Early Childhood News

(Pre-Kindy to Year 2)

A popular and very important addition to our new Kindy playground is the Monkey Bars! Monkey bars are not just a source of fun for children; they also have lots of benefits that contribute to physical, cognitive, and social development. 

Physical Development:

One of the most obvious benefits of monkey bars is their positive impact on physical development. Climbing, swinging, and hanging from the bars engage multiple muscle groups, promoting strength, coordination, and balance. These activities contribute to the development of gross motor skills, helping children develop the skills they need later on in life to play different sports, carry heavy objects and even perform daily tasks. Being able to swing on the monkey bars at age 4 has been shown to have a big impact on a child’s ability to write in junior primary! 

Motor Skills:

Monkey bars require precise movements, such as gripping, swinging, and landing. These actions help refine fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. As children navigate the bars, they learn to control their body movements, enhancing spatial awareness and proprioception – the sense of the body's position in space. These skills are crucial for daily tasks and academic activities like writing, counting and drawing. 

Building Core Strength:

The act of hanging and swinging on monkey bars places a considerable demand on an individual’s muscles. The continuous engagement of the abdominal, back, and shoulder muscles strengthens the core, which is essential for maintaining good posture and overall body stability. A strong core is a foundation for various physical activities and can help prevent future posture-related issues.

Cognitive Development:

Beyond the physical benefits, monkey bars also contribute to cognitive development. Navigating through the bars requires problem-solving skills, as children figure out the best route to traverse the structure. Additionally, the varying heights and distances between the bars stimulate spatial reasoning and help improve a child's ability to judge distances accurately.

While the addition of monkey bars to our playground seems like a fun piece of equipment, their benefits extend far beyond mere amusement- but don’t tell the Kindys that!