Do you have a playground in your neighborhood or local area that seems run down or in need of repair? In today’s world, there is often too little focus on keeping outdoor play areas in good condition. Playing outside has become an after thought to other forms of entertainment such as television, video games and spending too much time online.
A large contributing factor to this focus on indoor entertainment falls largely on the shoulders of parents and adults in general by allowing things to happen such as:
- Allowing too much ‘screen time’ for children
- Not realizing the importance of, and promoting, healthy and active activity in children
- Allowing
- Children’s Outdoor Play Equipment
- and public parks or playgrounds to fall into disrepair
The truth is, that eyesore of a playground that exists in too many neighborhoods is our own doing. By choosing to initiate and take action against public parks that have fallen into a state of disrepair and providing new children’s outdoor play equipment, local parents are giving themselves the opportunity to have some of the following positive impacts, both in the community and in the lives of their own children:
- Increasing the beauty and overall look and feel of the local community
- Providing a safe place for all neighborhood children and adults to enjoy some much needed time outside
- Providing a place for families to enjoy time with each other and interact with other people in the community
- Promoting healthy play activities and preventing over stimulation from too much exposure to electronic entertainment
- Encouraging children to engage one another in a positive social experience that can be monitored by several parents at once
You see, one of the major problems we face with our children today is that they become de-sensitized to the world around them through over exposure to electronic entertainment. Children today are often much more socially inept than they have been in the past. Child obesity and an epidemic of health related issues in today’s children are also a growing problem. Many of these issues can be addressed, at least in part, by providing our children and our families as a whole with a safe and healthy way to play and interact with other children and local families. This can be a wonderful way to promote healthy activity in your children as well as providing opportunities to engage others in a positive social environment.
