With the rise of tablets and other easy-to-hold technologies, kids are no longer going outside to play. In fact, as a parent, it’s often hard to reduce screen time and get your kids moving. While this might be the reality, it’s time to start thinking about ways to get your kids active and playing. Active play is a critical component of childhood and can provide many benefits as a child grows. When they sit on the couch watching the TV or playing on your phone all the time, they don’t receive these critical benefits. You want your child to grow up happy and healthy, but they can’t do that if they don’t get active play on a regular basis. Rebounderz trampoline parks help to get kids active, helping them in a wide variety of areas. Learn how active play can benefit your child as you keep reading.

Promotes Life Skills

Active play helps to promote a wide variety of life skills. While this type of play does help the brain develop, it also helps kids develop their coordination and motor function. This allows them to be in control of their bodies as they grow. In addition, active play involves a social component to it that can help children learn how to interact with one another in a positive way. According to the British Toy and Hobby Association, “Playful children are happier, better adjusted, more cooperative, and more popular with their peers than those who play less. Children play longer when a wide variety of toys [are] available. Playful children are more physically active, creative, humorous, imaginative, emotionally expressive, curious, and communicative.”

Develops the Imagination

Allowing and even encouraging kids to participate in active play helps kids to develop their imaginations. Whether it is getting outside and chasing butterflies, or building complex structures with legos, these types of activities can help kids to imagine new worlds and new ways to doing things. This is important to help them later in life, as imagination and creativity are key for problem solving and being flexible in your environment.

Improves Emotional Intelligence

Engaging in active play can help to improve emotional intelligence. There are a couple of ways this can happen. The first is that active play gets kids engaging with one another. By practicing social skills at a young age, children can learn how to appropriately interact with one another and respond to one another. They will be able to pick up social cues much easier and act on them in an appropriate manner. Childhood is a lot about learning through mistakes, and active play helps to accelerate this process. In addition, active play helps to release emotions and other built-up feelings in a more positive way for many children. This can help them learn how to be more cognizant of their own emotions in the process.

Develops Cognitive Learning

When children are physically active, they’re helping their brain develop. Movement and motion help to develop neural pathways that will help children in school, and in life as they get older. They are able to better react to challenges and solve problems because of these developed pathways. Children who engage in active play have been shown to do better in school, because they have more developed pathways and are better able to focus.

Provides Lifelong Health Skills

Along with all the benefits listed above, it’s important to remember that active play is exceptionally important in developing a child’s lifelong physical health skills. Active play can improve everything from heart health to bone density, making your child healthier and putting them at a lower risk for health problems down the line. In addition, active play is a huge component of reducing childhood obesity and maintaining a healthy weight through their lives.

Improves Social Skills, Self-Esteem, and Confidence

Children who engage in active play on a regular basis find that they have heightened social skills, and improved self-esteem and confidence. Active play gets kids involved with peers and helps to teach them how to interact at a young age. Play also helps with impulse control, which will help improve a wide variety of behaviors.

Give your children the active play they need when you visit Rebounderz of Sterling. Come bounce and play to your heart’s desire at our indoor trampoline parks. Contact us with any questions you may have.