Outdoor Play Equipment
Outdoor activities in the playground
I
t is important for children of all ages to keep up their exercise regimes and there is nowhere better for them to do this than the school playground.
With statistics clearly showing that children in the UK are simply not as fit as their counterparts 10 years ago, it is time to improve on both outdoor and indoor activities available to them. Fitness levels appear to be declining faster here than in other countries and this must not be allowed to continue. During a recent study commissioned by Wicksteed and undertaken by
Staffordshire University’s Centre for Sport and Exercise Research, Dr Jacky Forsyth, Senior Lecturer in Exercise Physiology Sport and Exercise at the University commented, “The physical activity recommendation for children is to accumulate at least 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous activity. Therefore any play equipment that encourages children to exercise regularly will be hugely beneficial to their health and wellbeing.”
Fun ‘n’ Fitness exercise trails
Wicksteed has a huge range of fitness and agility trails which are ideal for the school environment. Produced using high quality timber from sustainable sources, the tactile nature of the wood not only appeals to children but is also aesthetically pleasing. High and low level elements are available and bespoke trails, specific to the individual needs of a school, can be designed. In fact, the pupils will often produce their own design ideas for the trails as a schools project - which allows them that extra special ownership for their school. Exercise is also about fun and these fitness trails provide plenty of that, too!
The whole range has been designed to encourage physical development in an informal, yet challenging way and allows children to improve co-ordination, strength, stamina and agility - interacting as they go. There are lots of different features which can be added to the trails according to individual requirements. The Fun n Fitness trails require little supervision and provide a cost effective solution to the provision of varied activities in playgrounds.
Imaginative play for toddlers
Younger children also need to stretch their mental and physical abilities and Wicksteed has developed a fantastic range of natural elements and timber- crafted products into nursery playgrounds. Play is recognised as a major route to learning - particularly in the early years of course – and the social and physical skills they acquire are crucial to children’s general development. In this private nursery in Bury, Lancashire, Wicksteed has ingeniously
created a little bit of an adventure land in their school grounds. There’s even a specially designed timber train with smoothly rounded log seats for the children to sit on as they imaginatively play and pretend they’re really on a journey! A bespoke mound with carefully spaced log steps encourages the little ones to clamber up the grassy bank and the hollowed out tunnel provides another intriguing play facet.
26 www.education-today.co.uk
April 2010
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