Park Equipment Benefits For Kids of All Ages and Abilities
Park equipment is a large part of any public playground or space for recreational use. It helps kids of all ages and abilities develop physical coordination, strength and concentration skills.
Gross motor play equipment like custom climbers, jungle gyms and rock areas engage kids in fun challenges that build upper-body, lower-body and core strength. Sensory play equipment like sand boxes and spinners enhance balance and sensory exploration.
Slides
Slides are a staple of most playground equipment, offering several valuable benefits for kids. These benefits are both emotional and physical.
The act of climbing to use the slide teaches kids balance, coordination and spatial awareness. They also learn to negotiate with their peers, as they wait for their turn on the ladder or at the top of the slide. This type of interaction helps develop social skills and self-esteem.
Some types of slides, such as the double-entry set, encourage kids to race one another down the slide. This allows children to collaborate with their friends and develop teamwork skills while having fun. It also teaches them the importance of safety when playing at a park.
There are many different types of slides, ranging from straight to tube to wavy. Some even have bumps in them to add additional texture and excitement to the sliding experience. The design of the slides park equipment can also be a little bit more complex than flip flops, with an added wedge that elevates the heel to provide more support for kids.
Climbers
Climbers are vines that twine around a support, such as a tree or wall. They have special roots that act like suction cups to climb. These plants are often considered a natural part of a forest, but they also make great additions to playgrounds. Children can strengthen their muscles and improve balance by climbing on these structures.
Some climbers prefer to do all of their climbing without the use of equipment, such as ropes. This style of climbing is called free climbing. Most climbers, however, do use equipment called protection to help them move up the rock and catch them if they fall. This is called aid climbing.
Technical climbing is a highly dangerous activity. Cleveland Metroparks does not install or inspect fixed climbing anchors, and guests climb at their own risk. The Garden of the Gods, Red Rock Canyon Open Space and North Cheyenne Canon Park require each technical climber to register annually. Climbers are asked to respect the environment by using only temporary slings and to promptly remove any slings when not in use.
Spinners
Kids love to spin and are naturally drawn to playground equipment that provides this fun. Playground spinners like merry-go-rounds, maypoles and seesaws build park equipment children’s muscles while pushing their evolving nervous systems into new areas of balance and spatial orientation. Inclusive spinners like the Egg Whirler provide a unique and fun way to challenge kids as they watch their world rotate around them. Its egg-shaped seat has cutouts to reduce the risk of discomfort for young riders and help them stay oriented while they rock and spin independently in one spot. This is a great way to provide exciting park equipment for all abilities.
Musical Instruments
Playground musical instruments allow children of all ages and abilities to make music. Musical playground equipment can be used as a small feature or extended upon to become a thematic experience that is both educational and therapeutic.
Musical instruments developed independently in many populated regions of the world. However, contact between cultures caused rapid spread and adaptation of instruments to places far from their origin.
Kids love banging pots and pans as toddlers and try to make sounds before they can speak, so it makes sense that commercial playground musical instruments would provide a natural outlet for their creative energy. Musical play stimulates both fine and gross motor skills and develops cognitive, emotional and social abilities in a safe environment. Plus, the familiar sounds of traditional musical instruments can help children to feel comfortable in unfamiliar environments, which is especially helpful for individuals who have developmental delays. Musical instruments can be found in a variety of designs including xylophones, marimbas and glockenspiels that are both visually stunning and acoustically perfect for municipal parks. These sculptural sound sculptures offer pure and soothing tones that are ideal for beginners and experts alike.
Eco Playground
Playgrounds are important for children’s cognitive, emotional and physical development. They provide kids with spaces to imagine, build and dream, and they help kids learn social skills, too. However, more parents today are looking for ways to make their children’s playground experience environmentally friendly as well.
Parks can include equipment that is made from recycled plastic and wood to reduce their environmental footprint. Recycled playground materials help to keep plastic out of landfills and conserve natural resources, and they’re just as safe for kids as traditional playground equipment.
Eco-friendly surfacing is also a great option. It can be made from rubber floor tiles that are designed to look like a stone surface, for example, or it can be a combination of recycled surfacing and engineered wood fiber. The latter can cost more upfront, but it requires less maintenance than other surfacing options and lasts longer.
Planting trees and shrubs around your playground helps to connect your park with the natural world. It also shows children how their actions can affect the environment and encourages them to care for the plants in the area.
