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.