Exercise Strength and Imagination With Playground Equipment

Playground equipment is a great way to help kids exercise their strength and imagination. It’s important to select safe equipment that meets the age range of the children your playground will serve.

Spring riders add a touch of fun to any playground. They come in a variety of shapes and colors to inspire the imagination.

Climbers

Climbers are a playground staple and help children develop their upper-body strength. They also strengthen core muscles, improve balance and coordination and encourage the development of problem-solving skills. Children have an innate desire to climb and this equipment Playground Equipment can be used to allow them to explore their environment while still being safely contained on the playground.

Kids can use the ring climber to build their climbing confidence and make progress towards more challenging structures. The arch climber is freestanding and provides an extra challenge for kids that are looking for a bit more of a physical challenge. Kids can also try out a rock climber, which is more advanced and requires more planning to get to the top.

While playing on these types of playground climbers, children can also socialize with their friends and interact with one another. This type of play, often referred to as open or free play, occurs naturally and helps children develop motor skills, spatial awareness, cooperation and communication.

Kids that are able to climb a hill can gain a sense of accomplishment and independence, which leads to improved self-esteem. In addition, these playground climbers can also be used to move around the playground. This can be done by climbing to the top of the structure, walking or jumping down and then using the slide to return to the bottom.

Spring Riders

Playground spring riders, also known as spring rockers or bouncy playground equipment, add fun motion to any play space. These classic playground structures rely on an industrial-strength spring beneath a central beam or flange with 1 to 4 plastic or fiberglass seats above it. When kids sit on it, they rock back and forth. Some spring rider designs look like animals, while others feature vehicles or other interesting themes.

In addition to fostering physical development, these fun toys spark creative and cognitive development. Imaginations are stimulated as children imagine themselves riding to their destinations and exploring new places on their spring rides. This equipment is ideal for toddlers and preschoolers because it allows them to move around the playground without exerting too much effort.

Because of their unique shapes, colors and characters, spring riders are an excellent choice for any playground theme. For example, a bumblebee-shaped spring rider can inspire a child to learn more about bees or a whale-shaped spinner may encourage an exploration of historical ocean voyages.

Seesaws and teeter-totters are another traditional type of playground equipment that kids love to use. They build lower body strength and balance by pushing off the ground as they rock back and forth, while also developing their grip strength and upper body coordination. Kids can work on their cooperation and teamwork skills by using the seesaw with friends or siblings.

Merry-Go-Rounds

The movement of merry-go-rounds can elicit vestibular system stimulation, which helps to stimulate a child’s brain and can contribute to their physical, motor, cognitive, and affective development (Stout, 1988). Merry go rounds are also great for developing arm strength. They require a child to use both their arms and legs to generate speed, and they provide the opportunity for children to practice how they can control their movements (Bredin, 2020).

Children often run around and hold on to the center wheel to get it spinning. Once it’s in motion, they jump on to enjoy the ride. Some merry-go-rounds combine this idea with bicycle mechanisms and allow kids to pedal to make themselves go around.

Merry-go-rounds are one of the most popular pieces of playground equipment because they offer a classic Playground Equipment spin that appeals to all ages and abilities. You can find them in many different shapes and sizes, from bright yellow bulldozers to two-rider snails, so you can add the perfect match to your playground’s aesthetic.

Always check the equipment before you play to make sure it’s not hot. Hot metal can burn a child’s skin, and drawstrings, purses, and necklaces could get caught on the equipment and accidentally strangle a kid. And don’t forget to wear sunscreen — playgrounds can get very hot. Also, make sure you have a large enough “use zone” to safely accommodate the equipment and any falling child. Generally, the “use zone” should extend 6 feet in all directions from the edge of the equipment and be covered by a soft safety surface.

Spinners

Kids love to spin around and are drawn to playground equipment that challenges them to move differently than they would on a regular walk or ride. A floating balance beam, for example, makes children work hard to balance while shifting their weight. This activity builds core strength and promotes proprioception as kids try to shift their bodies and keep them balanced. A seesaw or teeter-totter engages students in movement and forces them to coordinate their movements, building teamwork skills.

Climbers and swings build muscle strength, while rockers and monkey bars develop hand grips, helping kids with their grasping and upper body coordination. A spinning raft teaches collaboration as kids play with their friends and encourages socialization. Inclusive spinners like the Surface Spinner and Turnabout Spinner allow kids of all abilities to play together, while a standing spinner that rocks as it spins builds core stability in different ways than sitting spinners.

Spinners are fun freestanding playground equipment that challenge, stimulate and thrill kids at parks and schools everywhere. Commercial spinners like merry-go-rounds and carousels push evolving nervous systems into new areas, requiring them to balance their sense of body position in space and control the speed and direction of rotation. Children must also refocus their visual input as they make adjustments to continue the gravitational spin of a spinning structure, improving motor planning skills.