Living in the 21st Century has changed how children play. Before the entrance of mobile devices that incorporated games, children roam freely on the sidewalk or playgrounds. They get to continually meet with children of the same age as them.
However, children are now glued to their mobile devices, playing games that don’t require that much physical movement. Yes, there are games that recognise movement before it activates — these games are a great way for children to have a new perspective when it comes to playing.
But technology is not the only solution and Teacher Magazine further explains a different approach to stimulate creativity for kids.
Mobile playgrounds are a great way to instil traits and values that will help them traverse through life as they grow up. According to experts, mobile playgrounds offer a range of benefits for children — among these are stimulation of creativity. And with creativity, children learn to think outside the box, solve simple and complex problems, flexible thinking, adapt to change, curiosity, and improvisation.
What is a Mobile Playground?
Compared to the “standardised playground” that offers equipment that is in place, a mobile playground offers equipment that can be easily found at home or community and can be carried, moved, or transferred from one place to another. Examples of its play equipment are blocks, pipes, tunnels, foam, crates, and more. Faced with this play equipment, children are pushed to think outside the box and come up with ways to start their own “adventure.”
The CREATE Study
There was a literature review way back that focused on movable school playground equipment. Titled CREATE, which means “Creative Recess Engagement during Activities Time Exploratory,” the literature review observed 800 schools and revealed how movable equipment impacts children in a positive note when it comes to creativity.
According to the findings, participants showed a high level of innovation as they kept on showing different ways of using the moveable equipment. There were students that swung, bounced, rolled, jumped, landed the movable equipment all over the play area.
In connection to this, students were able to create different obstacle courses since objects can be moved to another location, while other objects can be combined or stacked to form new equipment.
Lastly, moveable playgrounds offer so much freedom that it’s up to the students to think about how they’ll play with the equipment. With this, the students were seen collaborating with each other, planning on how they’ll design the play area. Others are recruiting and negotiating with each other to come up with new solutions to construct the play areas based on their very own imagination.
Mobile Playgrounds Offer More
The fixed playground setting also helps children develop their creativity, but there is a certain limit to how long and how much. Mobile playgrounds, on the other hand, have more freedom than “standardised playgrounds”; hence, children are able to think of more possibilities and not confined in the same suggestions and solutions all throughout.
What children need is more opportunities that will push them to learn and have fun at the same time. Children need at least 60 minutes of free play, and letting them roam mobile playgrounds allow them to start a new adventure every time — their imagination is stimulated and they get to work out their bodies and have new friends at the same time.
Some parents may think that mobile playgrounds also open for more accidents and injuries, but there is playground equipment available that is safe all thanks to its materials. iREC designs, manufactures, and installs high-quality equipment that ensures the safety of your children. The company is also recognised by international organisations because of its experience and expertise. Get a quote from us, call +63 47 250 2779 or email sales@irec.ph to get in touch with us.