When every kid gets to play, we all win! That’s the driving motivation behind our commitment to sensory playground equipment.
If someone were to ask you to visualize a playground, you’d probably think of swings, slides, and monkey bars, but there can be so much more than that to a playground. Those traditional pieces of equipment will remain classics until the end of time. Unfortunately, a playground that doesn’t expand beyond them excludes kids with cognitive or physical disabilities. With sensory equipment, your playground can nurture every child’s physical, cognitive, emotional, and social growth.
What is Sensory Playground Equipment?
Sensory play is a powerful thing. When it’s included in a playground, the possibilities are endless! Multi-sensory playgrounds provide opportunities for kids to interact with each other and their surroundings. Using diverse materials and equipment, they get the stimulation they need to learn and grow. These experiences are important in their development because they build neural connections and help children get to know their world. Through sensory input, a child can understand their environment, improve their problem-solving skills, and develop their minds!
The gamut of sensory equipment is a big one, but we’ll give just a few examples of the popular pieces so you can get a feel for what a sensory playground might look like:
- Musical Instruments: Though you probably won’t find guitars and trumpets on a playground, you might come across chimes, drums, or xylophones. The equipment is usually mounted on accessible posts of varying heights so they can be used by anyone. These are a feast for the auditory senses and fine motor skills!
- Sensory Walls: These offer some really cool activities for the kids on the playground! Also known as tactile panels, they feature varying shapes, colors, textures, and patterns that encourage exploration with the eyes and fingertips.
- Swings and Hammocks: While the traditional swing will always have its place, its “cousins” make sure everyone gets a chance to experience motion and develop physical balance. Accessible swings and hammocks provide the rocking, swaying, and spinning that provide much needed vestibular input!
Physical Benefits of Sensory Play
Sensory equipment isn’t just about touching and looking at cool devices. True stimulation includes more physical aspects that are made available thanks to this equipment!
- Enhanced Motor Skills: Fine and gross motor skills are bound to get a boost thanks to sensory play equipment. Climbing walls and balance beams will help out a child’s gross motor skills, while musical instruments and rotating gears will help in the fine motor skills department.
- Balance and Coordination: Repeated opportunities to navigate obstacle courses, walking on suspension bridges, and balancing on spinning equipment can work wonders for those coordination skills!
- Exercise: When kids are having fun doing activities that help their fitness, they’ll keep coming back. A stimulated brain and healthy exercise is a win-win situation!
Cognitive Benefits of Sensory Play
Cognitive development is crucial for every child, and these playgrounds aim to provide plenty of opportunities for it. Here are just a few of the benefits the brain will receive!
- Stimulating Cognitive Development: Sensory-rich activities are designed to get the neurons in the brain firing while providing tactile and visual exposure to textures, patterns, and memorization.
- Imagination Boost: The brain interprets input in amazing ways. Sensory playground equipment like themed play areas and interactive storytelling sparks imagination!
- Problem-Solving Skills: Everyone loves a puzzle! They’re fun to do and provide a great boost to problem-solving skills. Similarly, things like mazes and giant tic-tac-toe boards will help kids use their brains and have fun doing it!
Emotional and Social Learning
One huge advantage of any playground is the chance for kids to have a blast and make friends doing it. Throwing sensory play equipment into the mix further encourages that social aspect. Group games encourage everyone to work together and communicate to solve a problem. The rush every kid gets when the group succeeds can give them a big boost in confidence and self-esteem.
But it’s not all about wild adventures. Believe it or not, some sensory equipment provides quiet and calm spaces where children can regulate themselves and take much-needed breaks. A good balance of stimulation and relaxation is important for anyone’s emotional well-being!
Inclusivity and Accessibility
We’ve dipped our toes into inclusivity earlier in the blog, and now it’s time to dive in. Accessibility is key to including everyone. Ramps, inclusive swings, and equipment with varying height levels ensure children with physical disabilities are able to have just as much fun as everyone else. Meanwhile, those with cognitive disabilities can be included with sensory panels and other stimulating activities.
The beauty of all this equipment is that everyone can use it. Children with disabilities have play opportunities to interact with same-age peers which can encourage communication and future interactions. If the kids all respect and understand each other, everyone can have a good time!
We know striking a balance that maximizes the fun can get a little tricky, so we’re happy to help you design the ultimate play space.
Get Ready to Play
Are you ready to give every child the chance to learn, have fun, and make friends? Sensory playground equipment is a great way to do it! Obstacle courses, sensory panels, various swings, musical instruments, and other tools for development combine to make a play haven for all!
If you’re ready to give your community what they need to really learn and develop, get in touch with Metro Recreation. Let’s create some adventure together!
