Why playgrounds are essential in schools?

In recent years, students, parents, teachers, and others are focusing more on improving academic excellence at the expense of physical activities in schools. Thus, many schools do not give any attention to playground activities. Children are also interested in spending more time playing online games after their academic learnings. But we are giving much less priority on the benefits of physical exercise and playground activities for children. That’s why many schools are operating without any playgrounds on the school premises.

We must not misunderstand that playground is meant for only going outside the classroom, it gets children active, and helps them interact with other children; all of which are not possible in the classroom or online activities.

Most of us remember our school break times with a lot of fondness. It was always the perfect time to forget about the books and play around with your friends. The time you spent at the school playground ended up forming some of the long-term memories you will cherish forever. However, things have changed, and modern kids in this country no longer spend a lot of time at the school playground. Most of them are overwhelmed with the abundance of activities and few opportunities to enjoy natural play outside.

Playgrounds provide children with an environment where they can spontaneously engage in games and sports. It enables them to use their excellence, which creates an opportunity to develop their emotional, social, and creative thinking skills and it can impact positively on performance in the classroom as well. Using their mind in free playing, children can build self-confidence, an essential life skill which is not possible to harness in a classroom environment. With group activities, children may come across a physical obstacle that might frighten them at first. Still, by seeing other kids tackling these physical obstacles and the enjoyment on their faces, they may also be encouraged. Each child experiments with his or her approach in the playground. Without playing facilities, the classroom itself can create a mental barrier for children as they are not getting the chance to face the challenges of real-life situations and taste harnessing self-confidence in a more informal setting in the playground. Playgrounds offer perfect places for children to experiment with their self-confidence and reduce the academic pressure that they may feel in a formal classroom setting.

A playground environment helps children understand social norms and develop their social skills. Outside the classroom, playgrounds offer the perfect relaxed environment to make new friends, play with others, and learn what is and is not acceptable. While lessons on the theory of socialization are taught in a classroom, applying those learning lessons in the playground is instrumental to their cognitive development.

Outdoor play is an important extracurricular activity in school which contributes to the health and physical development of children and it works to improve their flexibility as well. Playground equipment can help children learn how to control their movements and trust their instincts and the way, improving the function of their hearts and lungs for their healthy growth. Even if students face conflict, the playground can help to resolve issues. Conflict is a natural part of life and they can learn to resolve conflict in positive ways. They can learn how to cooperate and get along with their peers. When students are active on the playground, they have the chance to interact with their peers during games, solve problems and explore the world around them. They have the choice to work things out for themselves, releasing stress, anxiety and other negative emotions that may otherwise be building up inside the classroom.

Fresh air and sunshine are also important components of good mental health. They can get vitamin D from sunlight which is an important mood booster for them. It helps to increase positive outlook and happiness. Studies reveal that physical movement stimulates brain activity by improving blood flow to the brain. For an active child, movement during playing brings water, oxygen and glucose to the brain at a higher rate than it does to the brain of the inactive child. When a brain receives the necessary nutrients, the child has a better ability to learn, respond and retain classroom information.

According to Marie Hartwell-Walker, Ed.D. in an article about the benefits of play, 75 per cent of the brain develops after a baby is born in the years between birth and early 20s and physical performance is needed for their healthy cognitive development. Evidence shows that children’s skills like walking, running, jumping and free playing with peer students, their skills like writing, memorizing lessons and creativity increased abundantly in the playing field.

However, today’s children are overwhelmed with the habit of using smartphones, laptops or other handheld devices for which they get less time and opportunity to enjoy outdoor sports at a young age. Video games, TV, after-school study activities and an increasing focus on academic achievements have led to disappearing playgrounds and playtime for students. This reduction in free play is hurting the mental development of children. Playgrounds are essential safe spaces where children can engage themselves and express their fun-loving nature while developing crucial cognitive, physical, social and emotional skills. Child development experts are advocating for more playgrounds and the increasing importance of playground activities.

Playgrounds are safe spaces where kids develop crucial physical, social, emotional and imaginative skills necessary to gain self-confidence, improve coordination roles with peer students and advance critical thinking capabilities. Schools in developed countries have a checklist of things, where the playground is compulsory. Providing playing equipment for the playground by the government or school authorities on a yearly basis is a must. In Western societies, it is uncommon to get a school without a playground with the necessary equipment. Outdoor playing is a must for the students during their recess time. One of my nephews came to Bangladesh and enrolled in a school having no free play facilities, he did not stay here due to the absence of these school facilities.

Students find an abundance of enjoyment in their playground during making a lot of fun activities with their peers. This pleasure and enjoyment are priceless and have no alternatives. Students jump on cradles to enjoy and have a lot of fun. But the irony is that our schools are mostly without playgrounds. Students are deprived of priceless pleasure. The school authorities may give due attention to playground activities for the students to get them involved in recreation activities alongside their studies in the classroom. This is as important as classroom lessons for their real education, physical and mental development. School authorities must look into this matter to arrange playgrounds with sufficient playing equipment. If that is not possible at least indoor game facilities can be arranged for the students at school to play during their recess time.

The writer is a former Senior Secretary and currently teaching as an Adjunct Faculty at the Bangladesh Institute of Governance and Management (BIGM). He can be contacted at s22arefin@gmail.com