From pour in place rubber to a playground swing seat, there are many components to making a playground an inviting place for children to be. All of these components like the pour in place rubber not only help to cultivate a safe environment, but one in which children are free to explore and stretch the boundaries of not only their physical bodies but of their imaginations as well. After all, physical play is hugely important for children of all ages (but particularly very young children) and can help to promote brain development as well as a strong and healthy physical body.
Unfortunately, technology is all too often taking the place of physical play in the lives of many children from many different backgrounds all around the country. While technology is important and can certainly be used as a tool to promote growth, entertainment, and imagination in children of all ages, it is a tool that should be used sparingly. For many parents, too much dependence on technology is a growing concern, and more than half of all parents report that they have worries about their children spending too much time on various electronic devices. Though most parents (more than eighty percent of them) agree that technological literacy is an important part of growing up in today’s world, even more (around ninety percent) also agree that it is even more important for children to spend large chunks of their childhood time in the outdoors, playing and exploring and making connections in the brain as well as in the body. This fear is not unfounded, as it has been determined by a study done by the Sports and Fitness Industry Association that only around one third or even less of all children are meeting the levels of physical activity that they should be getting per day and per week in order to stay healthy.
Fortunately, playing on a playground with amenities such as pour in place rubber, a tube slide, and the typical school playground equipment can make a world of difference. Playing on playground equipment can help to stimulate brain development, such as the development of both large and fine motor skills. However, it is important that this development based play happens at a relatively early age, as if fine and gross motor skills are not fully developed before a child reaches the age of six or even slightly before, it is unlikely that they will ever fully be able to form. This can put the child at a learning deficit for the rest of their lives and is not something that should be taken lightly under any circumstances.
Many parents of today’s modern age have become concerned about the safety of their children when engaging in physical play. Fortunately, playgrounds today are safer than ever before. Pour in place rubber is a common feature in playgrounds all throughout the United States and pour in place rubber can help to keep children safe, as pour in place rubber has been specifically designed to provide a softer landing in a the event that a child were to fall and potentially cause injury to themselves. Aside from the widespread use of pour in place rubber, many playgrounds have also been designed for specific age groups (though most of them will incorporate things like pour in place rubber regardless). Playgrounds for young children like toddlers and preschoolers will have playground equipment that is specifically suited for children of their size and physical ability and is not likely to include things like a tire swing, which can pose a danger to the children that are too young to safely use it. Playgrounds for older children will include more physically challenging pieces of equipment that provide a way for children to healthily expend their energy and exercise their creative juices. However, many playgrounds will combine both, and will simply incorporate smaller equipment for younger children alongside the larger equipment that is aimed at older children. For parents with multiple children at a range of ages, this can be a dream come true, allowing them to supervise and engage with all of their children at once here in the United States.