Three Ways Playgrounds Benefit Their Communities
To be honest, the statement we are making in this article is not particularly controversial. We are saying that playgrounds benefit their communities, and we think that is a point with which almost everyone would agree. But have you ever thought about why? What is it about having a quality playground available in a public space that is so important to the health of a community? We are going to look at that question in this article.
#1 – Active Time
In a day and age where so many people – both adults and children – are struggling with weight-related health problems, promoting activity is a good thing to be sure. Playgrounds encourage kids to get up, be physically active, and interact with the environment around them. Technology certainly has its place in the modern world, but there is still something to be said for being active as often as possible. It’s easy for kids to get wrapped up in things like video games and television while forgetting that there is a lot of fun to be had by just going out the door. With a neighborhood playground available, kids will be more likely to leave the couch behind in favor of fresh air, friends, and physical activity.
#2 – Bring People Together
It is important for any community to have a place where people can come together and get to know each other. These places are where friendships are forged, and those friendships can be vitally important to the overall strength of the area. It’s easy to see how children can make friends while playing on the playground, but the same thing can happen for the adults who are standing nearby, watching. In fact, it may be that the relationships forged by the adults are even more important, as those connections can lead to countless opportunities down the line for entire families.
#3 – Mental Development
We’ve already talked about the importance of physical activity for kids, but the power of the playground does not stop there. In addition to what they will get out of the experience physically, kids also stand to benefit mentally from having the opportunity to engage with a playground space. There are all kinds of new challenges to overcome and environments to explore. Also, playing in the same area with other kids will help them learn how to interact, work together, wait their turn, and more. Overall, a day at the playground is simply a wonderful opportunity for a child to develop, both mentally and physically.
The public space set aside within a city or community for a playground is some of the most important real estate in town. There will be a lot of fun had at the playground, along with the many other physical and social benefits that come with these places. For both kids and adults, playgrounds represent a relatively rare opportunity to spend time outside in a social environment, meeting new people and having fun together.
