New School Playground Equipment Promotes Health and Happiness at Bentley West Primary School
Interest in healthy eating and exercise has increased dramatically at a West Midlands primary school since new adventure play equipment was installed.
The timber trail, created by Playforce, is so popular with the children that it has become necessary to use it in strict rotation. However, they can earn extra time on the playground equipment by eating healthy food at lunch and break times.
Deputy Head of Bentley West Primary School, Walsall, Sally-Ann Cox, explained that the response from the youngsters has been extraordinary.
"We had already achieved the government's new Healthy Schools Status but this new outdoor play equipment is really helping to maintain it," she said.
"We have a reward system where children who eat healthy food are presented with a certificate in assembly. We decided to include extra playtime on the timber trail as part of that reward and since then so many children have started eating healthily we simply don't have the time to award the certificates any more.
The infants' outdoor playground already had some playground equipment. The decision to install playground equipment for the junior school came after a request from the school council two years ago.
The children took an active role in researching what was available, designing their perfect outdoor playground and organising fund-raising events.
Playforce is a Wiltshire-based company that prides itself on the ability to design outdoor play equipment areas that stimulate children's imaginations at the same time as stretching their muscles.
Each piece has specific developmental purposes as well as making playtime fun. The children create their own games and magical worlds using the Playforce timber trail obstacles as props and scenery, exercising their minds and bodies at the same time.
With the money raised and a grant for the playground coming from the lottery fund the timber trail for Bentley West school includes: a tyre twister, perfect for developing co-ordination in budding sportsmen and women; swinging logs and rubber stepping posts, to promote confidence, balance and imagination; a climbing wall and a net climber with scramble wall, to provide a tough climbing challenge; a rock and roll log, which encourages co-operation as well as developing upper body strength; a balance weaver for balance, imagination and muscle control and an army-style net tunnel, trapeze swing and a play web, which all provide high level climbing and swinging challenges. The entrance to the play zone is provided by a colourful roll-over bridge, which is ideal for role play and stimulating the imagination.
