With advancement in technology, children nowadays are more accustomed to structured indoor activities. It is estimated that the average child spends not more than ten minutes in unstructured outdoor activities. Popularity of indoor activities is blamed for the poor quality of life of children. Realizing the positive impact of outdoor play on the health and mind of children, parents nowadays are encouraging their children to play outdoors. They are now installing outdoor play equipment to attract kids to the outdoor space of their residence.Choose appropriate outdoor play equipment
Different types of outdoor toys are available for kids. While selecting play equipment for your garden, buy only age appropriate toys. If you have a lawn or yard, you can install a swing, climbing frame or seesaw in the outdoor space. However, before placing the outdoor equipment, make sure that the area is hazard free for the kids. Besides swinging, climbing and sliding, children also love riding. They love exploring the space outside the house in the attractive ride-on-toys. To tempt your child to spend a few hours enjoying the sunshine and fresh air outdoors, place a lovely playhouse or play tent in your backyard. Enchanted by his/her own miniature house, your child will be willing to abandon indoor games in favor of more attractive outdoor activities. For kids who are a bundle of energy, trampolines or jumping mats is the appropriate play equipment for bouncing outdoors.Things to remember while shopping for outdoor toys
While shopping for outdoor toys, select toys made out of good quality material. They should be highly durable, and capable of withstanding rough handling. The metallic components of the garden play equipment should have a rust resistant coating. Only lead free non-toxic paints should be used for painting the equipment. Sometimes, to enhance the durability of fabrics present in outdoor equipment, they are covered with UV resistant coating. There should be no sharp edges in the toy. Plastic or PVC is widely used nowadays for constructing outdoor toys. The water and heat resistant properties of plastic or PVC has made it the popular choice for play equipment that are installed outdoors.Benefits of outdoor play equipment
Climbing and swinging are beneficial exercises for the muscles. Almost every muscle in the body is exercised while a child in playing with outdoor toys. Encouraging children to play with garden play equipment is the best strategy to improve their fitness level and reduce the risk of obesity and other childhood illnesses related to a sedentary lifestyle.