In today's digital age, finding the right balance between screen time and outdoor play is a challenge many parents face. While technology offers endless entertainment and educational opportunities, the benefits of spending time outdoors on a playground are equally important for a child's physical, mental, and emotional development.
Finding Balance: Nurturing Your Child's Well-being with Screen Time and Outdoor Play
Topics: Childhood Unplugged Mental Health Outdoor Classroom Child Development
The holidays are a magical time for kids from family get-togethers and festive meals to the joys of opening presents.
It’s a time of year for hot cocoa, throwing an extra comforter on the bed, and snuggling up by a warm fire, but when it’s cold outside, it can be hard to keep kids physically active.
Topics: Play & Fitness Childhood Unplugged
Inclusive and Fun Activities to Celebrate Field Day
As the school year winds down, Field Day is one thing teachers and students look forward to. Field Day is a time-honored tradition in almost every school, and it offers a special opportunity for kids at all grade levels to interact, compete in a friendly environment, and show off their athletic abilities.
Topics: Childhood Unplugged Child Development
Today, we are able to give our youngsters a bit more of an advantage than we might have had. As adults, our era involved a bit of climbing, but we mostly only had trees to satisfy our urges to get higher in life. Thankfully, we have access to playground equipment that lets our kiddos (and playful adults) get as high as they need. Let’s explore some of the benefits that climbing offers the mind and body.
Topics: Play & Fitness Childhood Unplugged Child Development
Adding Music To Your Playground—Let’s Make It Happen!
While there is no denying that adults love music, we can potentially not recognize how beneficial the sweet sounds of harmony can be for our young ones. In early childhood, the wonderful sounds of music can have a major impact on the development and growth and development of children. With that in mind, let’s cover some ways to cultivate this musical environment in the playground.
Topics: Theme Playgrounds Childhood Unplugged Child Development
With summer kicking off in full force, plenty of kids are anxious as ever to find something that will occupy their free time. While some kids have siblings to blow off steam, others might only have themselves and their parents to spend the day with. Need help finding some ways to entertain your only child? Here are some useful tips to keep an only child occupied.
Topics: Community Parks Childhood Unplugged
Helping Children Make Friends at the Playground
Whether you’re a parent, caregiver or teacher, it’s only natural to want all of the children in your life to have plenty of friends and fun growing up. As an adult, it’s likely you’ve seen kids struggle to make friends—even in a playground or group setting. However, with a bit of guidance, compassion and knowledge, you can assist youngsters with making new friends and getting along with others, which are skills that serve them for a lifetime.
Topics: Childhood Unplugged Pediatric Health & Wellness outdoor learning
Getting Your Playground Ready for Springtime!
Springtime means more outdoor time -- and not a moment too soon! While playgrounds are known for being spaces for kids, they are just as valuable for the adults in their lives, too. Playgrounds invite parents to get active with their kids, bring them outside to enjoy the fresh air and sunlight, and bond with their children while having fun.
Are today's children (and their millennial parents) starved for risk taking? The popularity of reality shows like Survivor and Wipeout would suggest this is true as would their penchant for video games like Minecraft and Fortnite. All offer vicarious risk-taking from the safety and comfort of their homes.
Topics: Childhood Unplugged Safety
Many people don’t understand how important it is for children to play and learn how to play. They often see it as something inconsequential that children do to have fun or let off steam. The truth is though, is that play is very important for a child’s emotional, physical, psychological, and social development. It helps them not only learn how to function in the world but also how to understand and navigate it.
Topics: Childhood Unplugged