subject: Importance of Playgrounds and Play in a Childs Development [print this page] Importance of Playgrounds and Play in a Childs Development
When the Labour governent were last in power in the UK, numerous studies were comissioned to identify the importance of play for children. These studies identified just how important playing is to encourage healthy child development and to maintain strong parent-child bonds (Ginsberg, K.R. 2006). I personally feel that this is ever more important, as the modern world often demands that both parents spend less time at home as a family unit due to work committments.
Childhood playing can be both alone, in a pair or in larger groups. When play is structured and consists of an 'aim' it is often presented as a game. Free play often has no or changing goals and can take on an infinite number of forms.
In modern Britain, space to play has been limited, amongst other factors, by parents concerns for their childs safety. Children are rarely seen playing football/tick etc in the street, where as 20+ years ago it was the norm. In response to this a number of places to play have been created to try and promote this essential activity and many of these have been playgrounds.
A major scheme in England was the Playbuilder and Pathfinder scheme where nearly 250 million were set aside by the labour goverment to enable local authorities to create upto 30 new playgrounds in their borough. Unfortunately the Conservatives axed the scheme but a great many playgrounds were successfully built in the 3 years the scheme ran for.
These playgrounds had to be designed in order to inspire both free and equipment linked play, that challenged a childs mental and physical abilities. This was done through an ever developing array of playground equipment and playground surfaces. Playground surfaces were incorporated into the structure of the playground not just as a safety mechanism but a tool for creative play.
Intricate, educational designs have been incorporated into tactile surfaces which also offer Critical Fall Height protection ensuring a child falling from play equipment is not insured. The Critical Fall Height is the greatest, vertical, free fall height, from a clearly intended body support of a given piece of play equipment. The standards for this are provided by the Royal Society of the Prevention Of Accidents ROSPA.
PEDIATRICS Vol. 119 No. 1 January 2007, pp. 182-191 (doi:10.1542/peds.2006-2697)
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