What’s the science behind play?
We all know too much work and not enough play is bad for your health. We crave the weekends where we can let loose with a bunch of friends and party until the sun rises. But is it actually important? Look no further than children’s psychology, which has been analyzing the positive health benefits of regular play for thousands of years. Play isn’t just ‘having fun’. It’s learning about your environment, connecting with others and even gaining useful manual skills that can be applied to everyday life. Even businesses can benefit from the art of play when they invest in commercial playground equipment for their customers.
It’s time to do a little work and learn about what play can do for your brand.
Play is important. Without it we would be emotionally stunted and socially malnourished. Playing is how we stimulate proper brain development and create a healthy foundation to use as adults. Psychological studies have shown play is very important for children to have in order for them to develop gross motor activities, such as throwing, picking up objects, writing, drawing and communicating. Children that are deprived of this interaction in their first six crucial years will actually face a lifetime of limited brain power.
Sound pretty extreme? That’s not all parents have to worry about. Additional research indicates children with poorly developed motor-skills by age five will likely never develop efficient motor skills. As you can see, play isn’t just throwing a ball around and ignoring chores. It’s essential to live a healthy, fulfilling life. Today’s children are more glued to technology than ever, depriving them of the outdoor activity required to get them socializing, practicing and relaxing. How can commercial playground equipment make a dent in this?
Today’s parents are more concerned than ever about their children’s health. Research provided by the Kaiser Family Foundation found children between the ages of eight and 18 spend four and a half hours per day watching television in various forms, from their mobile phone to their iPad to a home computer. While media is a good way for people to connect with one another and express themselves creatively, like anything else it should be mediated and monitored to a healthy degree. One study found two-thirds of parents worrying about their child spending too much time in front of a screen.
Things may be even worse than you think. Children get to spend even less time outside than their parents. One study found children, on average, will play outside for just four hours per week. Compare this to eight and a half hours per week when their parents were children. Even boredom can be a useful boon to a child. One survey found a mere 20% of parents strongly agreeing with the statement that ‘it’s good for children to be bored sometimes’. Bored children are creative children, becoming resourceful in an attempt to keep their mind and their mood active.
Businesses have a lot to benefit from when they offer their customers a means to keep their children active and socializing. Commercial playground equipment is easy to come across and even easier to customize, with playground trash cans, portable aluminum bleachers and commercial playground slides just a few of the options you can choose from. Busy, stressed-out parents don’t make the happiest customers. By providing playground supplies and customizable commercial playground equipment you can kill two birds with one stone, providing children with healthy play and giving your client base a much-needed break.
Play isn’t just fun. It’s essential!
