The playground is a very important place, and can have a huge impact on the social, psychological and physical development of children. One of the primary benefits a playground has is that it improves a child’s overall fitness.

It does this by getting them to exercise different parts of their body on the various pieces of equipment. The main ways it helps a child to exercise is by providing equipment that works on their strength, aerobic fitness, balance and flexibility. Below is a short guide explaining how the playground is great for children’s exercise.

Improving Strength

The monkey bars are one of the best pieces of playground equipment for building up strength. While children may think they are simply enjoying themselves swinging from one monkey bar to the next, they are actually exercising their arms and building up core muscle strength.

Climbing up ladders and ropes also builds muscle strength in other parts of the body, whilst sliding down the fireman’s pole is also much harder than it looks! The playground is a fantastic place for children to exercise and will really help them work out their muscles and build up strength while still having a whale of a time.

Improving Aerobic Fitness

The entire playground itself is the best place for children to become fitter aerobically. Running from one piece of equipment to the other, jumping around and playing active games all have a big impact on the overall physical fitness of a child.

Running around is inevitable for children in the playground, and it is one of the best forms of exercise. Running around makes the heart beat more quickly, which in turn means breathing increases and pumps blood and adrenaline around the body, which improves endurance. This type of exercise does not feel like a chore allowing children to get generally fitter while playing games with their friends, climbing, swinging and sliding. 

Improving Balance

Balance is another of the things that can be greatly improved from a child playing in a playground. Although you may not think it at first, balancing is also a form of exercise as it works out the muscles that are needed in order to keep you in perfect equilibrium.

There are a variety of balancing pieces of playground equipment, from a simple balance bar, to tyres and leapfrog stepping stones. Each of these helps to develop the child’s sense of balance and in turn enables them to exercise their core muscles.

Improving Flexibility

Improving a child’s flexibility can also be achieved through exercising; the playground is great for exercising outside. The primary way in which flexibility is improved is by stretching the muscles, and children do this in the playground in a variety of ways.

Whether they are reaching for the next monkey bar, the next ladder on the step, or for their friend’s hand in a game of tag, the playground is a great place to improve flexibility in a very fun way.

Conclusion

The playground is the ideal place for children to exercise. Whether they are playing on the equipment provided or around it with their friends, the playground allows children to improve and develop physically in a fun and exciting way, that doesn’t feel like work.

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Written by Natalie Moody