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Writer's pictureWyatt Underwood

Playground Resources


Playground Resources

When people reflect on their childhood, they often think of things like playing on the playground or running around at the park. Play equipment like monkey bars, slides, and swing sets provide hours of fun for children at schools and parks today just like these structures did in decades past. Playing on the playground teaches social skills and stimulates both the brain and body. Even adults can benefit from a trip to the playground: At a minimum, it provides a chance to socialize with other parents, but at some playgrounds, there’s equipment suitable for adults, too, so parents can also get a workout and improve their health while the kids play.

However, these days, it seems like the power of play to help both bodies and minds grow is increasingly being ignored. Schools sometimes cut back on recess or eliminate it entirely in an effort to increase instructional time, despite the fact that recess provides a necessary break that can actually help kids focus better on their studies in the classroom. And safety concerns can sometimes prompt parents to keep their kids indoors, even though today’s commercial play equipment is very safe and the play opportunities that these structures provide are crucial to a child’s health and development.

If you need help ensuring that your children and the kids in your community have access to safe play spaces, check out the resources below. You’ll find information on groups that promote the power of play, ways to prevent playground injuries, grant opportunities for playground construction, and lots of other great resources about the power of play.

Associations

Safety

General Information

  1. Jane Addams: Advocate for Playgrounds

  2. Checklist for Planning and Evaluating a Playground

  3. Five Playground Activities to Boost Your Child’s Development

  4. Seven Elements of Play

  5. The Importance of Play to Self-Esteem

  6. Getting Kids Outdoors and Away From Their Screens

  7. Making a Case for Play

  8. Standards for Outdoor Recreational Areas

  9. Universal Design: Playgrounds

  10. Creating Playgrounds for Early Childhood Facilities

  11. Do Older Adults Want Playgrounds?

  12. Ten Things Every Parent Should Know About Play

  13. Why Your Neighborhood Schools Might Not Have Playgrounds

  14. New Playgrounds on Military Bases

  15. Support for Open Playgrounds

  16. Organized Recreation in the USA

  17. Recess in Schools

  18. Schools and Recess: A Critical Part of the School Day

  19. Children’s Perspectives on Public Playgrounds

  20. Are We Losing Ground?

  21. KaBOOM! Playground Equipment Grants

  22. Grants for Community Playgrounds and More

  23. Action for Healthy Kids Grant Program

  24. History of Playgrounds in Parks

  25. The Playground Movement

  26. Adding Risk to Playgrounds to Bolster Resilience

  27. Evolution of American Playgrounds

  28. Accessibility for Children’s Spaces

  29. Why Playgrounds Are Needed

  30. Improving Access to Safe Play Environments

  31. A Study on Playground Accessibility Benefits

  32. Playgrounds Built for All Abilities

  33. The Potential of Safe, Secure, and Accessible Playgrounds

  34. Cities Designing Playgrounds for the Elderly

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