How Long Should Children Play Outside In Utah?

How Long Should Children Play Outside In Utah?

While many parents are becoming more and more wary of the outdoor world, experts are saying that this is leading children to have developmental problems. In Salt Lake City and around the world the number of children spending hours with their bodies glued to their chairs and their eyes to their screen is growing, and this is not something positive.

Together with the spread of the internet has come to a slew of problems. Many pediatricians today are seeing more cases of children falling off their chairs, now not being able to hold pencils, and not being able to process emotions properly.

Those are all issues, they are saying, that might have been averted via allowing our youngsters extra time to be playing outdoors daily.

It is recommended that toddlers ages one to four should be outside and exercising for at least three hours a day. However, recess is seemingly being shortened all over the states, further lessening the exposure that children get to the outdoors. While this might be being replaced by class time, not everyone agrees that this should be happening. In a collaborative study conducted by the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology‘s experts and the obesity specialists at Ottawa’s Children’s Hospital, they have shown that while the majority of time that kids spend is on screens right now, to ensure developmental success, parents need to start stressing the importance of playing outside to their children.

Sof’Fall Engineered wood surface is one of the top rated playground flooring materials. Having Sof’Fall wood chips can transform a dangerous playground into a place your child can play and imagine in safety. One of the biggest steps to helping kids get outside more is helping parents know that the spaces their kids are playing in will catch them when they fall.

GETTING KIDS TO PLAY OUTSIDE

This conversation is no longer happening in the volumes that it needs to, and this is causing children to avoid playing outside. It is suggested that parents immediately change the way they are permitting their children to spend their time if they would like to make sure they have the best chance at health in the future. One of the ways that many parents restrict their child’s development is by keeping them strapped down for too long. Many parents allow their babies to sit in a car seat, bed, or other stationary bed for too long. It is recommended that your baby should be having at least thirty minutes of “tummy time” if they cannot yet crawl.

WHAT ABOUT FOR OLDER CHILDREN?

For older children, you may find they enjoy time on a playground. However, not every parent has the opportunity to take their child to Salt Lake City playgrounds every day. This means that you may want to invest in playgrounds for your children. This way, they could have a hand in deciding which design of the playgrounds they may enjoy. Make sure, though, that you purchase one with enough activities to keep your children interested for a longer period. After your child picks one out, you also need to consider the location of the play place. Even if you may have an area that is covered in grass, if you have a younger child, covering the ground in mulch may ease some of your worries if they were to jump down. 

Children need to learn to climb, be active, and how to steady themselves, but many parents are too worried about them hurting themselves. Having a soft playground material to play on can help ease the parents fear and the child’s fall.

Finding ways to get outside

While the world is getting more online, and more threatening, parents are hurting their children by shutting them away. When they are allowed to explore their interests unburdened, however, they prosper. Making sure that your children are safe should be your priority, so while they need to be climbing and breathing fresh air, make sure they are safer by providing a comfortable place to land.

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Fun And Safe Playground Games For Your Kids

Fun And Safe Playground Games For Your Kids

Exercise is extremely important for keeping kids happy and healthy. Exercise helps strengthen bones, keep hearts pumping strong and can improve your child’s self-esteem. One of the best ways to encourage your child to exercise is to head to a nearby playground and get in on the fun. These five playground games are perfect for the entire family.

“All of these games have their different variations and go by different names but the important is that they are fun! More important than that, is they’re also safe.”

Even if you have a playground or park close to your home you may get there and wonder how you are going to entertain your kids. If kids don’t have fun while outdoors, they aren’t going to want to spend time there. We hope that our ideas can help you have fun with your kids and even help come up with new games to play as well. 

When kids get suffiecient time outdoors to play, create, and exersise it benefits nearly every department of their physical and nuerological development in a positive manner. 

Horse (or any other word you want to Spell)

To play horse, all you need is a basketball, one of the many playgrounds in Utah with a basketball court and your family. Each player takes a shot from wherever on the court they would like. If they make it, the next person in line must take a shot from the same spot. If they make it, the play goes on to the next player; if they miss, they get a letter “H.” Play continues until someone spells “Horse.” This same pattern can be followed for any word and like all games contains its own variations in rules. 

Doggy, Doggy, Where’s your bone?

An object, such as a stick, shoe, or even a plastic dog bone, is all that is needed to play this game. To begin, one person is chosen as “it.” This player places the object on the ground and turns around. One of the other players takes the object and hides it behind his or her back. The player that is “it” must then turn around and guess who took the object. If he or she guesses correctly, the “it” player must try to tag the person who stole the object. The running and trying not to get tagged is great exercise for your kid.

Treasure Hunt

This game takes a little bit of planning, but seeing your children work together to figure out the clues will be worth the work. To play, find several age-appropriate objects to hide, paper bags for the objects and papers with clues written on them to help the children find the missing objects. Hide the bags and give out the clues. It’s important that the playground has a soft surface for this game as children will get excited and begin running. Playground safety helps ensure everyone has a fun time until the treasure is found at last.

Monkey in the middle

Grab a soft playground ball and find an open area to play this game. To begin, have all of the players stand in a circle. Choose one person to be the “monkey.” The monkey stands in the middle of the circle and attempts to get the ball as the other players roll it on the ground or toss it above his or her head. Once the “monkey” gets the ball, he or she trades places with the last one to throw it. Kids all over Salt Lake City love this game because of fun and ever changing aspect of the game.

Obstacle courses 

A little competition makes playground games fun for young and old alike. Set up an obstacle course, which may include running and touching a tree, sliding down a slide or climbing stairs. Set a timer and allow the family to compete against each other to determine who can beat the course fastest.

No matter which game you choose, remember to wear sunscreen and bring plenty of water and a healthy snack. There are many playgrounds in Utah to choose from for your day of play, however, it’s also important to pay attention to the playground that you choose. Playgrounds should have soft surfacing to help protect your child should they fall. It’s also a good idea to check over the structure for any loose bolts or sharp edges to ensure playground safety before playing as a family.

We've been catching children when they fall for over 27 Years

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How Going To Playgrounds Can Increase Your Child’s Creativity

How Going To Playgrounds Can Increase Your Child’s Creativity

While playground safety is of utmost importance to many Salt Lake City parents, scientists have proven that risky outdoor play boosts children’s creativity. Thanks to soft playground surfacing, kids can develop their creativity to the fullest, and parents in Salt Lake City don’t have to worry about playground safety while their little ones jump, climb, swing, and run.

“Studies have shown that children who use playground equipment for five to ten hours each week are more creative than those who don’t.”

Thanks to soft playground surfacing, you can relax while your child plays with their friends on the monkey bars. Scientists also found that children who take more risks while playing outside stay outdoors longer than children who play more safely. The risk-taking children were found to be more resilient and more curious than their counterparts. These results were found constantly through out the studies. 

Sof’Fall is committed to helping children have safe places to play. Soft playground surfacing is the first step to that goal.

It’s no secret that running and jumping is great for your child’s physical health; playing outdoors can also help your kids develop social skills. Rougher play among children may seem dangerous, but studies find that there are benefits to letting your kids get down and dirty; a few scrapes may help children become tougher and improve their improvisation and perseverance skills.

Developing Creativity in Children

The author of this study, Mariana Brussoni, says that it’s important to support children’s outdoor play because it can drastically improve their mental and physical well-being. The study elaborates on which playground features garner the best results; natural features like trees and flowers aid in boosting creativity and curiosity in children. When choosing a playground, changes in elevation and things for children to climb on are useful.

The researchers found that children who were over-supervised during playtime didn’t take as many risks.Concerns over playground safety standards often prevent caretakers and parents from letting children explore as freely as they’d like. Soft playground surfacing can make playgrounds safer and allow children to take more creativity-boosting risks. 

Mariana Brussoni recommends a solution to over-supervision. She urges guardians to establish rules with their children, especially older ones, rather than actively supervising their playtime. Building safer playgrounds that balance safety and positive risk-taking will ensure that children reap the health benefits of outdoor free play.

Outdoor play is essential to children’s mental and emotional development. Outdoor play that involves risk-taking and rougher play can build resilience and peak children’s curiosity, and providing safe playgrounds with the necessary safety features allows children to grow without sustaining serious injuries.

Safety is always going to be the top priority for parents and guardians, but creative development should be the second. Providing children with safe outdoor venues to explore is critical for creating a generation of intelligent leaders who can create, innovate, and overcome obstacles. Proper playground surfacing creates the perfect balance between safety and risk.

We've been catching children when they fall for over 27 Years

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Unsafe Playground Features To Look Out For

Unsafe Playground Features To Look Out For

Making sure children get plenty of outdoor activity is crucial for their healthy development. Playgrounds can be great places for a family outing, but parents should be aware of various safety hazards that may exist. Here are some tips to help you watch out for unsafe playground equipment so that you can keep your family safe.

“With a little bit of forethought and an easy inspection we can find out if where our children play is safe or not.”

First, check each park you visit for outdated or damaged equipment. While many parks follow Salt Lake City Playground regulations, some may require crucial maintenance to ensure safety. Older playgrounds with metal play structures may have rust or pieces of bent metal. A projecting piece of metal can be especially dangerous at the top of a slide. A child’s clothing could become caught when they attempt to go down

Sof’Fall Engineered wood surface is 100% ADA compliant and fully approved by multiple organizations that govern playground equipment safety. 

Check for outdated, damaged, or unsafe equipment

If the playground equipment is made out of wood may have splinters or cracks. You should also check to make sure climbing areas have appropriate fencing to reduce the risk of falls. Swings should be located at a safe distance away from climbing equipment or other playground attractions so that distracted children are not accidentally hit by another child at play.

Look out for unexpected hazards

Even parks that comply with all existing Salt Lake City playground regulations can sometimes pose dangers. Before letting your children play freely, check the area for any debris that could be hazardous. Broken glass or bits of metal could cause cuts if a child falls while playing. On bright summer days, make sure the surface temperature of the equipment is not hot enough to cause burns. It is especially important to check metal play structures, particularly slides, ladders, and railings, as these can become extremely hot in the summer months.

the importance of soft playground surfacing

Choose a park for your children that has a soft surface around the play area. Asphalt and concrete are too hard to absorb the shock of a child’s fall. Gravel can also cause injuries and a mulch surface can lead to painful splinters. Soft playground surfacing prevents injury and is necessary for a safe park.

Find an age appropriate playground

 

Some parks that are perfectly safe for older children can be dangerous for younger ones. Toddlers may not be able to safely climb equipment intended for older children, and they might be accidentally injured by an older child engaged in boisterous outdoor play. Salt Lake City has some parks that are designed for young children and toddlers. These can be excellent places to help children develop their confidence and gross motor skills without excessive risk.

Fortunately, the issue of playground safety has reached public consciousness. Communities like Salt Lake City are working with park planners and government officials to make sure children have safe places to play and grow. There is no need to keep your children inside in order to ensure their well-being. With care and supervision, you and your family can make sure that your playground outings are safe and filled with happy memories.

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Why Parks Are An Important Part Of Your Child’s Health

Why Parks Are An Important Part Of Your Child’s Health

Summer is here! For most of us with kids, that strikes a little fear in the heart of every parent—what do we fill our children’s time up NOW? Idle time for children is not necessarily good for them; finding ways to incorporate play and physical activity throughout a sunny summer day will help you all make the best of your time together.

“Studies have shown that even a simple 45-minute trip to the park every week can have lasting effects on a child”s development, mood, learning abilities and more. ” 

We believe it is very important to get our kids outside. Here are some solid reasons why you need to take advantage of the wonderful weather and start exploring local parks in your area:

Providing a safe place for our children to play is one of our top priorities at Sof’Fall. 

Playing at the park stimulates gross motor skills development

Nearly every piece of playground equipment is beneficial to the development of gross motor skills in children. Spinning and swinging activities aid in the development of vestibular movement, while other playground equipment promotes balance and a sense of spatial development that they will need as they mature. Thanks to more rigorous standards of park safety, new playground equipment is easier and safer to use than ever before. It is still recommended, however, that parents keep a watchful eye on children when engaged in play.

Outdoor Activity increases the academic ability to learn

Believe it or not, playgrounds improve your child’s academic performance in school! Strengthening core muscles, arm and finger strength, and other postural muscles helps children to maintain proper posture when completing schoolwork. In addition, proper development of the vestibular system helps a child to maintain attention, focus, and to support emotional regulation needed for navigating a school environment. These early experiences of touch, movement, and visual stimulation all work in tandem to set your child up for academic success.

Physical Recreation Increases Primary Mental Fortitude

A strong body and a strong mind are interconnected; they fuel and drive each other to improve. Kids who play on playground equipment improve all aspects of physical fitness including core strength, arm and leg strength and even grip strength. Most renovated parks now offer an improved soft playground surface so that children can play on structures with less anxiety and fear of falling. Establishing physical activity as part of a well rounded childhood improves mental health by stimulating the release of endorphins, those feel good hormones associated with mental balance and good mental health. It is obvious with benefits like that that exercise is good for our children.

Playgrounds connect kids to the outdoors

Encouraging outdoor play helps connects kids to nature and fosters a love for the outdoors. It’s good for kids to get dirty! Discovering plants, bugs, and all intricacies that nature brings opens up a whole new world of scientific discovery that fosters creativity and curiosity. The next time your kid comes in from the park covered in mud and other unmentionables, celebrate the learning that they just engaged in, and help to continue to develop a love of learning.

PLAYGROUNDS CONNECT KIDS TO THE OUTDOORS

Salt Lake City is a veritable treasure trove of picnic areas, parks, and recreational areas that promise fun for the whole family; kids can play, parents can lounge and picnic, and you can create memories that last well into the winter months. Contact your local Salt Lake City chamber of commerce to find out what wonderful outdoor resources await you and your children. Have a great time this summer!

We've been catching children when they fall for over 27 Years

Get in touch with us to learn why our play area surface products are your best option.
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