The Physical and Social Importance of Playgrounds

Posted by Faizan Shiwani / at 12:28 AM / /

Having playground equipment at a daycare center is important both for children’s physical fitness and their social development. Although the importance playgrounds serve in maintaining the physical fitness of young children is generally well understood, the social importance a playground serves is sometimes less well understood. The playground setting creates important social challenges and situations for young children. Learning to “play well” with other children is an important skill that is expressed in unique ways in the playground environment. Social skills such as turn taking, dealing with close physical contact, role playing, and managing the occasional collisions between children form an important part of a playground’s social experience. The importance of well managing the social interactions between children on the playground makes the construction and safety of the playground equipment of prime importance. Daycare workers who do not have to worry about the safety of their playground equipment will be more able to focus on managing the social interactions that are occurring between young children in their care.