An important aspect of a good community is the playground. Playgrounds are important to the prosperity of the entire community, despite the fact that it is easy to think of them as a children’s facility only. The accessibility and inclusiveness of neighborhood parks and playgrounds is becoming more and more important. As a result the community becomes inclusive and connected. Thus residents begin to benefit in many areas.

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So, what benefits can a playground provide for your community? Find out how a Community playground can help locals and add value to the neighborhood.

What Are Community playgrounds?

A community playground is a common outdoor area with play equipment, natural elements, tables, and chairs that community members share. The community playground serves as a gathering place for neighbors and provides a space for children and adults to play outside and be active._

Growing children can explore, interact with others and learn new skills in an unstructured setting in these settings. Children learn a lot while playing on the playground, including sharing, taking turns, making friends and more.

Community playgrounds provide a place for adults to play, as well as a place for children to learn valuable skills and get enough exercise. Adults can use the area to be active, enjoy time outdoors, and socialize with friends and family. It also provides opportunities for exercise and sociability.

All things considered, community playgrounds can foster a sense of belonging and provide an inclusive environment for individuals of all skill levels. Community playgrounds should be built for a variety of reasons, but their relevance stems from the benefits they provide to the local community. These areas contribute to community development and assist locals living near the playground in a variety of ways.

8 Benefits of Community Playgrounds

Playgrounds provide learning and growth opportunities for children of all skill levels, thus they are more than just a place for developing children to have fun. Community playgrounds provide many benefits for the local community and its citizens in addition to helping children.

Installing a community playground can be beneficial for all communities. Although this is not a comprehensive list, we have identified eight reasons why a playground can help your city.

1. Encourage Outdoor Physical Activity

Community playgrounds encourage children to be physically active in the outdoor environment, which is one of its main benefits. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children between the ages of 6 and 17 should get at least 60 minutes of physical exercise per day. Frequent exercise reduces the risk of developing many diseases, including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, anxiety, and depression.

Unfortunately, only 24% of children in this age group engage in this level of physical exercise. Although most children have gym courses at school, they are unable to last or keep in for the full 60 minutes. In addition, the lack of parks and playgrounds in their area contributes to the inactivity of many children.

Fortunately, Community playgrounds provide a safe place to burn off energy and exercise. These spaces give young people the opportunity to do all the recommended physical exercises outside. Most of all, outdoor playgrounds promote active play – that is, more physically demanding, high-intensity activities like running, jumping, and climbing.

Community playgrounds also promote unstructured play, which is different from scheduled exercise courses that have time constraints and restrictions. Children can be creative and use their imagination when doing this kind of physical play. Children can develop their independence and tolerance by seeing how a playground can easily turn into a magical place with hidden treasures and exciting experiences.

2. Provide Multisensory Experiences

These areas can provide multi-sensory experiences for growing and developing children, helping them learn and understand the world around them through activities and play that use their senses. Having sensory experiences is important for a growing mind, as they help a child’s brain learn how things work.

Consider how the following senses might be experienced on the playground:

• Tactile: Tactile experiences stimulate the sense of touch, and playground equipment with different textures appeals to this sense.
• Visual: A space with bright colors and patterns stimulates the sense of sight.
• Auditory: Many playgrounds have musical instruments or noise-making devices integrated into their structure, encouraging children to explore sounds that stimulate their sense of hearing.
• Vestibular: Vestibular experiences stimulate balance and movement, so equipment such as slides and balance beams help here.
• Proprioceptive: Proprioceptive experiences involve knowledge about the body. This sense is stimulated through playground equipment that makes children aware of their bodies and their place in space and in relation to other people and things.

3. Offer Space for Social Interaction

Like many other shared spaces, community playgrounds offer opportunities for social interaction. Socialising is crucial for healthy childhood development. With so many ways to play on a playground, kids are bound to run into others and end up playing together. Additionally, it’s often easier for children with disabilities to engage with others at a playground because it’s a more welcoming and inclusive space than competitive settings tend to be.

While children often make friends through school and play together at recess, community playgrounds offer kids of all ages a chance to meet others outside of their school group. At local playgrounds, kids can meet new friends, spending more time honing their social skills in an unstructured setting. As a result, the possibilities for making friends are endless.

Furthermore, playgrounds offer connection opportunities for parents and caregivers. Those with children to take care of might struggle to meet other families or people in similar situations. At playgrounds, parents and caregivers can build friendships with each other while their kids do the same. Ultimately, community playgrounds make meeting new friends easy for people of all ages, which collectively strengthens the sense of community among a group of people.

4. Present a Safe Place to Gather

Families who do not have parks and playgrounds nearby sometimes do not have safe places to do physical activity or connect with friends and family. Fortunately, neighborhood parks provide a safe area for citizens to socialize. When parents and caregivers believe that parks and playgrounds are safe, they are more willing to let their children play outside.

These areas can actually help reduce violence in neighboring communities. Attractive playgrounds increase the number of pedestrians in specific neighborhoods, which helps reduce crime. Many parks and playgrounds are also closely monitored and have security cameras installed. Neighborhoods with high crime rates can greatly benefit from a safe playground to enjoy.

5. Create Inclusivity

Designing the playground and equipment is the first step to creating an inclusive playground. Community playgrounds should be designed with the needs of the entire community in mind, regardless of their ability. To develop an inclusive playground, consider these eight characteristics.

• Unitary Surface: By providing the same flat surface across the entire playground, children and other community members who use mobility equipment can access the entire playground. To ensure everyone’s safety, use a surface material that is both shock-absorbent and anti-slip. This will help reduce the severity of injuries and also make it easier to navigate around the playground.
• Zones: Zones are used to group comparable types of play equipment with varying challenge levels. For example, your playground could have a section dedicated to different types of swings. Including different challenge levels within each zone gives young people with varying abilities a chance to play together. Close proximity increases the likelihood that children will be familiar with each other, which promotes empathy and awareness of diversity.
• Perimeter: Fencing around the perimeter of the playground is helpful for both parents and children. Limiting the playground to a designated area helps parents and caregivers keep an eye on their children and can help prevent children from wandering off.
• Social play: Inclusive playgrounds aim to create an environment where children can interact with each other during play. Incorporating playground equipment that promotes social interaction helps children to further develop social skills.
• Sensory play: To provide a multi-sensory experience for children of all abilities, inclusive playgrounds should include equipment that is designed to stimulate sensory systems. For example, sensory play panels are fun, entertaining, and inclusive for all children.
• Range of challenges: Since children grow and develop their skills and abilities at different rates, inclusive playgrounds need to provide activities at different challenge levels so that children still have options to play with as they explore and grow. A range of challenges also gives children the opportunity to push their limits and test their skills.
• Wide Pathways: Using wide paths in parks and playgrounds ensures that children and community members who use wheelchairs and other mobility devices have options for moving around the facility.

6. Improve the Well-Being of the Community

While children are often the most active users on playgrounds, there are park and playground opportunities for all members of the community. Providing exercise options for individuals of all ages and abilities can motivate more people to be active, therefore improving the overall well-being of the community. A well-kept and attractive park makes it more enjoyable for residents to spend time outside and be active.

Proper playground facilities can increase the frequency of exercise in the community, which can decrease the incidence of obesity and other health problems associated with inactivity. If you have a safe, inviting environment to work on your physical fitness, you are more inclined to do so. In general, playground access benefits the physical well-being of community residents.

These facilities often incorporate natural features into their design to provide a seamless outdoor experience. Contact with nature is associated with greater feelings of peace and relaxation, as well as improved mental alertness and cognitive efficiency. Participating in outdoor activities also improves mood, happiness, and reduces stress. Spending free time outdoors provides young people with many opportunities to explore.

Communities that have playgrounds and green parks are often psychologically and physically healthier. When most people in a community enjoy the benefits of a park or playground, the well-being of the community improves. This can make a neighborhood a more attractive place to live and work.

7. Increase Property Values

Parks and playgrounds, as desired amenities, can increase property prices in surrounding areas. When purchasing a new home, potential buyers are more likely to choose an area near a community playground or park. Additionally, many individuals are willing to spend up to 10% extra to purchase a home near playgrounds, parks, and green areas.

These features can potentially increase the value of nearby commercial properties. There will be more foot traffic in and around the playground, increasing the likelihood of community members visiting nearby businesses and retailers. This makes commercial land substantially more attractive and profitable, as company owners will be willing to pay for high-traffic areas.

However, poorly maintained playgrounds and recreational facilities can have a negative impact on neighborhoods. Dangerous parks that lack security or that are dirty and destroyed can decrease the value of nearby residences. As a result, a community must have the infrastructure and resources to ensure that the area is maintained for all residents.

8. Foster Community Pride

A beautiful playground can boost community pride and encourage people to get involved in their neighborhood. When residents have a safe place to gather, exercise, socialize, and play, they are more likely to be proud of their city. An increased sense of community pride can help residents interact and collaborate on community activities and initiatives. When community members are happy with their surroundings, they are more likely to feel connected to the people and things around them and to recommend the area to others.

Residents who take pride in their towns benefit the long-term viability of the community as well as the youth growing up in the surrounding areas. These residents tend to be more involved in their communities, so they will help maintain outdoor areas such as playgrounds. This is often done to keep an area in good condition for the youth of the community. Creating an inclusive and well-organized environment for developing children improves their lives and provides a solid foundation for the future.

Why Are Community Playgrounds Important?

In addition to recognizing some of the benefits, it is also important to understand the importance of community playgrounds. These areas are vital to maintaining the quality of life in a community, making them important public services that contribute to the well-being of a community. Ultimately, community parks contribute to the health, economic, social, and environmental well-being of the communities in which they are established.

Community Health

These playgrounds improve the general health of the community. Many urban residents miss out on the health benefits that parks and playgrounds provide. Adequate physical activity is especially important for the healthy development of young children and their growing habits.

As a result, parks are important because they encourage community members to spend time outdoors and exercise, which is becoming increasingly important as many people are less active in their lives.

Economic Value

A community playground can add economic value to the surrounding area. In addition to increasing property values, community playgrounds generate economic benefits through recreational programs and tourists. A good playground can be used for a variety of purposes, including day camps and festivals.

Using the playground to its maximum capacity will attract more community members and even visitors from outside the neighborhood. As more individuals become aware of the benefits of the community, they will spend more money and possibly look for a home there. As a result, the city thrives, and many people want to live there.

Socioeconomic Value

These spaces also provide tremendous socioeconomic benefits to communities, particularly those with lower incomes. Families living in these spaces typically do not have access to affordable and safe environments for their children to play and socialize. This can result in disadvantages or lags compared to wealthier spaces. Low-income communities benefit from community playgrounds because they provide opportunities for physical activity, sensory experiences, and social connection for both children and adults alike.

Since community playgrounds are generally free to people, there are no limitations due to economic status. This accessibility encourages children and families from all socio-economic backgrounds to interact and enjoy the space together. Therefore, community playgrounds are important because there are no limits to who can benefit from them.

Environmental Well-Being

It has been found that playgrounds and parks improve the environmental well-being of the community. Since playgrounds and other outdoor recreational spaces typically incorporate nature into their design, they add environmental value to the community. As a result, residents can explore and interact with nature, which is more difficult to achieve in cities. When natural components are incorporated into playground design, it also promotes environmental consciousness.

Planting trees and other plants improves air quality, encourages pollination and creates habitat for local species. As cities grow or become more urbanized, the importance of connecting with the environment and spending time outdoors remains. No matter what a city looks like, it can always benefit from more greenery.

Partner With Sports Yodha to Build a Community Playground

If you’re thinking about building a playground in your community, make sure you collaborate with people who understand the importance of a good community playground. Sports yodha goal is to build one-of-a-kind playgrounds that bring communities together by providing equitable play opportunities. We lead the industry in playground design by redefining the way today’s children and families play and connect thanks to our five core values.

To begin planning your community playground, consider Sports Yodha sports solutions, which offer a wide selection of activities for all skill levels. We design our playground equipment to promote inclusivity and provide unforgettable experiences. Whether you would like more information or are ready to experience the benefits of a community playground, contact our experts at Sports Yodha for a quote today.