Playground Guide - 2020 - 6

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The Importance of Play
By Lynn Pinoniemi

There is a lot of uncertainty in the world right now due
to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. One thing we are
sure of is that kids, teens and adults need outdoor activity
to keep themselves healthy - both physically and mentally.
Making time for free, unstructured play is tricky in our
24/7 world, but research tells us that carving out time
and space for outdoor play and activity is worth it. For
children, playtime allows them to be in control and use
their imaginations all while developing a range of important skills. There are beneﬁts for teens and adults as well.
Not only does exercising outdoors lead to better physical
health, but it may contribute to increased energy, as well
as reduced anger, tension and depression.
So, as communities begin to slowly and safely reopen
their parks and playgrounds, it's important to oﬀer play
and recreation solutions that help individuals of all ages
stay active and healthy.
Landscape Structures Inc., based in Delano, Minnesota,
has curated a collection of dynamic playground designs
to give park and recreation departments innovative and
iconic choices at an aﬀordable price point. Included in this
collection is the new Tree Tops playstructure. This new offering delivers the feel of exploring a forest canopy branch
by branch. However, beyond the normal ups and downs
of traditional tree climbing, this wondrously abstract

Parks & Recreation

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playground design allows kids to navigate across wiggly
bridges, roar down two diﬀerent slides and so much more.
If an entirely new playground isn't in the current plan,
adding freestanding play components is a great way to
freshen up the play experience. Even better, oﬀering spinners, bouncers and spring riders to visitors allows them
to adhere to the physical distancing guidelines from the
Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Extreme ﬁtness is gaining popularity because of current television shows, and these high-intensity strength
training courses encourage kids, teens and adults to get
and stay ﬁt. FitCore™ Extreme obstacle courses can be
designed for teens and adults, or for kids ages 5 to 12
to deliver exciting ﬁtness challenges in community parks,
schools and neighborhood gathering areas. In addition to
these extreme ﬁtness environments, traditional outdoor
ﬁtness equipment remains popular in communities. The
HealthBeat® Outdoor Fitness System targets three core
ﬁtness areas - muscle strength, cardiovascular health,
and balance and ﬂexibility - through 14 workout stations.
As more communities begin to reopen and create their
new normal following the COVID-19 pandemic, it's important to remember that everyone will beneﬁt from outdoor
play and recreation. Choose to invest in amenities that will
boost community members' physical and mental well-being.
Learn more about the new great designs available as
well as extreme and traditional ﬁtness equipment from
Landscape Structures by visiting playlsi.com. Or, contact
your local playground consultant to get started on playground and ﬁtness environment designs that meet your
community's needs.
Lynn Pinoniemi is Vice President of Marketing at
Landscape Structures Inc.
www.playlsi.com
888.438.6574

http://www.playlsi.com http://www.playlsi.com http://www.ION.ORG

Playground Guide - 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Playground Guide - 2020