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By
Catherine M. Pruissen
Outdoor
play builds self-confidence in children who learn
to peddle a tricycle, climb a slide, or swing a swing
all by one's self. There is nothing quite like the
experience, pride and pleasure of mastering a physical
skill.
By
challenging themselves, children learn they can do
things they've never done before. The outdoor play
area also provides a great big large muscle building
arena. As children develop these muscles and in turn
their coordination skills, they also develop their
inner self, the confidence to climb one more rung
than the day before, to run just a bit faster to grab
the tricycle before Michael does, or to skip with
that rope today even though they had a terrible time
doing it yesterday.
For
an outdoor play centre to challenge a child, it must
be generously equipped and spacious. If you don't
have a large backyard, it would be a good idea to
scout out your neighbourhood
to see how many local parks are available for your
children to use. These facilities, combined with what
space you can provide, should prove sufficient.
Your
choice of equipment might include:
- a
picnic table
- pull
and push toys
- jump
ropes
- wagons
- balls
or all sorts
- plastic
bats
- a
T-ball set
- play
gloves, etc.
- a
jungle gym or swing set with a slide, or other climbing
apparatus
- covered
sand box
- nontoxic
sand and sand toys
- tricycles
or other peddle vehicles
- nature
tools like a magnifying glass, bug catchers, shovels
- a
low-to-the-ground balance beam
- a
small swimming pool (only used under close supervision
and emptied when not in use)
- sunny
and shady areas grass (soft surface), and
- cement
or asphalt (hard surface)
- a
good fence with childproof latches.
For
more information on setting up play centres in your
home or daycare centre, consult the wonderful book,
Start and Run a
Profitable Home Day Care, and check out these
other related articles:
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©
Catherine M. Pruissen
Catherine M. Pruissen is the CEO of About Child Care
Consumer Services and developer of child care online.
She has published numerous child care related literature,
including Start and
Run a Profitable Home Day Care, The
Daycare Alternative, How to Find Good Child Care,
Caregiver Aids: Business
Forms for Caregivers and Parents, Income
Tax & Record Keeping for Child Care Providers,
and a host of workshops and workbooks. She was the editor
and publisher of the bi-monthly newsletter, Parent Care,
Your Child Care News-line. Catherine was also the coordinator
and workshop facilitator for The Child Care Information
Centre in Calgary, Alberta, and ran a successful dayhome
for eight years. |
