Tag Archives: play activities

Author: Austin Stanfel

Children tend to be natural builders by birth. Things like big machines, building materials, and overall construction capture the interest of many toddlers. It is a fun activity that is true! However, it also encourages toddlers to use their imagination and to experiment with things. At the same time, through construction play, toddlers also learn how to solve different problems. Hence, construction-themed activities should be encouraged among toddlers and kids of all ages. The complexity of these activities will, of course, depend on the age of the kid and the kid’s physical/mental capabilities at that particular age.

While kids carry a keen interest in the construction world, they tend to lose their interest in it after a while. Hence, their desire to make a career out of it diminishes. Construction plays a considerable role in our society. Therefore, it is quite crucial to building a child’s interest in that direction. All in all, it could prove to be a very fruitful career for them as they grow older.

After all, who else is going to build the roads, homes, skyscrapers, and bridges for the coming generation?

According to experts, construction activities are an unmatched tool that adults can use to teach children a range of essential skills. Furthermore, it may also spark a deep interest in STEM fields, and as a result of this, children will get aid in STEM subjects from early childhood.

Ages 3 to 4
In case you have a child aged 3 to 4, the following activities may be useful:

1. Construction of shapes
Use marshmallows and toothpicks to teach children how to use different elements around them, to create more prominent structures.

7. Lego building
Now is the time to buy a Lego building set for your child. Challenges like these will increase their level of creativity while further strengthening their interest in this field.

8. Building a bridge
Use some spaghettis to get your child involved in an advanced project that requires design, planning, and physics to build a bridge that stands in its weight. At this point, your child will be capable of interacting with objects and manipulating them.

Author: Austin Stanfel

Play is the most frequent activity undertaken by children. Whenever a child finds some free time, all they want to do is play, and as a result of these facts, they spend much time playing. Parents sometimes see this as a waste of time. However, play may be one of the essential requirements for a child. All around the world, schools, hospitals, and development institutes are trying to get more parents into the idea of allowing their children more freedom to play. While some of the activities may seem dangerous, little supervision can help avoid chaos. Rather than prevent your child from playing, you can give them a more active childhood, with play at the heart of it.

Importance of play
While a parent may not see the value in playing, it is an integral part of a child’s development, and there are several benefits attached to it. Here are some reasons why play is essential in a growing child’s life:

Physical and mental development: When children are at certain ages, the activities they carry out have a significant impact on their progress. Play equipment is designed to stimulate the mental and physical receptors of the brain, helping the child think better, and ensuring that the child grows up in the right physical and mental frame. With the right activities and enough time on the playground, you will have a smart and healthy child, without having to overwork them academically.

Socialization: Children love playgrounds, as it affords them the freedom to play and run around without the fear of damaging household appliances. As a result, playgrounds are the hot zones for children playing, and there are usually many children at the stadium. Children tend to form little social groups and play together. This helps to eliminate the possibility of a lonely childhood of isolation, which can have very nasty effects when an individual is grown.

Teamwork: Socialization helps build partnership, which is a valuable skill in the current labor market. Since children play together on the playground, they tend to divide into groups and sometimes even get a little competitive. A lot of their group activities involve teams, and this helps the children develop a sense of teamwork that they carry on to adulthood. Here they can employ this skill to their daily tasks and accomplish a lot more than an individual would achieve, alone.

Active learning: Active learning is highly sought after these days. Active learning refers to the process where children learn by participating in enlightening activities. Some play activities require the children to get creative and think out the box. Children get smarter from these activities, and the effects have proven to be long term. Since these activities are fun, children willingly participate and pay full attention, unlike in a traditional learning setting, where they are easily distracted.

With these advantages, the importance of play in a child’s life cannot be understated. It is therefore essential to allow your children to play and encourage them when the need arises.

Author: Austin Stanfel

With the temperatures going below zero and snow, rain, sleet making it impossible to venture outside, indoor play activities is the best option to keep your little ones busy and fit. Weather like this forces kids and adults to stay indoors. But a long time spent inside not only makes kids cranky but also makes you worry about the limited amount of physical exercise they are getting. By engaging them in indoor fun activities will not only make them happy but ensure they remain fit during the cold weather.

Board Games

When it comes to board games, every house has some of them. Either they come as birthday gifts or Christmas gifts; you can find them stuck in some cupboard or the other. This is the right time to bring them out. Games like monopoly, Scotland Yard, picture dictionary help kids to pass couple of hours quietly. These games require less space and are not at all messy.

Makeshift indoor sports

There are a variety of indoor sports games that can be found today in the market. If you do not have one already, you can make one for yourself and kids. A makeshift goalpost can be made from cardboard boxes and kids can play hockey or ball. There are games involving rings and hoops that are not only fun but provide some form of exercise too.

Indoor sports arenas

You can search on the internet for some nearby indoor sports arenas that house games like football, soccer or tennis. You can enjoy these games indoor when the weather is not suitable to play them outside. Some more games that can be played indoors are basketball, volleyball etc. Some indoor sports facilities also provide rock climbing which can be lots of fun.

Indoor swimming pool

If you have a sports center nearby which has an indoor swimming pool then you can take advantage of that. You can have fun with your kids, friends and family members and engage in some water play activities. For toddlers you can improvise and can set up some water games in their bath tub as well. Bathing time can be doubled up as some play and fun time too.

Other activities around the house

Roleplaying and pretend plays are the ideal kind of games for toddlers to play inside the house. By giving them some alone time you can encourage them to play with their stuffed toys. It is fun to watch kids trying to make their toys eat, sleep and talk. Makeshift tent can also be made by some blankets and bed sheets. Kids and their friends can have fun playing in them.

Kids can be engaged in art and craft activities too. Though that can be messy you can involve kids to clean up the mess later.

Playing is an important part of growing up. Kids need to be engaged in physical activities all the year around. Encourage them to participate in couple of sports too. By exploring various options early on helps kids know which areas they are good in and they can pursue that specifically. Do not let the weather dampen your spirits. Explore, recreate, innovate and have fun while keeping warm and safe indoors.

Author: Austin Stanfel

Is there really a perfect playground surface? Based on the studies, there is no perfect playground surface; however, you would be able to find the playground surface that best fits your requirements and complies with the state’s standards. A study has been conducted in order to help those who want to find the right and appropriate ADA playgrounds for their children. The study or research helps customers purchase a long-term playground appropriate to their budgets, facilities, personnel resources, and other expectations.

Creative Recreational Systems, Inc. has been committed to providing customers with playground equipment and surfacing that welcomes families and children with different abilities to enjoy and have fun. This manufacturer became much more committed to developing commercial playground equipment, which simply goes beyond just being accessible but being a playground that would be suitable for all.

In 2010, ADA, known as the Americans with Disabilities Act, had proposed standards for playgrounds. The ADA playgrounds should comply with the standard accessible design requirement. All playgrounds should be constructed and designed so that the equipment is readily usable and accessible, especially for those with disabilities. And with that, Creative Recreational Systems, Inc. has been meeting the ADA playgrounds standards long before the standards have been released. Ever since, they have been creating playground components that address those with physical disabilities, including those with vision impairments, sensory disorders, autism, and many more.

To ensure its accessibility, the playground surfacing should comply with the ASTM F 1951 Accessibility of Surface Systems Under and Around Playground Equipment. These standards are limited to playground surfacings such as poured rubber or rubber tiles and poured-in-place or engineered wood fiber, which is why it is very important that when you purchase one, you should first consult them regarding the test data. The playground should have an accessible route of travel to the play equipment.

Moreover, the ADA playgrounds are also expected to have accessible ground-level play activities that are equal to one-half of the total elevated play activities. With that, it only means that the playground would require an accessible surfacing route going to and around the activity. Every type of ground-level play activity should be made accessible enough. If, for instance, there are four swings in the playground, at least one swing should be accessible that has a safe and appropriate accessible surfacing.

So when you are looking for a playground, ensure that it is not only appropriate to your budget, site, and other preferences or expectations, it should also be a certified ADA playground. With this, you can rest assured that you will enjoy and have fun with all the activities. Although children are different from each other and have different ways of entertaining themselves, it is important that playgrounds are accessible and usable enough.

Creative Recreational Systems, Inc. will help you choose ADA playgrounds. With them, you can rest assured that all your expectations would be met and everything would comply with the given standard.