I can’t walk past an adventure playground with Dexter and Heidi. Before I’ve clocked it myself, they’ve sprinted towards it without so much as a backward glance. I don’t mind. Adventure playgrounds allow me a few moments peace to check my emails on a nearby park bench, and usually mean I have two super tired children come bedtime. Yet playgrounds aren’t just about wild play – they’re a key part of a child’s development. From confronting danger to socialising with peers, playing outside helps kids grow.
Natural playgrounds and adventure playgrounds, built using wood, stone, sand and water, are a growing trend thanks to their sustainability and the fact they blend more seamlessly into different environments and landscapes. Most councils will favour sustainable play equipment, and you’re very likely to find one within a few miles from home - making them the perfect weekend or after school treat for your child. Yet whilst, on the face it, they appear to be simply throwing themselves headfirst down slides or stuffing bark down each other’s hoodies, you can rest assured that this unstructured play-time is seriously benefiting your child. Here’s why:
Encouraging creativity
Playground designs that rely on fixed, unnatural equipment limit development. Your child will approach each obstacle in the way in which it is intended, with little wriggle room for creativity. When children become bored, accidents are more likely to occur, as are petty squabbles when the queuing for a turn.
Developing early construction skills
Natural play environments tend to incorporate moveable objects such as sand, logs and bark. Despite the fact you’re more likely to have a clean up job on your hands when you get home, allowing your child to get down and dirty with these natural elements can only benefit them in the long run. These construction projects, such as digging channels in sand or creating dams in water channels with pebbles, provide your child with a great sense of achievement and enhance their cognitive development.
Studies also suggest that children found to be incorporating construction into play work more cooperatively, which, in turn helps them problem solve and work collaboratively with others. Conversely traditional playgrounds equipment such as monkey bars, slides and swings have been found to encourage competition and solo play.
Improved social skills
This is a bit of “given” in any play environment, however natural play equipment only further promotes interactivity between children. Outdoor playgrounds stimulate social development far better than indoor ones as the size and variety of the equipment tend to see children exploring larger projects - be these construction-based or en masse role-play. These larger projects facilitate more socio-dramatic play themes, like saving the planet from invasion, or creating mini communities - games that are far better played in groups.
Improving fitness
There’s no denying this one. I only wish more playgrounds had adult-sized equipment so I could burn off my excesses having fun (let’s face it, a weekly spin class is nothing short of torturous by comparison).
In fact, natural play playgrounds only further promote physical fitness owing to uneven landscapes and less structured play: whether that’s climbing a wall, jumping and climbing over log structures or building dens. This will use more muscles in the body and help improve a child’s dexterity, spatial awareness and balance.
Assessing and confronting risk
Whilst it goes without saying that you would not want your child to come to any harm, bumps and scrapes are a natural part of growing up. In fact, learning to confront risk is an important part of their development. Natural play areas are a good way to safely navigate risky situations owing to the potential for light falls and bumps as they jump and climb. Thankfully they’ll also find “softer” landing surfaces too.
Moreover…
Studies suggest children have a natural preference for the great outdoors, especially playground installations that utilised natural materials and forms. This helps engender imagination and encourages children to interact with the playground. Furthermore, children playing in natural environments spend more time actively playing, and are generally less stressed and distracted -therefore all of the above benefits are magnified.
So next time the sun is shining and you’re stuck for something to do, go and explore your local natural playground. You’ll soon discover the benefits are not solely reserved for your children - my inbox has never looked so good.
