Getting enough exercise is vital for anyone’s health, and good exercise can be done through sports, cardio, martial arts classes, and more. Adults and children alike need to get enough physical activity per day, since the human body is designed to move, and many parks and sports fields are a fine way to get exercise outside in the fresh air. But if the weather is poor, or if a nearby park is too far or inconvenient to visit, then parents can take their children to commercial indoor play structures at local shopping malls or fitness centers instead. Many of these commercial indoor play structures are found in places that the family may visit often anyway, and that makes them convenient indeed. A kids indoor play structure may be available at a fitness center, or at a house of worship or even a fast food restaurant. Such an indoor playground for kids is a fine way to keep youngsters occupied while their parents are busy, and exercise is a reward all on its own.
Children and Exercise
Exercise is healthy for everyone, young and old, but children in particular need to be active so that they can grow up healthy. A consequence of not getting enough gross motor activity, aside from increased risk of being overweight, is limits on mental growth and development. So, the American Heart Association (among others) has set some public guidelines on children’s activity levels. The Associations recommends that all children over the age of two get one hour or more of moderate physical activity per day, whether through sports or simple play at a park. The Sports and Fitness Industry Association classifies “healthy to an active level” as getting 25 minutes of high calorie-burning physical activity three times per week, and that applies to children, too.
Do American children today live up to these standards? Unfortunately, they often do not, but on the flip side, any parents can start a new exercise program for their kids. It is never too late to get active. Two in three parents are concerned that their children spend too much time on electronic screens, and just under one in three children today meets the guideline for high calorie-burning activity. Many households spend a lot of money on babysitters and other daycare services, but they can cut back on those costs by bringing their children along on errands and occupying them with commercial indoor play structures just about anywhere. This may be quite convenient for families who don’t always have time for a park or a kids’ sports team.
Indoor Play Structures
Indoor playgrounds can be built nearly anywhere that has the space for them, and have many of the features of regular outdoor park equipment. Anything from a climbable jungle gym or mini rock face can be found, to swings to slides, and more. For example, many shopping malls will have a kids’ play area in a large open space, and will probably include low walls to divide the play area from general traffic. These commercial indoor play structures should also have some benches where responsible adults can monitor the kids, and these play structures may be colorful or have a theme that kids will like. This keeps the kids occupied and active while the parents are on a lengthy shopping trip, for example, or on some other appointment the child wouldn’t want to be a part of.
Fast food restaurants also have these indoor play structures, which may feature ball pits, plastic slides, tube, and more. A large annex may be built onto the fast food restaurant to make room for this. Parents are urged to have their children wash their hands after using the play area, though, especially if they have not eaten yet. A house of worship that offers child care services, such as a church or synagogue, may have these indoor structures too, and probably some fenced-off outdoor play areas, too. Finally, many fitness centers feature a child-friendly room with appropriate play gear and sports balls inside, where parents can drop off their youngsters before a workout. After all, the main gym is meant for adult patrons, not children, so the indoor play area ensures that kids don’t miss out on exercise.
