With bullying and aggressive behaviour on the rise, it is time to learn more about how natural playgrounds can help reduce this unfortunate trend.
A movement to swap swings, slides and monkey bars for boulders, grassy hills and trees is gaining ground across many countries around the world. Advocates say natural playgrounds prompt much more imaginative free play, foster social interaction and cut down on bullying.
Our mission at Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds is to connect children of all abilities with nature, as well as the preparation and development that goes into our world-class natural playground designs and everything that we do to further this connection to children and nature.
A study done by the world’s top immunologists shows that a lack of exposure to a biodiverse environment early in life is a primary cause of a depleted immune system and gut flora. This directly affects diabetes, cancer, IB, Crohns, and stress-related disorders.
Fact: Math and language scores increase directly in proportion to contact with nature. It is more important than ever to ensure that children of all abilities have access to nature.
Contact with dirt has been proven to increase healthy immune response and decrease irritable bowel and gut-based chronic disease; all while reducing stress, increasing focus and extending attention spans.
All of these studies show that the lack of children’s outdoor activities and screen time is harmful and the more time that kids can connect with nature is one of the most positive ways to help them become more healthy and better adults.
We are driven by a deep concern over children’s lack of interaction with natural and sensory-rich environments. Natural play spaces provide challenging environments for children of all ages and sizes, where they learn important risk evaluation skills more effectively than on traditional playgrounds.
The Bienenstock Design Team can collaborate on every step of the design process, ensuring that designed natural playgrounds are not only functional and beautiful but also pedagogically sound.
Vandalism, aggressive behaviour, and bullying rates are all reduced in direct proportion to the amount of tree canopy and contact with nature in a play space, the more contact the greater the benefit. So let us all find ways to connect more children to nature and continue to reduce bullying.
