fenland-leisure-products-see-sawsWhile there is an ongoing emphasis on encouraging children to have nutritious diets, this is only part of ensuring children have a healthy lifestyle. Getting enough exercise is also key to being healthy and keeping excess weight off. While some children can be naturally inclined to exercise, others can be more self-conscious about their abilities which can prevent them from getting the exercise they need. Playground equipment that combines play with exercise takes the competitiveness out of exercise, which helps to encourage children of all abilities to exercise during their breaks. Choosing the right equipment Choosing the right playground equipment is key to combining play with exercise. Traditional playground equipment, such as swings and slides, are popular with younger children and provide an easy way for them to be active. Play towers, especially ones that combine climbing, crawling, and slides are popular with children of all ages and can prove to be a fantastic way of combining play with being active. When choosing your playground equipment always ensure that the equipment is suitable for the age of the children using the area. If the equipment is too advanced for young children it could prove too daunting for them to use, or could result in them injuring themselves. If the equipment is too easy for older children it won’t be challenging enough and they won’t want to be seen using it. Designing the play area The design of your play area will impact on the type of equipment you choose. If your playground has limited space then a multiplay tower will be ideal for making the most use of the available area. Alternatively, if you have a lot of space you could consider creating your own child-friendly fitness trail. As well as this, if you are adding equipment to an existing play area, ensure that the new equipment complements what you already have. Also keep in mind that if you are designing a play area that will be used by children of all ages you should try and ensure you keep the equipment separate, or else you could have bigger children accidently running into smaller ones. Along with safety, one of the most important things to keep in mind when designing a play area is to ensure it is as fun and accessible as possible for children. This will help to encourage them to use the equipment and get more exercise. Safety precautions Whenever choosing playground equipment that combines play with exercise it is essential that safety is kept in mind. A lot of this type of equipment involves children climbing, jumping, swinging and balancing, which can easily lead to them falling off the equipment. This means that ensuring you have enough space around the equipment is a vital consideration when choosing the right one for your playground. As well as this, it is important that any equipment that involves children climbing or has high platforms from which they can fall off has the right safety surfacing that will prevent children from getting hurt while playing.   For more information about how our playground equipment can benefit your playground call us on 01354 638 359 or fill out our contact form and we will contact you.