A. Experts in child development stress that outdoor play is more than just an opportunity for children to run and let off steam. Active outdoor play is tremendously important for the health of children, and there is growing concern in the health professions that too many young children are spending too little time outdoors and active, with long-term consequences for their health all their lives.
Outdoor play is also integral to overall child development.
They need those large muscle physical challenges such as climbing, sliding, jumping and running. For children with developmental challenges, either physical or social, experts have observed that creative play structures help these children integrate with other children during outdoor play. Although most serious playground injuries could be prevented by removing any heights from which children could fall, this would also remove a focal point for the challenges we know children need from outdoor play. We should work towards playgrounds that give children what they need without creating excessive risk. Building a slide into a hill or mound reduces the risk for children without taking away the thrill of sliding.