Gyms that cater to children are more expensive than the gyms that adults go to. The rates per hour skyrocket because kiddie gyms require a higher ratio of staff per child, to make sure children are safe. Moreover, the equipment requires higher safety standards.
Even with a worsening economy, you cannot take your child’s health and happiness for granted. There is a way to keep your child happy without having to spend a lot. All it takes is a little creativity and a little more quality time with your kids. (more…)
Video games and all sorts of media pervasion put up a tough challenge for parents. Kids need the outdoors, and most of the time, the only way to make them go out is to offer something more interesting than video games.
The good news for parents is that public playgrounds are free, and they offer hours of outdoor fun especially when you get creative. Suggested below are 2 types of playground games. Not only are these fun, they also push your kids to think out of the box!
1. Clue Races
A clue race around the playground is much like the Amazing Race, only on a smaller, safer scale. The most important thing to check is if the playground has basic safety features: rubber mulch flooring to absorb the impact of falls, rust-free bars, and padded corners. (more…)
Few people are aware that playgrounds are not exclusively for kids anymore. Now, playgrounds are becoming more popular because the concept has been revolutionized to cater to senior citizens.
The idea of a seniors’ playground is brilliant. Not only is the community brought together, older people, specifically those 60 years old and above, are encouraged to exercise and meet with their peers.
In fact, a research conducted in the University of Lapland, Finland reveals that older people who go to playgrounds build muscle, reduce fat, and improve their coordination, speed, and balance. Having fun is the objective, and because the children’s playground is nearby, it becomes easier for grandmas and grandpas to check on their grandchildren. (more…)
Numerous studies have shown that there is really no substitute for the childhood games that our forefathers have played before the invention of video games. Regardless of how mothers across generations reprimand their kids for getting down and dirty and muddied and grimy, at the back of their minds, they know it’s almost a necessary part of growing up, much like going to the dentist and having that first crush.
As such, it’s baffling how the bare and pure pleasure of playground fun is lost among today’s youth. Instead of battling for the latest version of a jungle gym, they ask their parents for the latest handheld gadget to hit the market. I don’t even need to tell you the effect of this paradigm shift in play on the fitness of your kid. It’s very much like comparing a conventional book and an e-book. The e-book will not only tire your eyes in an instant, really, there is just no replacing the musky smell of a freshly opened literary purchase. (more…)
9am: Moms with young children who like to be pushed on swings start to arrive at the playground. Not much to report here, as these children are too young to run about on their own and moms’ have eagle eyes on them
11am: Slightly older kids arrive at the playground – hyperactive toddlers! They obviously run about a little more and are harder work for parents to keep an eye on and prevent any falls. The worse injuries these young ones get are grazes on knees and elbows. After a little cry, they get up and start running about like loonies again (more…)
It is true that we all have a bit of the kid inside us and when we take our children, grandchildren or younger siblings to a playground, we would like to play as well. We do in away, but we are not allowed on any of the equipment that is provided. Having playground equipment that can be used by all, and I mean all ages, would be a great leap forward in the enjoyment families can spend together.
A Professor Killingsworth from Pittsburg State University’s Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation, thinks the same way and has formed (with other community members) a non-profit group called Credible Arts Therapies. He has said the idea behind a universally accessible playground is to have a place where everyone, regardless of age or disability, can play together on the same equipment. You can read more about this here: http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/local_story_178210855.html (more…)
There is a lot of research that has been completed on what causes injuries in the playground, but no-one had gone through the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database before, until now that is.
A study has been completed by the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Indiana School of Medicine, Indiana University, where injury data from 2002 – 2004 from slides, monkey bars and swings were analyzed.
They found that 22728 emergency visits to the hospital were recorded in the NEISS database, and 83.9% of these injuries were caused by swings, slides and monkey bars. (more…)
Being such an advocate of rubber mulch, I am really happy to read success stories about rubber mulch applications. I came across one such story today entitled ‘Blue Mulch, Green Park’ about the first playground in the city of Corpus Christi to have rubber mulch installed.
The Kid’s Place playground is the first playground to switch from wood mulch to rubber mulch in a move to becoming a greener city. This is fully backed by the Corpus Christi Career Development Class 2008, who have created community projects to make their city greener. It was twenty volunteers from this class who spread the 62 tons of rubber mulch needed to create this safer and greener playground. (more…)
Earth Day was on the 22nd April 2008, and many countries extend the courtesy and have an Earth Week where the goal is to “broaden the environmental movement worldwide and to educate and mobilize people, governments, and corporations to take responsibility for a clean and healthy environment”. What better way of helping the environment then giving grants to schools and daycare centers to better their playground surfaces, promote playground safety and help the environment with rubber mulch.
Governor Steve Beshear from the state of Kentucky has done just that by announcing 43 crumb rubber grants (worth almost $1 million) to schools, daycare centers, churches around the state. He recognizes the fact that recycling rubber tires and using the rubber crumbs in playground is both environmentally friendly, economic and helps prevent accidents.
If you’re thinking of building your children a playground, there are quite a few things to take into consideration. You should always have a plan, that will start and end with safety, as this is a major factor in any playground, then you need to think about the equipment, different age ranges, sturdiness and even cost. The surface of the playground is just as important as the equipment and the location of the play area, for example can you see it from the house? These are only a few things to plan for and I’m sure you can think of a lot more.
Gyms that cater to children are more expensive than the gyms that adults go to. The rates per hour skyrocket because kiddie gyms require a higher ratio of staff per child, to make sure children are safe. Moreover, the equipment requires higher safety standards.
Video games and all sorts of media pervasion put up a tough challenge for parents. Kids need the outdoors, and most of the time, the only way to make them go out is to offer something more interesting than video games.
Few people are aware that playgrounds are not exclusively for kids anymore. Now, playgrounds are becoming more popular because the concept has been revolutionized to cater to senior citizens.
Numerous studies have shown that there is really no substitute for the 
There is a lot of research that has been completed on what causes injuries in the 
Being such an advocate of 
