After coming back to our blog post pandemic, there is really only one place for Playsmart UK to start: the importance of play for children of all ages, backgrounds and abilities.
Play for children is essential. Outdoor play encourages fresh air and a positive relationship with nature, whilst learning key skills and behaviours. From a socio-economic point of view, outdoor playgrounds are free and open to all, meaning that children from all walks of life can meet and play in the same place. Issues of gender, race and economic standings do not exist within the playground, the soul purpose is for a child’s socialising.
Playgrounds can therefore be seen as essential, so what happened to playgrounds during the pandemic?
After coming back to our blog post pandemic, there is really only one place for Playsmart UK to start: the importance of play for children of all ages, backgrounds and abilities.
Play for children is essential. Outdoor play encourages fresh air and a positive relationship with nature, whilst learning key skills and behaviours. From a socio-economic point of view, outdoor playgrounds are free and open to all, meaning that children from all walks of life can meet and play in the same place. Issues of gender, race and economic standings do not exist within the playground, the soul purpose is for a child’s socialising.
Playgrounds can therefore be seen as essential, so what happened to playgrounds during the pandemic?
With the spread of COVID-19 being a low risk for children under the age of twelve, coupled with the outdoors minimising COVID transmission, the long term effects of lacking social skills and health of children from disadvantaged ethnic groups, those who live in inner cities and low-income families; outweighed the small covid threat from playgrounds.
Dr Tim Gill states that the end result for many children during the pandemic was “boredom, isolation, inactivity and poorer mental and physical health. The consequences for their de-velopment and wellbeing should not be underestimated.”
Understanding the integral part of playgrounds for children, the government during the win-ter 2021 lockdown allowed play spaces to remain open. Relaxing parents, thus removing anxiety and confusion over what and was not allowed. Child psychologists are hopeful that the re-opening of playgrounds will help mitigate and reverse the physical, emotional and educational damages from the first lockdown.
Playsmart as an expert in playground safety flooring is all too aware of the importance of play areas. The team at Playsmart have a passion for giving children a space where they can explore, play and learn key lifelong skills. The corona virus pandemic has been hard on eve-ryone, but it’s our duty in society to protect the vulnerable. Making children’s play areas a safe space is first on our list, but helping to improve the lives of all children from all back-grounds is really special to be a part of.