Lack of play has negative effects on children's physical and mental health. It can lead to rising child obesity rates as playtime is replaced with sedentary activities like TV and video games. Play is also essential for developing important social and cognitive skills like leadership, self-esteem, empathy, creativity, and imagination. To help address this issue, parents should make play a priority by creating play spaces for children in their own backyards.

1. Serious Need for Play: How Lack of Play Negatively
Affects Kids
componentplaygrounds.com /blog/serious-need-for-play-how-lack-of-play-negatively-affects-
kids.html
According to Michel Montaigne, "It should be noted that children at play are not playing about; their games
should be seen as their most serious-minded activity." Given what we know today, it would have been best
if Montaigne had added that there are serious dangers inherent to children not being allowed to play.
Almost all adults today remember some form of play, whether it was kickball in the lot, baseball after
school, hop-scotch at recess and Red Rover during childcare. The point is, play was synonymous with
growing up when we were children. Much of a child's life during previous generations was largely focused
on the play of children. Sadly, today's children are not being granted the same privilege, and the negative
psychological impact on their well-being is devastating. Here are a few of the major ways children are
being negatively affected.

2. Child Obesity Is Rising
It is a well-known fitness principles that weight management can be boiled down to a few essential factors:
Eating the Right Food
Eating the Right Amount of Food
Exercising to Burn Off Excess Calories and Kickstart the Metabolism
Emotions
While the four factors above are by no means exhaustive, almost every obese person ignores the majority,
if not all, of these factors. Many children's diets today are focused on heavily processed foods that do not
give them the correct amount of macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates and fats) or micronutrients
(vitamins, minerals, etc.), and this in itself has a deleterious effect on children playing. Why? It is well
known that a proper diet and eating the right food will boost energy. This, in turn, will have the carryover
effect of children wanting to play with all of the extra energy that they have.
Unfortunately, there are less parks and green space than ever in many areas of the country, meaning
there is less space to play as a community. Rest assured, however, that there are plenty of new
videogames and TV shows vying for a child's attention. The new norm for children is that a sedentary
lifestyle is in, and an active one is out. In turn, this negatively impacts a child's emotions since exercise
increases dopamine levels in the brain, which helps avoid depression. Depression is also a major factor
that contributes to obesity.
It is not difficult to see that children are exposed to many of the major factors that contribute to obesity,
which is why it is no surprise that child obesity rates continue to rise sharply.
The Deterioration of Social Skills
While the lack of play clearly hurts a child's physical well-being, a child's mental health is also at risk when
play becomes an afterthought. Leadership, self-esteem and empathy are all learned on the
playground, according to the latest research. Team sports and group activities also teach children how to
work as a team and ideally situate themselves in a group environment. Play is simply one of the best ways
a child can learn the tools he or she will need to succeed as a healthy adult.
The Destruction of Imagination
Creativity must be nurtured if it is to be utilized by people, and few activities nurture child creativity in the
same way as organized play. Children will learn to make rules, improvise and adapt to change, all under
the guise of a fun and enjoyable activity when allowed to play. Foster a child's ability to tell stories by
encouraging games where a narrative is formed. So, the next time your child is fighting an imaginary
enemy and saving the world, encourage it and watch their sparks of creative genius amaze you when they
are making the transition into adulthood.

3. What Can We Do to Help the Problem?
At this point, it is clear that we as parents and responsible adults need to remedy the problem. Don't rely
on the same tired excuses that there is no green space or playgrounds close enough to your neighborhood
or that they are too inconvenient. You can make a perfect play space right in the comfort of your own
backyard. This will also protect your children if you are worried about their safety at public playgrounds,
which is only an added bonus.
Durable Playground Swing Sets from Component Playgrounds
Our playground sets will stimulate a child's development throughout the years since our sets are built to
last and will do so for generations. Given the durability of our playground sets, it might be your own child's
son or daughter that is reaping the rewards of an active play space. Visit our website and ensure that your
child has the fun he needs to develop a healthy life, both physically and mentally.
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