SPICE-Supported Playgroup Igniting Children's Engagement
Playing Together
Recently, children in Playgroup took their shoes and socks off and had a lot of fun completing an obstacle course. Obstacle courses have many added benefits. These include:
1. Strength and Balance
When children encounter obstacles in an obstacle course, they develop and enhance strength and balance. Outdoor obstacle courses like Challenge Courses are a great way for kids to get a full-body workout. It makes them stronger and enhances their sense of balance at a young age.
The strength and balance skills developed on an obstacle course transfer effectively to other sports like soccer or gymnastics.
2. Memory and Problem Solving
In life and school, kids need to be able to remember lots of information. They also need to learn how to solve problems based on sequencing information and actions. By running an outdoor obstacle course, children develop and enhance these skills.
Outdoor obstacle courses help children solve problems as they learn how to manoeuvre up, over, or through obstacles. They also learn how to adjust to changing conditions and memorise the fastest way to progress through the course. These skills will help them throughout their life.
3. Sensory Processing
An obstacle course is a great opportunity for children to develop sensory processing skills. For example, kids experience deep pressure sensory input (also known as proprioception) as they pull themselves up a climbing wall. They also encounter linear (up and down), sagittal (side to side), and rotary (spinning) inputs as they run through the obstacle course. Learning these senses and how to adjust to them helps them develop motor skills, coordination, and adaptation.
4. Motor Skills
Fine and gross motor skill development is essential during childhood development. Fine motor skills help children learn how to hold a pencil or grip small objects. Gross motor skills help children walk, run, jump, and climb. Outdoor obstacle courses are the perfect environment for children to learn and enhance these vital motor skills that will benefit them for a lifetime.
5. Coordination
Sometimes called bilateral coordination, this is a skill children struggle with at an early age. Complex coordination involves moving separate body parts at the same time to complete a task. Think about the many muscle groups and body parts required to climb over a wall or weave through an agility obstacle.
An outdoor obstacle course provides a lot of opportunities for children to develop complex bilateral coordination. Developing these coordination skills improves overall health and fitness and helps kids for years to come.
So if you are struggling to entertain your child at home, create an obstacle course. Or better yet, come along to Playgroup and your child can have lots of fun participating in an obstacle course specifically designed for them!
SPICE Ends For Term 3
Please note, Playgroup has ended for Term 3. Our next Playgroup session will be Wednesday 5th October from 2pm-3:30pm. We hope all our Playgroup families enjoy the break and we look forward to seeing current and new participants next term.
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