Play is Important to Child Growth and Development #ShapedByPlay #IC #ad @PlayLSI

This post was sponsored by Landscape Structures as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. All opinions expressed in my post are my own.

Do you have fond memories of going out to recess to play or playing at a park on a bright Spring day? I do remember the simple structures that my elementary playground had. We had swings, a concrete tunnel, merry-go-round, see-saw, and a soccer field at our daily disposal. We were afforded the opportunity to climb, swing, run and spin to our hearts were content each nice weather day from Kindergarten to 6th grade!

Since my children are being homeschooled we get to take advantage of all sorts of play opportunities any time of day. If the weather will be nice for a few days and it’s forecasted to be yucky for a few days we rush out the door to play at a park or playground IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY!! We sometimes get an entire playground to ourselves but often we have invited some homeschool friends to join us or we meet a new family while we are there.

One really cool advantage to homeschooling and having children of various ages is the opportunity to play, imagine, and pretend together. Big siblings can help spot little ones on ramps, stairs, and tunnels while mom and dad can help keep watch overall.

Unfortunately our culture is taking away play from children “for more serious work”! Play is important to child growth and development in many ways. Playgrounds offer a wide array of learning opportunities:

• Physical exercise and fresh air help keep a child healthy and strong
• Pretend play allows for a child to grow their imagination
• Social interactions on the playground foster better manners
• Being around others builds self-confidence and social awareness

Having a good playground with a great variety of play structures helps foster all of the above things easily for children. One of our local city park’s has a Landscape Structures playground which we have loved and played on for years! The weather broke for a few sunny hours after a few days of severe thunderstorms and tornado warnings so off to the playground we went!

I really enjoy watching my children on a playground where everyone can play. The joy on their faces, the determination and the cooperation delight this mama’s heart!