The cloudy weather cleared up and the sun came out so we headed outside for some Planet Playground fun. This can happen at any playground in most weather, but warmer days often mean more time outdoors.
Since we’d been talking of outer space with the Jupiter probe Juno and the anniversary of the landing on the moon, it didn’t take much stretch of the imagination to turn a tube at the playground into a rocket. It’s too bad there isn’t a circle cut out anywhere on the tube so kids can see out, but they can certainly be heard counting down. A gear section on the outside served as the rocket launch controls. Little Sister ran from one to the other and then back again after each blast off.
Big Sister came over to play too and they begged to have their photo taken. The easiest way to take a picture was from inside but with no room to back up, it’s a sort of bird’s-eye view of our feet. This time, the spaceship landed on a new planet and the kids made up different kinds of games as they explored all around.
Time on the playground is certainly beneficial for bodies. Kids strengthen their large muscles as they climb, run, balance, wiggle, jump, swing, and engage in other actions. It’s also helpful for brains. To develop coordination requires the brain and body to communicate and work together. On the playground, kids challenge themselves to climb a little bit higher, stretch a little bit farther, and jump a little bit longer. Sometimes, we can see them preparing their body for an action as they get brains and bodies in sync.
- Do you know how to organize a space party? A. You planet.
When it comes to what kids learn on a playground, we can’t “planet” but we can know fun and play is one of the best ways to learn. Can you organize some space in the day for planet playground fun for your child?