Indoor playground equipment
Children like a number of things, and top of the list of their likes are playing. Not only does playing help them develop physically, but it also contributes to their mental health. Most children enjoy playing outdoors because most times the things to enjoy playing are outdoors.
From sprinting tracks, football turfs, merry-go-rounds, swings, and so on. However, not in all cases will kids be able to play outdoors. For instance, there could be heavy snowing, heavy rainfall, covid precautions, age, and so on. This brings up the need to keep the child actively engaged, play-wise, and gives reason to plan for indoor play possibilities, creating a playground, and acquiring befitting playground equipment for the kids.
Understanding that playing is a crucial part of a child's development, is also as important as knowing how to plan the kind of playing activities, carving out the required space for the kind of play, and also getting necessary playground facilities. But what informs all of these variables firstly, is the age of the child.
Most times, many people, just create a playground with the school-fit child in view, neglecting the stage and developmental requirements of each child. To decide what and how to best create a befitting indoor playground for kids, their stages need to be discussed. Kids stages include infants (0-15 months), toddlers (15- 33 months) young pre-school(age 2.9 - 4), older preschool (4 - 5).
Infants (0-15 Months)
Kids in the first level are extremely delicate and their developmental milestones are minimal. They are expected to be able to push objects and pull up objects. They are to be able to sit without support. This age range is supposed to learn to crawl also and also cruise walk with the help of objects or adults.
Thus, the kind of indoor playground equipment this class needs is sure different from others. Their playground equipment should consist of soft turfs, shades, tactile stuff, a basin of water and fine sand, crafted objects they can crawl through, toys they can pull and push wind chimes, and so on.
Toddlers (15- 33 months)
Moving on to the next class, the toddlers who need things to help them become more mobile. They need to be able to push and pull things while walking. They are also at a stage where they can learn to climb staircases, race short distances, squat on both feet, jump, and the likes.
To achieve these milestones, their indoor playground equipment should consist of climbing structures, slides, water, and sand play equipment. They should also include sensory materials to interact with their ears and eyes, especially. They can also include riding toys, dismountable and buildable toys, interrogate their creativity, and so much more.
Young Pre-school (2.9 - 4 years)
The next class is the young preschool kids. These are the most boisterous in activity when it comes to these stages. They are expected to be more adventurous in their deeds. They are restless and enjoy running from one place to the other, they can ride bicycles, throw and catch balls, push and pull bigger objects like a cart, they can jump and sprint, they can climb well. They even try stunts like somersaulting.
For their indoor playground equipment, they need structures for climbing and sliding. They need equipment like riding toys, playhouses, toys that can be dismantled and remounted, telescopes, materials to enhance all their sensory organs.
Older preschool (4 - 5 years)
The last class for the kids’ category is the older preschool kids. These ones are more independent and can do more things for themselves. They are more physically agile, they can climb stuff better, and can go higher. They love challenges, they skip, ride bicycles and do a lot more physical activity. For their own indoor playground equipment, they need higher climbing and sliding structures, with soft landings, water and sand basins, art materials, and painting materials.
At every phase of a child's life, he/she requires a different type of engagement, to enhance his/her evolution in different spheres. Being intentional about planning every aspect of these engagements is what brings the desires results.
Playing is one of those engagements, a deliberate planning of types of activities that children can relish indoors, upon determining their age grade, will help highlight the best indoor playground equipment for them.
Should you need more guidance on what equipment to purchase or how to create space for them, contact us to buy our stuff. We will be glad to run you through our catalogue of equipment, play planning and playground creation.