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From The Couch To The Slide: Playground Fitness

Parents and educators know it’s getting harder to provide their children with much needed physical activity. Most class time is spent indoors and on top of that, passive entertainment is more and more attractive to children, who crave new television shows, video games and internet browsing without realizing the need for exercise. Finding a local playground with all time classics that are playground slides and swing sets,climbers is the way to let children develop their motor skills while having fun (and parents are left wishing their gyms had playground equipment, too).

We all want our children to be healthy – and health is a state of balance between physical, mental and social well-being, something playful activities help develop. Physical fitness in particular, is measured by muscular endurance, flexibility, strength, cardio-respiratory endurance and body fat index. Good rates on these five factors will give your child a great start towards a happy, harmonious life. It can be as simple as choosing the right place and the right play structures to let them play at will.

It’s a worrying but undeniable fact that modern life manages to stress even children. Noisy commutes, packed schedules and pressure at school excellence can take a toll on children’s nervous systems if they’re not offset with a relaxing time for themselves. Playgrounds help them enjoy nature and self exploration, giving them the opportunity to experience the fun, peaceful aspects of life.

Although all aspects of physical fitness are equally important, body image is regarded as particularly relevant factor in children’s health and confidence. A balanced diet and regular physical activities are enough at this age to ensure the best body mass index, but parents know how hard it can be to regulate children’s food intakes. They often crave processed, sweet foods that provide instant satisfaction but don’t carry the nutrients and fibers they need to stay energized all day, which not only contributes to weight gain, but also in lack of interest for physical activity.

Playful outdoor activities are the perfect way to help consume calories while promoting healthy habits – children won’t suffer any pressure to stay thin or exercise if to them, they’re just having a great time in the playground. The focus on enjoyment and meeting and sharing with other children will help them build self confidence as well.

Safe, fun exercise is undeniably, the best way to combat the modern plague of obesity, something that not only affects appearance, but will down the line, cause cardio-respiratory issues and development hindrances.

Playground time can help your child with his or hers food choices as well. Kids who exercise develop that well known “healthy appetite” that can only be sated with wholesome food and fibers – fast sugars won’t provide long burning energy they need. Furthermore, the contact with nature will help the appreciate foods like vegetables and fruits once they see how interesting their growth process is, and how appetizing they look on their surroundings.

In short, playing pays off. It’s the fun way to reduce stress, develop social skills and achieve a healthy body, all while the kids are just being themselves and having fun. The benefits of a good physical exercise regime on children are immense, and will reflect positively on them throughout their lives. Don’t let them stay in the couch on nice days – they’ll thank you eventually!

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