More than just the Games

Stepping up onto the podium to a rapture of applause; your nation’s national anthem bursting through the stadium speaker system; taking a bow as you are presented with your winners medal; rushes of adrenaline pumping through your body as you slowly begin to realise…..you are the champion of the world!

What an incredible, overwhelming feeling that must be.

As Britain prepares to host the London Olympics I’m sure that most people in the country will have dreamt about that moment happening to them at some point in their lives. Hopes are being pinned on our Olympians and as the pressure mounts it will be interesting to see how we perform against the world’s elite.

I recall many a time bounding across my living room and posing for photographs on my make-believe podium as I tried to imitate the great Jonathan Edwards.

What is great about events like these is the excitement and magic that it brings to children all over the globe. It is a chance for them to watch their heroes and dream of one day being able to emulate their success. It gives them hope and belief that they too can succeed and their dreams can come true.

In today’s world where childhood obesity and physical fitness is continually plaguing the modern child; it is important that events like the Olympics inspire children and urge them to put down their Xbox controller, get outside and play like children should.

A recent study by the Universities of Strathclyde and Newcastle found that many children 10 years or younger only perform physical activity for roughly 20 minutes per day. This is shocking.

So as London 2012 draws near let’s get in the spirit of the Games and get behind the nation in every way that we can. Take your children to the park and let them pretend that they are the ‘new and improved’ Sally Gunnell and let them be inspired.

But most of all let your children play.

"Life must be lived as Play"

One of my Grandad’s favourite sayings is: “Everyone grows old, not everyone grows up”.

I seem to have inherited his nonchalant view on growing up and can’t seem to shake the inner child in me. After all, what is the point in life if you can’t live it with a smile on your face?

I’m sure I am not the only person who struggles to walk past a puddle without a mischievous thought creeping into my head!

So when I came across this picture of two elderly gentlemen succumbing to the lure of playground swings it was a breath of fresh air. It helps to remind people not to take life too seriously, that we all were once a happy, care-free child and we should enjoy the time we have.

Whether you decide to take that naughty leap into a dirty puddle, resulting in an unscheduled trip to the dry cleaners, or jump on an aerial runway at your local park; try to remember that ‘Life must be lived as Play’.

http://www.playdale.co.uk/

Protect Your Playground

A recurring theme continues to regularly creep into my news feed day after day: playground vandalism.

Vandalism is an issue that may never be stopped. The fallacious concept that it is ‘cool’ to damage property is a misdemeanour that has tormented communities throughout the world for years.

I recently read an article that was extremely disheartening about a community playground that was burnt to the ground just days before the eagerly anticipated opening. Following months of planning and successfully securing funding for the equipment, I can’t imagine the disappointment and frustration that this will have caused. It’s bemusing to think that there are people out there that would actually gain some sort of self-satisfaction and enjoyment from breaking young children’s hearts and demolish morale within their own community.

With the problems that we have in today’s financially glum society, people should be pulling together to make the most of everything that comes their way, particularly if it is on their doorstep.

Vandalism is a terrible, heartless and irresponsible act, and hopefully one day people might take a step back and realise that what they are doing is wrong. Until then, communities can only continue to stand firm and not let minorities put a dark cloud on something that should be embraced.

http://www.playdale.co.uk/

Make Someone Smile

I once bought two meat and potato pies and as I casually strolled down the street, filling my face with pastry, I walked past a homeless man sat on the pavement. I’m not sure whether it was my charitable side or simply the guilt that I had been greedy and bought two pies; but I gave one to the very grateful man and went about my day.

Charity comes in all forms, and in a materialistic world where people are judged on their possessions; how much money they earn, the clothes they wear and the car they drive; charity is a beautiful and priceless thing. The world passes many people by without realising how privileged they really are. It’s just the way it is.

I have recently been inspired by a member of staff at Playdale, Mick O’Doherty, who embarked on a selfless mission to make a real difference to people who don’t have the privileges that we have.

Mick recently took part in a charity trip to Tondo, one of the poorest regions of Manila in the Philippines. Along with a group of volunteers from Sholing Technology College, Mick helped to build two new playgrounds in the middle of a tenement housing estate that occupies an unbelievable 15,000 residents within half a square mile.

The children in this area grow up in poverty and have probably never seen a climbing frame or a slide before, so installing products like the Adventure Trail, Rope Walk, Ladder Walk, and Swinging Steps will have been very warmly welcomed by the children.

Mick’s inspiration to join the project was to give the children something that we may take for granted, and provide the community with a safe place for their children to play.

It really goes to show what can be done to make some people’s lives that little bit better. Whether it is building a playground in a deprived country, or simply giving someone your last Rolo; we should all play our part to make the world a better place.

Mick said: “You should always try to give more in life than you take out of it”.

Here, Here!

Once upon a story time....

What was your favourite time of the day at primary school?

Apart from home time, story time was a magical part of mine. It gave my wild and wonderful imagination a chance to delve into the mysterious realms of fiction. From strange Cats in Hats, to Stories that Neverend; my imagination would run away with itself developing friendships with characters that have lasted a lifetime. To this day I still believe that if I ever met a giant he would be big and friendly.

Books may have taken a backseat in recent years to television, film and the internet; and the way technology is developing, books may soon be placed in the same category as slate and chalk. However, I’m sure many people in the world will agree that you can’t beat a good book?

Reading is an important part of a child’s development and growth. It can help them to become confident learners, enhance their communication skills and creativity. It cultivates their imagination and allows them to express themselves. But most importantly of all: they absolutely love it!

Playdale’s Schools and Nurseries range has delivered some fantastic new products this year that are certain to make children’s story-time that little bit more enchanting. The fabulous Storytelling Chair and Toadstools will transform your outdoor learning area into an amphitheatre of dreams, fantasy and excitement.

Make your next story time one to remember!

To request a brochure visit www.playdaleschools.co.uk or click here

Video Games vs. Climbing Frames

My mum used to say to me, along with many others I presume: “You’ll get square eyes watching the TV for that long”.

Fortunately this never happened, although I do remember pondering and worrying about the idea many a time. The effect that this fabricated statement did have on me however, was give me an added incentive to get my wellies on and embark on countless days of fun and adventure.

This doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. Modern technology has sabotaged children’s outdoor play schedules, as they opt for the latest video games rather than climbing frames.

A recent study from Play England charity revealed that, out of 2000 children, 1 in 5 youngsters don’t go outside to play. How times have changed!

This staggering figure can be put down to a number of different reasons, ranging from games consoles to parental laziness. But what I struggle to understand is why children are sitting in the confines of their bedrooms playing the latest ‘shoot ‘em up’ (and why parents would be happy for them to do so) when they could be having a great time running around in the park? I absolutely loved playing out when I was younger and it was very rare that you would find me without a football attached to my foot or dangling from the top of a climbing frame like a possessed chimpanzee.

Obviously I understand, and have on many occasions been attracted to the lure of the PlayStation and Xbox; but the playground equipment that is available to children nowadays is phenomenal and constantly developing. Products like the Aero Tilt, Rota Glide and Air Glider are fantastic, exciting and dynamic products that weren’t available when I was younger. Not to mention the ground-breaking i-play that has completely revolutionised children’s outdoor play.

It isn’t right that some children are missing out on so much fun, and with the growing concerns about childhood obesity we need to be embracing the great outdoors.

So to all of the parents who think that their children are truly happy sat by themselves playing on the computer; put your boots on, take them to the park and let them loose on some cracking playground equipment!


For more information about our products click here, or to request a brochure click here

National Fitness Day celebrates free fitness facilities!

How did you spend the ‘empower half hour’?! Playing sport in a multi use games area? Working out with Training Buddies? Completing a trim trail?

Training Buddies

Last Friday, 30^th September, saw the launch of the UK’s first ever National Fitness Day, guaranteed to get everyone thinking about what they can do to improve their health and wellbeing. From 12pm midday, everyone was encouraged to take part in the ‘empower half hour’ – 30 minutes of physical activity of their choice, sure to lift their mood.

With recent research revealing that just 15 minutes of exercise a day can improve life expectancy the empower half hour is an easy, convenient way to vastly improve your lifestyle.

Whether you want to tone up, try new sports or improve your fitness levels, the chances are there’ll be loads of free facilities available right on your doorstep. With the increasing popularity of outdoor fitness equipment, many communities have multi use games areas, trim trails and other training equipment installed for use by local residents. These can be used in countless different ways to fit in with an exercise routine tailored to your needs.



Multi use games areas provide fun for the whole community



Multi use games areas are great for helping the whole family get into shape, many offer purpose-built goals, markings and baskets to facilitate a range of sports matches, while their specialised surfacing provides a favourable alternative to muddy fields or hard ground.

Trim trails and equipment such as Training Buddies encourage more active users to challenge themselves with a balance of cardio and strength-building exercises – they can be used alone, or as a great basis for a group circuit training session.

For more ideas about multi use games areas and outdoor training equipment, read about the Playdale Wellness Park

Risk-taking in the playground

Thank heavens for the prevalence of common sense, at last! Coverage in several newspapers this week tells of playgrounds being encouraged to ‘revive potential dangers’. 

Monkey bars encourage challenges

In plain terms, this simply means a return to traditional playground equipment, such as climbing frames, monkey bars and sand and water play, that our compensation culture has previously deemed undesirable to leisure operators and local authorities alike.

With the risk of litigation too great, play providers have gradually opted for low-risk equipment that offers children little opportunity for adventure, or to calculate risk or overcome fears. Our children have been wrapped in the proverbial ‘cotton wool’ and kept close at hand, probably encouraged to seek entertainment and risk within the constraints of their four walls, on a games console or similar.

The Sunday Times quoted Ellen Sandseter, a professor of psychology at Queen Maud University in Norway, on the perceived benefits of overcoming fears about risk in the playground. Writing in the scientific journal Evolutionary Psychology, she said: “Children must encounter risks and overcome playground fears – monkey bars and tall slides are great. They approach thrills and risks in a progressive manner, let them encounter these challenges from an early age and they will master them through play over the years.”

Of course, rigorous safety requirements demand that all playground equipment is safe anyway – the risk offered by any respected supplier’s equipment will only be within the boundaries of the appropriate safety assessor’s recommendations, and all playgrounds should be subject to regular maintenance checks to ensure their continued safety too - but a little adventure never hurt anyone…

Childhood obesity? Forgotten traditional play? Who wants to live to 100?!

As new research shows that a girl born this year has a one-in-three chance of reaching their 100th birthday (and boys a one-in-four chance), one has to question what lies ahead.

Figures, based on predictions by the Office for National Statistics, suggest that in 2066 there will be at least half a million people aged over 100 living in the UK – but what of their state of health and mind, if persistent worries over childhood obesity are set to continue? With an aging population reliant upon technology and unfamiliar with exercise and the great outdoors – 2066 looks a rather bleak place to be, unless we act now.

Children living in today’s society seem reluctant to choose traditional methods of play, favouring games consoles over playgrounds and childhood games. Social interaction has been replaced by digital technologies, with children communicating via a computer screen or mobile device – there is no longer any need to leave the house!

Traditional values need to be rediscovered – even as a twenty-something, the developments I have witnessed in my life already are hugely significant, and while I am not denying the positive effects they will have on a younger generation – it saddens me that children today already have such a different existence to that of myself and my peers at their age.

Children do need to be protected (to a certain extent), and encouraged to utilise the technological marvels available to them – but they also need time to be children too and just…play. And by playing I mean getting outdoors, meeting other children and picking their selves back up when they fall down.

Surely I’m not alone in my thoughts?