KOMPAN

Common ground, the playground


By Jeanette Fich Jespersen, MA, International Manager of the KOMPAN Play Institute

All over the world politicians, health researchers and parents are trying to deal with the simple fact that far too many children are overweight. Dietary advice and weight training are just some of the many worthy initiatives that have been introduced to combat this problem. But in the quest to improve children’s health it is all too easy to overlook the obvious: Children actually enjoy being active! If children are given a well-equipped play area in the right location, it is hard to keep them away. And the great side effect of this kind of fun is the fact that while they play they are burning off energy.


The green areas and parks around us are a paradise for childrens’ activities. All that is required is that these areas are planned with children in mind. As a rule, a location close to the home is a prerequisite for children being allowed to use the outdoor area. And it is not just children who benefit from living close to a park or green area. It has been proven that the closer people live to a park or green area, the more exercise they do. If the green area is under 50m away, it will be used 3-4 times a week. If it is 300m away it will be used 2.7 times a week. What’s more, parks and green areas reduce stress, prevent illness and improve health following an illness. This all goes to show that small green oases are vital for exercise and well-being.


An Australian study showed that 8-12 year olds exercised considerably more when a basketball net was set up in their neighbourhood. This straightforward piece of equipment encouraged and improved their games. For younger children, or children who are less interested in sport, equipment or playgrounds can encourage play and physical activity in the same way. In fact, activities such as climbing, swinging, balancing and jumping make a significant contribution to the daily hour of physical activity that is needed to stay in minimal shape. With the correct high intensive play equipment, the playground can also provide a fun work out for children.


The joy of free play is fundamental for children. The UN’s  Convention on the Rights of the Child states that children have a simple right to play. And so as adults, we have a duty to respect this right and create the space and opportunities required for children to play. By creating areas that meet the needs of different age groups and which provide a varied range of activities such as rotating, swinging, climbing, tilting and playing ball, we have already come a long way. Children have a place in which they can be active. And parents have a place where they can safely let their children play – and maybe even a place for them to meet too. In local areas, involving children and other residents in the planning of these play areas means that they have a sense of ownership of the play area which can then become an integral part of the local community.

 

Fact box

• Being overweight is defined as a BMI (Body Mass Index) of over 25
• The number of overweight children in the EU is estimated to be increasing by around 400,000 annually.
• In Europe, at least 3 million children are seriously overweight.
• Approximately 25% of European children are overweight.
• Children who either watch television or play computer games for over an hour every day are at 3 times the risk of being among the most overweight 10%.


Sources:

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
http://www.unicef.org.uk/tz/resources/assets/pdf/what_rights_flyer_2002.pdf

Patrik Grahn and Ulrika A. Stigsdotter, 2003, Landscape planning and stress. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. Vol. 2, pp. 1-18

Where do we want to be? Paper no. 11, Supporting Documentation for Blue Mountains Our Future, Chris Cunningham, 2002


 

KOMPAN Play Institute, 2006
Copyright KOMPAN A/S