Schools strive to promote and fund what is best for their students. This may include experiences to enrich students’ lives, improved equipment and supplies to enhance their education or quality-of-life upgrades to their surroundings (like repairing cracked sidewalks) to keep students safe and healthy. One key place where children can enjoy both mental and physical … Continued
From intergenerational play to incorporating natural elements into community spaces, there’s a lot to consider when planning your community park project! Thinking about how people use parks and what they need from outdoor spaces will help you design a project that benefits everyone in your community. Current trends provide a clear picture of what features … Continued
Exercise is vital to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It helps increase energy levels, reduce health risks, improve mood and more. The challenge is finding the right place to exercise. Not everyone has the money for a gym membership or the space for exercise equipment in their home. Outdoor fitness areas offer an ideal solution for … Continued
Outdoor play is about more than exercise for kids. Unstructured physical activity not only improves children’s health but also helps them develop social skills, explore their imagination and reduce their stress levels. Similarly, exposure to music offers a range of benefits for children, including brain growth, language and math skills, and increased memory and concentration. … Continued
Inclusive playgrounds are more than just a fad or trend in parks and recreation. New products, surfacing and designs have emerged to make play areas accessible for individuals of all ages and abilities — helping to bridge the gap from traditional playgrounds and equipment, which cannot always be used by kids with mobility challenges, or … Continued
When Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell belted out, “Ain’t no mountain high enough,” maybe they understood the thrill of climbing onto an artificial boulder, looking up the intimidating side and trying to figure out the best path forward. Not to mention the thrill of getting to the top! Or maybe they were just talking about … Continued
Play is a critical part of the social, cognitive and physical development of all children, but many modern playgrounds are not designed with all children in mind. Some playgrounds today still contain barriers for children or caregivers with physical and cognitive disabilities. Designing a playground without those barriers, a playground built for all, can feel … Continued
Outdoor classrooms have become very popular, and it is not hard to understand why. Regardless of age or grade, students and instructors gain many benefits from taking the classroom outdoors that include improved health, increased creativity, decreased stress, improved retention and environmental awareness. And in the age of the COVID-19 pandemic, many schools are also … Continued
Outdoor exercise and winter workouts are part of a year-round healthy lifestyle. It is important to layer up and get out in the fresh air even when it is cold outside. In fact, the cold air can motivate you to get your muscles moving and help keep your body warm. Fresh air, endorphins and Vitamin … Continued
Although this year has been full of uncertainty, there’s one thing we can be sure of: the refreshing feeling of stepping outside. Now more than ever, your outdoor space can be a place to recharge and escape from stress. And with many parks, playgrounds and other recreational facilities finding creative solutions to adapt to new … Continued