The Advantages of Motion Play Equipment

Motion playground equipment is equipment that moves as children use it. This includes classic playground equipment like swings, seesaws and merry-go-rounds and modern favorites like ziplines and maypoles.

Motion playground equipment is engaging and incredibly beneficial for a child’s development. Motion play equipment benefits children physically, cognitively, socially and emotionally by encouraging a range of skills that positively contribute to childhood development.

Physical Benefits of Motion Play

Motion playground equipment offers children a fun way to exercise and improve vital physical skills, such as balance and coordination, gross motor skills and fitness:

1. Improved Coordination and Balance

Balance and coordination are all-encompassing, as several skills are needed to achieve them. These include concentration, muscular strength, hand-eye coordination, hand dominance, isolating movements, performing double-handed tasks (bilateral integration), and crossing the midline, or crossing parts of your body to the opposite side.

Motion playground equipment, like swings, teaches children to stabilize their core and coordinate movements to achieve the right movements.

2. Enhanced Gross Motor Skills Development

Gross motor skills are essential for completing everyday tasks such as sitting, walking, lifting, kicking and jumping.

Motion playground equipment naturally encourages children to develop their gross motor skills. On swings, children need to learn to sit and position themselves comfortably. On seesaws, children need to push up off the ground to keep the motion of the component going.

Some motion playground equipment, like the Cyclo Cone Base Climber, even encourages fine motor skills, which involve tasks done with the wrists, hands and fingers. Children must develop and maintain their grip on the playground equipment like these climbers.

3. Increased Physical Fitness

Children will enjoy increased physical fitness as playing outside on a playground is a natural cardio workout. They can experience physical activity as they move around the playground, jumping, climbing and swinging. Additionally, different playground equipment helps children build skills in different areas at once. For example, dynamic equipment like the Maypole can help develop upper body and core strength at the same time.

Cognitive Benefits

Playtime and playgrounds have a unique way of stimulating learning and boosting a child’s cognitive development. Play encourages children to learn and enhance their cognitive skills organically as they have fun. Children improve their executive function as they play and master the various elements of the playground.

New playground equipment — especially motion playground equipment — is something that children need to learn to use. A child doesn’t always know how to balance themselves on a swing, coordinate on climbing rings or get the rhythm of a rocker or seesaw right the first time.

Understanding what they need to do to get the movements right requires problem-solving abilities and creative exploration. Repeating these tasks also reinforces their memory and increases their attention span. Children also explore their creativity by using their imaginations as they play outdoors.

Social Benefits

The playground brings children together in a fun environment where they can organically develop skills like teamwork, sharing, communication and even leadership. The social benefits of interacting during motion play include:

• Encouraging teamwork and cooperation: Playgrounds are communal areas — everything belongs to everyone, meaning children need to learn to share and cooperate to enjoy the space.
• Boosting communication: Playgrounds are social spaces where children need to learn to communicate what they need or want as they play. This is especially true on motion playground equipment like the seesaws, where teamwork is the only way for the component to work.
• Building confidence and self-esteem: The social benefits children enjoy on the playground also help boost their confidence and self-esteem as they learn how to interact with other children and accomplish fun things together.

Emotional Benefits

Play times are not as restricted as other parts of a child’s day, like being in the classroom. Thanks to the freedom of the playground, children can explore their feelings and enjoy a natural release of tension when playing.

• Provides a sense of accomplishment: It can be a soaring experience for a child when they finally get the hang of a playground component. On the playground, children get to see firsthand how their dedication and perseverance pay off. That sense of accomplishment boosts confidence and steels their resolve.
• Reduces stress and anxiety: Play is fun! Children get the thrill of new adventures, the stress-relieving benefits of physical exercise and the enjoyment of laughing with friends — all of which release feel-good endorphins. This means that play, including motion play, can help reduce children’s anxiety and strengthen mental and emotional health.

The Best Motion Playground Equipment to Add to Your Play Areas

Consider these awesome features that will up motion play in your play areas:

• Seesaws: Modern adaptions of the classic seesaw teach children balance, coordination and teamwork. Top choices include this fun Two-Way Animal Hop, the Multi-Pondo and the Wake Rider.
• Surfers: The Surfer — a wobble platform structure — is the ultimate playground product for testing a child’s balance and boosting their vestibular system, which is how the body perceives things like movement and gravity.
• Swings: Swings are the epitome of motion playground equipment. The best part is there’s a wide selection of quality swing sets to choose from.
• Spinners: Spinners like the Maypole, Hang-A-Round, Ten-Spin, Teeter Spin and Saddle Seat – Angled are varied, but all help encourage balance and core strength. The Maypole is excellent for building upper-body strength, too.

Choosing Age-Appropriate Equipment

Playground equipment that is too advanced or too simplified for the child’s age will not be as engaging. Age-appropriate playground equipment maximizes children’s fun and helps them hit the right milestones for their age group through appropriate exercises.

Speaking to a professional playground manufacturer about your play area upgrades or new installations is the best way to ensure your playground caters to the right age group. Working with a professional also ensures you get quality manufactured playground equipment and outstanding customer service every step of the way.

Browse Motion Playground Equipment From Miracle® Recreation

Adding motion play equipment for children to your play area allows kids to be more engaged, have more fun and thrive all around. Overall, providing modern motion playground equipment can boost a child’s holistic growth and development.

At Miracle Recreation, we provide quality, durable playground products and solutions, including various motion playground equipment types to suit your play area. Our playground equipment is accessible and complies with the Americans with Disability Act. We also have inclusive designs, like our Inclusive Swing Seats, that allow children of different abilities to enjoy the benefits of motion play.

Browse our range of premium playground products to start enjoying the benefits of motion playground equipment, or contact us today for any additional information or support.