Playing is an important part of children during their childhood. Learning is not just about reading and listening in class; they can also learn through playing, such as teamwork, communication, and many more. Having a perfect preschool play area for preschoolers can provide opportunities for them for some unstructured, self-directed play.
Children should be able to explore and play freely. It allows them to be creative and discover the world in their own unique way. This is an important supplement to the learning that they have in the classroom. It can lead them to full and rich development.
Having a preschool play area can involve a lot of things, including designing, choosing the location, having the essential safety features, and many more. As you purchase the equipment for your play area, you need to get one that suits the preschooler in your preschool. You will also need to choose the best layout to let them enjoy. Designing a preschool play area is not only about designing a physical space. It is also about promoting growth, learning, and creativity. It is also a place where children can play to the fullest.
Benefits of Free Play In A Preschool Play Area
There are two common types of play to allow preschoolers experience. One is structured play, and the other one is unstructured play. Structure play is when children participate in activities in the classroom, gym class, or other activities that adults lead.
While unstructured play, also known as “free play,” is when children play in the playground when they can choose their own activities and explore at their own will. Through free play, children can be more creative and independent. They can benefit from things they cannot get from structured play, such as developing physical, social, and cognitive skills.
- Social skills: When adults do not lead the activity, children have to learn to work together to coordinate games and play. It can help them to develop communication skills. It can also help them to learn conflict resolution, negotiation, and collaboration when it comes to sharing. Children need to develop social skills without adult intervention as they grow up.
- Cognitive skills: There won’t be any specific goals or outcomes during free play, as free play is more about adaptability and creativity. Children can try new things and experiment with different ways to solve problems. When children explore themselves, you will be surprised by how they creatively use the toys or playground equipment. It can build their imagination. The creativity they build up helps them to be more adaptable and versatile when facing future problems.
- Physical skills: Children need to explore how they can move in space. As they play in the preschool play area helps them to learn about spatial awareness, explore independent movement and develop better coordination. It can also help to improve the children’s overall health and wellness through the time spent climbing, jumping, and running in the preschool play area.
Children are able to develop better social, cognitive, and physical skills if you provide them with the perfect preschool play area if you include in your design plans.
Perfect Preschool Play Area #1 – Consider Capacity
The capacity is one of the factors that you should consider when creating the perfect preschool play area. The capacity will affect the area you need to use for your play area. The number of children using the playing area at one time determines the size of your play area should be.
You need to ensure that the area you are allocating for the play area has adequate free and safe play space. It should also have enough play equipment to allow all children to enjoy the fun without being overcrowded. Provide different play equipment so all children can stay occupied during playtime.
Perfect Preschool Play Area #2 – Choose The Play Theme
Having a theme for your play area can create excitement for the children. There are many themes you can choose from. Consider the theme you want the children to learn, suit your preschool style, and create excitement for the children.
If you are unsure what themes there are, here are some ideas. The themes include classic, modern, space, nature, urban, and nautical. There are many other choices where you can do some research to find out. Creating a theme for your play area can encourage children to engage in pretend play. They can pretend that they went exploring in outer space, visited a zoo, and met up with different animals.
Perfect Preschool Play Area #3 – Plan Your Playground Layout
When designing your preschool play area, you must follow the manufacturer’s specifications for how far apart to place the play equipment. You need to ensure enough space between large play equipment to prevent children from interfering with each other.
If you are getting taller equipment, ensure that trees or overhead structures do not interfere. For slide exits, it should be located in low-traffic areas.
Consider placing different popular equipment in other areas, which can help prevent one spot from being overcrowded. Your preschool play area should also include some quiet areas for those who want to take a break or become overwhelmed.
Perfect Preschool Play Area #4 – Choose Age-Appropriate Equipment
When choosing the play equipment, ensure that it is appropriate for the age group in your preschool. Children of different ages have different developmental needs as well as play abilities. Younger children will be more attracted to bright colors and sensory play equipment, while older children will be more active and enjoy the more physically challenging play.
Also, you want to ensure that the size of the play equipment is suitable for the average height of the age group in your preschool. Ensure that children are able to climb the steps and keep the overall height low enough to reduce injury from falls.
If it is for toddlers crawling or just starting to walk, ensure that the play equipment includes soft surfaces and reduces sharp edges. They may also need some support to hold onto when they stand up.
Perfect Preschool Play Area #5 – Make It Inclusive
Each child will develop at their own pace, even in the same age group. There is no one piece of equipment suitable for each child. When designing your preschool play area, you should remember that you will need both active and quiet space. Also, you will want to provide various equipment that offers different levels of challenge and accommodations.
Inclusive design can make a difference between a negative and positive experience in the play area in your preschool. Some children prefer quiet and will be more at ease in a cozy, peaceful space. While others may enjoy challenging play equipment.
Here are some ideas for you to create a perfect preschool play area. Let the children explore and discover the world in your preschool play area. With the skills that they can learn in a perfect play area, it will help them to become a better person.
Speak with The Experts
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Childcare Center Renovation Singapore is a reliable company for renovation and interior design. They have about ten years of experience in this field and have a good reputation among customers.
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