Kids love to play. It is part of their natural growth process. Playgrounds provide an avenue for kids to learn and develop. By marking their playground, you construct space for creative ideas that will make kids enjoy their time outside.
What makes for an effective playground marking?
The benefits of playground markings should be a mixture of fun and learning for kids. It is a way of going beyond the classroom in an attempt to expand minds and to turn learning into more visual process, making it easier to grasp theoretical concepts. You can even teach mathematics through creative playground markings. However, do not make the playground setting too academic as it might offset the children and limit their imagination.
Starting out
Playground markings is a huge project which requires the participation of school management, employees, and very often parents too. There should be a consensus as to what features to include in the markings. Stakeholders should also discuss funding options. It is best to hire a professional artist who knows the best practices for playgrounds and thereby ensuring that you end up with a quality product.
Once you have chosen the professional artist, you should consult with them so that they can help you to come up with a good layout design. An experienced artist can also come up with some unique color combinations that will produce a beautiful and inspiring result. Additionally, there should be some formal training on how teachers and support staff can use the markings to ensure maximum pupil participation.
Prepare the ground
Assuming that you have already planned your playground, the next step is to prepare it. Clean it and clear it of debris to smoothen it out for the marking process. Before marking you should allow the ground to dry completely. Just before painting, sweep the ground again to remove any remaining dust or debris.
The benefits of playground markings
- It encourages learning
You can, for example, have colored numbers where kids can jump as they identify the numbers in succession. Another idea is to have colored letters both in upper and lower case and help kids identify them.
- It improves concentration
Children have a short attention span, but by making them perform interesting activities you encourage them to focus and concentrate. Games such as target games, solving puzzles, and team games help improve their social and cognitive skills as well.
- It is great for fitness and fun
Playgrounds with markings encourage kids to play and have fun. As for sports, you can have painted basketball, tennis and volleyball courts, and football pitches. Give kids the tools to use in these games as well. When kids indulge in playground games, it will encourage them to adopt a healthy lifestyle both now and in the future as they bring these habits with them into adulthood. Outdoor activities also help kids develop their motor skills and become more agile with better body balance and coordination.
- It promotes the development of social skills
Games which allow children to work together can help them develop their social skills. Sports help children to build relationships outside the classroom which also makes them more effective learners.
Other important skills that children develop are special intelligence and hand-eye coordination. A skill like special intelligence is developed through games such as target games. Children can also learn to be self-reliant and develop strong personalities as they learn to deal with challenges. They become confident and develop leadership skills and discipline which are invaluable later in life.
- It helps children
Many children find the purely academic classes boring. Playground markings provides a chance for teachers to mix up their lessons. With decorative markings on the playground, the children can do fun activities, socialize, and explore their creative side as well. Adding a bit of creativity can make even the most academic classes more fun. However, the playground setting, as much as it serves educational purposes, should not be too education-based as it could ruin the playful, stimulating atmosphere that kids need.
- It makes a child more open-minded and intelligent
There are so many skills that children cannot learn while seated in the classroom. That is why playgrounds are essential to a child’s mental development. Kids get to interact with various play materials and open their minds to new and creative ways to do things. This builds their intelligence and develops better communication skills.
Playground markings offer lots of benefits while still being durable and easy to install. Preformed thermoplastic markings which are ideal for playgrounds are quick and easy to install and ready to be played at on the day of application. These markings friction and all kinds of weather. Thermoplastic also has a non-slip function ensuring that kids will not slide and obtain injuries while playing.