Playsets for Preschools
We have all heard about the *terrible twos*, but have you heard about the *treacherous threes* and *Frantic fours*? It doesn’t matter if your child is enrolled in preschool or not the age span between two years and five years is generally considered pre-school age. This is the time in your child’s life when they enjoy greater independence. It’s their first real chance to explore the outside world. They begin to understand smell, taste, touch, seeing and hearing the world around them. Motor functions such as running and climbing begin to develop, as does the need for social interaction.
Playing is an essential part of your child’s life, and this is where the right preschool playground equipment is necessary. Children learn from playing, and the right preschool playground equipment is necessary for healthy development.
Four reasons why playground equipment is vital for a child’s development.
It helps to improve your child’s motor skills
All children develop at their own pace, but preschool age is when children learn hand to eye coordination, they begin to jump, run, climb, catch and throw a ball. All these skills build confidence, which leads to greater independence, but children can also become irritated and frustrated if they become embarrassed or tired. Children will need a playground that allows them to climb and crawl, to walk on uneven surfaces or swing.
Social play time
In preschool kids interact with each other, and a lot of games are played to gently *force* socialisation. Children’s vocabularies are expanding, and they are learning to put together full sentences, they can talk to each other, it’s a critical age where each child has equal ability to play. To play together, it shows pre-schoolers how to take turns, set boundaries or work as a team. It can also be the first time they learn to deal with different personalities and know how it feels to both win and lose. A great way for this social interaction is on a playground.
Pre-School playground promotes pretend play
When there is an excellent playground, children can activate their imagination. Pre-schoolers generally live in a land of make-believe, and it doesn’t take much to stimulate their creativity. Which is where the right playground comes in, it can help boost their already active minds. A themed playground is a great example. The Brigantine pirate ship is perfect for role-playing, climbing and imaginary play – whether your child is the captain, a pirate or a kidnapped princess, there is plenty to do – a galley to cook in, slide and ropes to climb. Girls will love the Castle of Kent complete with a draw bridge, climbing tunnel, ropes, and slide. Perfect for kids to slide, climb, role play and helps with agility and social play.
Always ensure the playground equipment is safe
Remember that younger children haven’t fully developed their upper body coordination and can find difficulty in climbing. Likewise, faster moving equipment, such as merry-go-rounds should be avoided altogether. If you have space try choosing playsets by age group, a smaller sensory playset such as the Sand And water Boat Racer is perfect for social play allowing them to play in the sand and splash their hands in water.
Playing is good, it gives children a chance to burn off energy and enjoy being outside in the fresh air, and there is nothing like seeing children smiling and having fun. The benefits of choosing and having the right preschool playground equipment include:
- Children get the chance to learn about themselves, and the world around them
- Children start to develop problem-solving skills
- Outside play enhances their creativity
- Playing encourages strong and healthy growth
- Children learn leadership skills
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