This post was sponsored by Landscape Structures as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. All opinions expressed in my post are my own
It has been drilled into my mind, from the day I found out I was pregnant, that kids learn best through play. At every doctor appointment, in every parenting magazine, at mommy groups and everywhere I would turn they all would stress how kids learn best through play. The University of Minnesota Institute for Child Development and Landscape Structures partnered together to research how play helps develop the whole child by creating leaders, encouraging collaboration and teaching about the values of persistence and problem-solving. I was pretty impressed when I first heard this.
I started to look into Landscape Structures more after learning about the research. And you know what I found out? Many of the parks that Peyton and I like to frequent are filled with Landscape Structure equipment! And where she spent all last summer at, the Early Childhood Education Center, also had Landscape Structure.
I started thinking about why we chose to go to certain parks. After thinking about it for a while I came to the conclusion that we go to these parks because Peyton thinks they have the best playgrounds. And I like them because there are different levels of difficulty so she doesn’t get bored. That also means that there is a little something for everyone, no matter what their age. I also remembered that every time we have gone to a park, Peyton has made new friends and they invent these unique games. So she is implementing the skills that Landscape Structures and the University of Minnesota Institute for Child Develope are trying to study.
Our favorite park is Madison’s Place Park. We visited it several times last year. I love this park because it’s the first of it’s kind in our area. It’s an all-inclusive park. Children of every ability can enjoy it! There was a zip line that Peyton couldn’t get enough of. It was the biggest attraction in the whole park. All the kids wanted to be on it. And every kid did get to.
Landscape Structure is creating playgrounds all over the nation that include all children. Next time you’re at the park, sit back and watch the kids. You’ll notice that no matter how many children there are, they all end up playing together. And through playing they are learning skills like leadership and teamwork. They are learning to use their imaginations. They are learning how to be a friend. And they also learning perseverance through play. When they can’t climb that rock wall and they keep trying, maybe working as a team to get one kid over it. It may look like a group of kids just having a good time but if you break it down it shows them working as a team, someone is leading it, they are being a good friend to the child that is struggling and they are persevering through the struggle. It’s really fascinating when you sit down and watch children play from a different perspective.
Check out this video by Landscape Structures, it shows how if you change your perspective you can see how when kids play they are developing skills that will help shape them as adults.
So remember, with the nicer weather, take some time to get outside with your children. Take them to a park or two. You can even use this locator to find a Landscape Structure park near you. Visiting different parks is one our favorite things to do in the spring. We love bringing a picnic lunch or dinner and just enjoying a few hours. So take break from the electronics and get some fresh air while exploring a park filled with Landscape Structure. I can guarantee you’ll have a blast.
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