestly don’t need to dominate our children’s time. Choosing to install some good playground equipment can encourage children to experience outdoor activities that will be both healthy and engaging for them.
Improve physical health & develop motor skills.
Playing outdoors is a great way to get kids’ hearts pumping and get those muscles moving. There’s honestly no substitute for getting outdoors, enjoying some fresh air, and being able to stretch your limbs on some fun playground equipment! Playgrounds are also great places for children to be able to hone and refine their developing motor skills.
Develop needed social skills.
Well-designed playground equipment encourages children to work together and also teaches them the value of cooperative engagement. For example, some playground equipment (like a seesaw) is specifically designed to be used with a partner, so this setup gives children an opportunity to talk, listen, partner, and socialize with their peers. Gaining important skills like these will serve to make a child more confident and also enables children to get better at expressing thoughts and emotions with others.
Foster creativity.
When children are given open-ended play options – like those presented on a playground – they tend to become more creative and develop better problem-solving skills. One benefit of building a positive playground environment is that no two play experiences are exactly the same! Each derives its own creative benefits for any child that has the opportunity to participate.
Enhance learning opportunities.
Think back to your own experience on the playground as a youngster. Some of your greatest learning experiences probably didn’t take place in a classroom; they occurred on a playground. In addition, teachers can take things that happen on the playground to supplement and enhance classroom learning activities, too, including physical skills, vocabulary skills, and more.
Support mental health.
Sometimes the modern experience of a child growing up in the USA – or growing up in the 21st century – can produce a significant amount of stress. Where can children go to release some of this stress? Out to the playground! Outdoor physical activity of this nature can facilitate the release of endorphins which help remedy stressful feelings, including anxiety and depression. Playground activity can benefit the development of other needed cognitive skills and coping mechanisms, too.
Playground Equipment Options
What kind of playground equipment do you need for your school or other facilities? Obviously, you want to go with a playground that’s rugged, well-designed, age-specific, safe for children, AND easy to maintain. You won’t find equipment like that on some shelf at the box store. What you’re really looking for is some commercial playground that’s engineered with children in mind and is really built to last. Carolina Recreation & Design provides and installs just that sort of play equipment, including commercial playgrounds, outdoor playground equipment, play structures, safety surfacing, sunshades, covered shelters, and anything else you may need for your outdoor facility.
Carolina Recreation & Design Delivers Complete Playground Solutions
We don’t just offer fun commercial playground designs and structures that are designed to be age-appropriate, safe, fun, and long-lasting. Carolina Recreation & Design is more than just a dealer of commercial playgrounds and play equipment in NC, SC, VA, and TN. We also provide safety surfacing, handrails and barriers, sunshades, mounted cameras, and much more. And we install anything we sell, too! We also understand that playground equipment cost is a necessary consideration, so we’re a playground equipment dealer who’s committed to helping you get the solution you need that also fits within your budget.
Our full-service solutions include everything from site preparation to permitting, to electrical, water, and sewer work, to fencing, brick, stonework, landscaping services, and more. We can do whatever it takes! We’re all about going the extra mile to deliver complete, start-to-finish, turnkey solutions.
Ready to get started on your playground project? You can also reach out to us online by filling out this simple form. But for an even faster response, just give us a call today at (704) 664-1833! Carolina Recreation & Design has all your playground equipment, playground installation, and site preparation needs covered!
