The Benefits of Outdoor Play for Children's Development

Children who have somewhere to climb, swing and hang in their own garden tend to use it. Here is what that kind of play gives them, and how to match it to their age.

Strength and coordination

Different kinds of play work different skills:

• Swinging builds balance, rhythm and core strength
• Hanging from gym rings, a trapeze or monkey bars builds grip and upper-body strength
• Climbing a wall or net works the whole body and teaches children to plan a route
• Ball games at a hoop or target net build hand-eye and foot-eye coordination

Confidence and judging risk

A climbing frame lets children set their own challenges: one rung higher, one more bar across. Working out what they can manage, and trying again when they can't, is how confidence is built.

Playing together

A frame with more than one thing to do brings children together. Taking turns on a swing, sharing a nest swing or making up a game around a hoop are all practice at getting along. A nest swing rated to 150kg means a parent can join in too (see the weight limit for every accessory).

Fresh air, every day

The biggest advantage of equipment in your own garden is that it is always there. Ten minutes before school or half an hour after homework adds up to far more time outdoors than a weekly trip to the playground.

Matching play to age

The BERG PlayBase frame stays the same while the accessories change:

• From nine months — the baby seat, with an adult pushing
• From 3 years — swing seat, nest swing, trapeze, gym rings, platform and slide
• As they grow — climbing wall, climbing net, basketball hoop, soccer goal
• From 14 years — pull-up bar, dip bar, boxing bag, fitness rope and resistance bands

That is the point of a modular frame. The same structure serves a toddler, a ten-year-old and a teenager, and the adults can use it as well.