Swing

Benefits of Swinging Play

Dr. Joe Frost, author of The Developmental Benefits of Playgrounds, conducted research to demonstrate how swinging play is valuable to children developing physical, emotional, and social skills. Swings promote fitness and whole-body awareness through actions such as legpumping, and they offer opportunities for children to engage in sensory rich experiences that address rhythmical movement and stimulate the vestibular system- critical in developing balance and coordination.

As children swing, they learn the importance of timely energy transfer during movement, and they develop upper body and fine motor skills. Swings support cooperative play between users, as well as encourage dramatic and imaginative play. (GameTime.com)

Check out more articles in this Playground Design Element Series: Balance | Spin | Climb | Slide | Brachiate | Swing