Play is so vital for children’s healthy development. Through play, they learn skills for life while having fun. But many adults forget that play remains valuable for them too.
The right play can reduce stress and keep our minds and bodies active. Monkey bars offer a challenging yet enjoyable play activity for people of all ages that provides benefits beyond just physical skills. This article will explore how using monkey bars can boost confidence in kids and adults.
Photographer: Tom Fisk
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What are Monkey Bars?
You’ve likely seen them at your local playground – those parallel metal or wooden bars suspended a few feet off the ground. But do you know what they’re truly called? They’re actually referred to as monkey bars. As a mom, you may worry about dangers on the playground, but monkey bars can be a fun, low-risk way for your kids to develop motor skills.
Monkey bars get their name from the way monkeys swing from tree branches. Children use their upper body strength on the bars to pull themselves hand over hand across the bars.
Some monkey bars are lower to the ground for younger kids or those still building confidence in their abilities. Others are height-adjustable. No matter the height, monkey bars offer an engaging full-body workout for developing grip, balance, and confidence.
Monkey Bars Build Motor Skills in Children
As your kids spend more time on their electronic devices, it’s important to encourage active outdoor play that exercises their growing bodies. That’s where monkey bars really shine.
When your little ones first start swinging from bar to bar, they have to rely on their upper body strength to hold on tight. Gripping the metal surfaces works their finger and hand muscles. Over time, as they grow braver, taking on longer sections of the bars, they build confidence in their ability to pull themselves along.
The side-to-side motion of swinging also challenges their sense of balance. Letting go with one hand to reach for the next bar helps improve coordination between both brain and body. And remember, they’re learning risk assessment when figuring out if they can make that daring leap between bars.
Conquering fears in a safe environment like the playground is great for kids’ emotional development, too.
Monkey Bars Foster Lifelong Benefits
As a mother, you want your kids to grow up confident and ready to take on new challenges. Playing on monkey bars from an early age provides benefits beyond the playground.
Active play, especially activities like playing on monkey bars that engage the entire body, can help reduce childhood obesity rates. But the advantages go even deeper.
When children have to learn to manoeuvre across those bars, they’re learning skills like
- Determination
- Focus
- Cause-and-effect reasoning
- Balance
- Risk Assessment
These cognitive lessons serve them well as they enter school. Having conquered their fears at the monkey bars, kids feel empowered to tackle other obstacles. This kind of active free play has been linked to better performance in areas like maths, reading, and science.
Monkey Bars Build Self-Esteem
Perhaps most importantly, learning to overcome physical challenges through monkey bars builds self-esteem. Mastering monkey bars proves to children that they can achieve goals through perseverance. These valuable lessons stay with them as they become adults, facing new experiences.
In fact, many studies now show that adults who engage in active play as children tend to have higher self-confidence when taking on leadership roles or public speaking.
They’ve learned from an early age that they possess the strength and bravery to surmount hurdles. In many ways, those monkey bars could give your kids a leg up for life.
Adults Can Play Too
While monkey bars may bring back childhood memories, play is also important for adults. Did you know that regularly incorporating physical activities you enjoy into your routine can help reduce stress and boost your mood?
As a busy mom, it is easy to feel weighed down by responsibilities. But setting aside even just 15 minutes a day to play can make a difference. Monkey bars provide a full-body workout that’s challenging yet fun for all skill levels. From beginners finding their grip to more advanced climbers, anyone can benefit. Dads often show their kids how it’s done by powering across, and groups of friends motivate each other to new heights.
You’re never too old to tap back into your inner kid and experience the mental break of play. Why not give those monkey bars a try this weekend?
Conclusion
Monkey bars offer benefits for both children and adults through their active play. For kids, they provide an engaging way to build motor skills, confidence, and school readiness while having fun. Adults can experience similar stress relief and health advantages. So please keep in mind the power of play—take your kids to the playground this weekend or try out some backyard monkey bars for yourself!
