Seesaw – One of the Simplest Pieces of Playground Equipment
A playground isn’t complete without a classic seesaw! Kids love the up-and-down movement of a seesaw and it’s great for building coordination skills.
Unlike other playground equipment, kids need to cooperate and take turns while playing on a seesaw. This helps them develop social skills and build confidence. Also, play on a seesaw strengthens large muscles in the legs and core.
Balance and Coordination
Seesaws are one of the simplest pieces of playground equipment, but they can offer kids hours of fun and valuable skills development. Whether they’re playing on the traditional wooden seesaw or the newer, innovative models, children develop balance and coordination by shifting their weight while seeingsawing. Playground teeter-totters also help children learn the value of working together to accomplish a goal, as they’ll need to take turns riding on the equipment.
As children rock back and forth on a seesaw, they’ll work their core muscles as well as the shoulders, legs and arms. This helps strengthen the grasping movement, which can improve hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. This is important, as the grasping movement is needed to grab monkey bars, ladder rungs, swings or even open doors or jars.
In addition, the rocking motion of a seesaw or teeter-totter can boost cardiovascular health by helping to establish a healthy heart rate. It’s a great way to get the blood seesaw playground equipment flowing and can even help warm up a child’s body in cold weather.
Another benefit of a seesaw or teeter-totter is that it’s relatively easy to maintain, especially when compared with some other types of playground equipment. The pivot point of a seesaw needs to be oiled from time to time, and the equipment should be washed down periodically with a garden hose and mild soap.
Strength Training
When kids play on seesaws or rockers, they use their legs, core muscles, and glutes to move them up and down. This type of activity is also good for strengthening their backs. If they try to balance themselves by putting their arms out on either end, they also use arm strength.
Children who play on a seesaw or teeter-totter are encouraged to face one another while they ride, which can help them stay in control and enjoy the experience more. This also promotes safety because if a child on one end of the seesaw starts to hit the ground before the other person has reached the top, the other child can fall onto them and possibly get hurt. To avoid this, the area under the seat of a seesaw should have shock absorbing material to reduce the impact if the children do lose their balance.
The teeter-totter is an excellent piece of playground equipment for teaching children about the importance of cooperation and sharing. It requires at least two people to play on it, and each has a role in making it work. The children must take turns on the seats, push their feet against the ground to lift their ends, and balance each other out. This is a great way for kids to learn about fairness and teamwork, while they are having fun and exercising at the same time.
Coordination and Fine Motor Skills
Seesaws and their smaller cousins, teeter-totters, help kids build coordination. They have to balance and coordinate their movements, and the rhythm of up-and-down play encourages social interaction with a partner. They also practice grasping and other fine motor skills as they shift their weight to maintain the motion of the equipment.
The classic design of the playground seesaw features two children who sit opposite each other and take turns pushing their feet against the ground to lift one end into the air. This activity provides an excellent opportunity for children to learn about seesaw playground equipment the effects of different body weights on each other, and they may even start to understand gravity in a more intuitive way.
For younger kids, spring-centered seesaws are a good option as they require less cooperation and communication between partners. However, it’s important to check all of the safety rules and regulations for any kind of fulcrum-style seesaw, just to be sure your playground meets all standards.
Kids that play on seesaws often feel stronger as a result of the activity, and their bones get a workout that can reduce the risk of fractures later in life. Being physically fit can also improve the function of their immune systems. Seeing their parents or other adults play on the same piece of equipment can help kids to feel confident about their own abilities.
Safety
Seesaws are a popular feature at playgrounds. They help children learn about balance, how different weights affect each other and coordination. Kids also learn to work together to make the equipment function and to find a rhythm.
Commercial playground seesaws are typically made of wood with two, three or even four ground-embedded springs that allow the board to move up and down and accommodate multiple seats. The springs are usually coated in protective material to reduce the risk of injury, and a safety surface should be placed under the equipment. This is best if it’s an area of soft cushioned surface like mulch, sand, wood chips or crushed stone. However, foam mats can be used as well. The surfacing should be at least 12 inches deep to prevent children from landing on their heads or hands.
Kids should be taught to always hold onto a seesaw with both hands and not touch the ground or push off with their feet. They should also keep their feet off to the side and away from under the seesaw while others are using it.
The shape of a seesaw is specifically designed to provide a safe and fun ride for children. It’s important for parents and caretakers to teach kids how to use the equipment properly to avoid injuries. They should also be monitored closely to ensure they do not reach the maximum user weight capacity of the equipment.