We Speak Playground

Organizations across the country are recognizing the benefits of daily recess for elementary school students. With increased academic pressure and focus on standardize tests seeming to become more and more prominent, some schools are pushing back and doubling the dose of daily recess. They realize that that their students actually perform better with more unstructured playtime.

Shade structures are very common — so common in fact, that you probably don't even notice when you see one. They are found everywhere, from playgrounds and sports courts to high schools and car dealerships. There's a reason shade structures are pretty common … it's because of all the advantages they bring to any outdoor area.

All children need and deserve safe and fun playgrounds. There are abundant options for playground designs that don't just meet ADA requirements, but that also create a very special environment for inclusive play and interaction between children of all abilities. Playgrounds should offer opportunities for a thrilling experience to all children. May Recreation designs inclusive playgrounds and components that provide access and exciting interaction for all children.

Sports, whether individual or team-based, are an excellent activity for young children that offer them numerous benefits other than physical fitness. Allowing your child to participate in outdoor extracurricular activities helps them to explore new things and develop valuable skills which are beneficial throughout their lives. Sports expose young children to a wide range of mental, emotional, social, educational and physical benefits. Here are some of the top reasons why playing sports is good for children.

May Recreation recently had the privilege of working with Johnson Development on the new Jordan Ranch master-planned community in Fulshear, Texas. The custom playground design we helped plan and build for the community is a mix of some of our favorite components and structures, offering a wide range of activities in which children can indulge.

Playgrounds have been around for a while now. History has it that the first playground was made somewhere around the 1850s in England. Time went by, and there was no change in them. Visit any playground today, and you’re most likely to find a teeter-totter, climbers or a slide that were trendy back in the day when you were still a kid. There may seem to be no change, but you’ll be surprised at just how much these fun spots have transformed over the past few years.

Over the last 20 years, due primarily to the enactment of No Child Left Behind in 2002 and the adoption of 2010's Common Core State Standards, test scores have become increasingly more important for schools in the United States. Sadly, uninterrupted and unstructured playtime in the form of recess has simultaneously become increasingly more rare.

Sure they're fun to visit and beautiful to look at, but the benefits of your neighborhood's parks and playgrounds go far beyond their recreational and aesthetic features. Here are 10 important contributions they make to your community’s well-being.

Since time began, children have had a unique relationship with water. While adults view water as a source of life or as a source of food, kids see water as a way to have fun. Water play has evolved over the years, but it remains a wholesome, healthy activity for kids around the world.

Summer is here and the heat is unrelenting. It's important for kids to spend time outdoors playing, but it's also challenging when the heat index is so high.