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All metal and wooden jungle gyms require regular maintenance to ensure their safety. We've put together the following programme to help you optimise the safety of your learners and the life of your jungle gym equipment. Monthly Safety checks Inspect the following elements of your jungle gym: Check the strength and integrity of any ropes : cargo nets, climbing ropes, rope bridges, tyre swing supports Check for any instability or wobbling of the structure by giving a very good shake Tighten all nuts and bolts, be sure to replace any that exhibit wear and tear Check wooden support poles and floorboards for dry and wet rot Dry Rot Dry rot destroys wood by eating away at parts within the wood which give the timber strength. This ultimately reduces the wood to a dry and crumbly state, causing it to weaken and rot. Dry rot is able to travel through building materials other than timber and quickly. Identification: Damaged Timber Concentrated Spore Dust Hyphae Mycelium Fruiting bodies Wet Rot Wet rot can be caused by a fungus and tends to remain in the damp area, rather than spreading like dry rot. In general, wet rot is a term used to describe many types of fungal species that can strike at any wood where moisture and dampness linger. Identification: ‘Cuboidal’ cracking Wet rot fungus Timber darkens or lightens in colour Existence of damp Localised decay Every 18 Months : Wooden units should be re-treated with Waxol or a similar product Every 24 Months : Metal units should be checked for rust. The pipes which rest on the ground tend to rust first due to rain or irrigation. Remove rust with a fine grit sandpaper. Apply a primer and, thereafter, any type of polyurethane paint. Ask Rustics Jungle Gyms or your paint specialist to advise accordingly. Every 36 Months : We would recommend the repainting of the entire metal structure. Please do not remove all the paint. Remove only the rust affected areas with sandpaper. Apply a primer to the affected areas and then repaint the whole jungle gym with any type of polyurethane paint. Please be aware that the outside appearance may be fine but there may be wear on the parts which cannot be seen, for example, bolts may be corroded inside the pole. With correct regular maintenance, the average lifespan on wooden units is 10-12 years on the metal units is 20 years

The holidays are over and its back to school! How do you keep that holiday family fun feeling going now that reality is well and truly hitting. Weekend picnics and a playground in your own backyard could be the answer! Invest in Jungle Gym, take a picnic outside, invite friends and family, and watch the children screeching with laughter as they use their imaginations, and their bodies, to entertain themselves for hours; climbing, swinging and sliding! A jungle gym in the garden not only provides healthy, outdoor, entertainment for the whole family, but gives an opportunity for 'family time' every day of the week!

The children at Ikhwezilomso ECDC in Chintsa East now have a new, fun place to play which will help them develop their bodies and their minds.   Thanks to a generous donation by the Chaba Winds of Change Community Trust, they were able to install a Rustics Caterpillar, a Drum Climber, a set of swings, a wooden unit with two platforms, a cargo net balance beam bridge, a cargo net, a slide, a rung ladder and a set of metal monkey bars. This addition to their playground has made playtime a time for development, not just for play. “The children are joyful every day when they arrive at school and can play in their playground” Reuben Sigqaza, Founder Ikhwezilomso ECDC, Chintsa East.

Get outside and spend time with your family planting seeds. Just being outdoors together is a bonding experience and teaching your children how to nurture a seed and grow a plant will give them pleasure and skills for life. Children learn fine motor skills, concentration, hand eye coordination, and above all patience. Over time, they will see the full cycle of planting, germination, growing, and harvesting. Make it more rewarding by planting edible plants such as herbs and vegetables which you can prepare together as part of a meal. Don’t forget to teach them to wash their harvest before eating it! Top Tips: Choose seeds that are large and easy to handle for little hands. Start with fast-growing seeds like sunflowers, beans, or radishes to keep children engaged. Try to make it fun – don’t worry if they sow too many seeds in each pot or drop them all on the floor. If they pick the first green tomato before it ripens or pull flower heads off the plants, you can always sow a few extra seeds on your own to ensure that some of the plants do well. This website gives lots of guidance on planting seeds with toddlers and shows you how to build a mini greenhouse propagator https://growinghealthykids.co.uk/growing-seeds-with-toddlers/

Rustics Jungle Gyms was commissioned to install an exciting playground at the Kingsway Racquet Club. The aim was to make the Kingsway club, the club of choice for families in the area. According the project manager's testimonial, they did a fantastic job! Roy says, “Parents are loving the peace of mind that comes with our safe new play space; it allows them to hit the Padel courts knowing their little ones are happy and secure. The playground incorporates a wide variety of activities which keep the children fully engaged, making every visit a win-win for the whole family." The design includes: Four raised platforms each with railings and shade cloth roofs; a cargo net balance beam bridge between two of the platforms; a ramp climber with knotted rope; a 2.2m glass fibre slide and rung ladder, a sandpit, a gymnastics bar, a set of monkey bars, two trapeze bars AND three tyre swings! “I commend Toni and her team on their professionalism – I have already been asked for their details by several Club members and am very comfortable recommending them.” Roy Godfrey

Set yourself up for success with these tips on how to stick to your resolutions Be Specific: Instead of "spend more quality time with the children," try "spend 30 minutes playing with them at least, 3 times a week". Start Small: Begin with tiny, manageable habits (e.g., 5-10 minutes) and build from there. Frame goals positively e.g. "spend more quality time withy my children" vs. "stop avoiding play with my children” Track Progress: Celebrate small wins to stay motivated. Share Goals: Tell friends or family for accountability. Be Realistic: Aim for 1-3 core resolutions to avoid becoming overwhelmed. Find Meaning: Choose goals that genuinely excite you and align with your values.

Did you resolve to spend more quality time with your children or to get healthier? We have put together a list of suggestions of how you can do just that…and how you can make this one of the resolutions which you stick to! Get a Jungle Gym (well, yes, of course we would say that!) and play outside with your children. Play is beneficial for people of all ages. Outdoor play develops physical, emotional and social skills helping to build bonds between you and your children. Read More Create an exercise routine around your jungle gym so you can all workout together – this will to help you meet any fitness goals you may have set yourself while still spending time with your children. Read More Use your jungle gym to teach your children calculated risk-taking – encourage them to swing high, climb to the top, slide to the bottom. Succeeding will give a sense of overcoming fears and will build confidence, self-trust and independence. You might just push yourself out of your own comfort zones too! Read more All this AND you get the additional benefits of being outdoors in the sunshine Read More

The Everyday People Church in Glen Eden, recently contacted Rustics Jungle Gyms to upgrade its existing Rustics playground which only had a small jungle gym and two swings. "Toni came to site, offered valuable advice and was able to work with us to create an exciting new playground space within our budget constraints. We were able to add a double tower, tyre climber, monkey bars, a swing boat, trapeze swing and a tyre swing. "Toni was lovely to deal with, and very efficient in her communication. I would highly recommend Rustics Jungle Gyms to anyone looking to install or upgrade playground equipment. "In just a day and a half our playground was looking bright and playful again. "...and the best part - the children absolutely love the new additions!" Kristy, Children's Ministry Worker, Everyday People Church

What better gift for your children than years and years of outdoor, physical PLAY! We recently installed our Salem Unit in an East London family's garden and this is what Mom, Lauren had to say: "My kids love the jungle gym, my daughter’s new favourite word is “slide”. Every day after school they go straight to the yard to play. It really allows them to get out their energy in a safe environment right at home. "My children are 5 and 1 and a half years old I need a jungle gym that can grow with them, something that I know will last - a Salem Unit from Rustics was the absolute best choice. We can add new and exciting elements onto the base unit as they get older, keeping them interested and outside for longer." "Thank you Rustics for an outstanding experience, the team was amazing at putting everything up quick and efficiently."

In a previous article  we highlighted the importance of play-based learning. This month we offer links to resources to help you as a parent or teacher to unlock the power of PLAY to teach the children in your care: https://playsa.org/  - offers free PLAY courses, which offer theory and practical instruction, based on age groups: Birth - 2 years: Learn how to help babies and toddlers reach their developmental milestones. 2 - 5 years: Lay the children’s foundations for language, communication and maths. Grade R: Lay the foundations for skills children will use throughout the rest of their schooling career. Grade 1 – 3: Includes play activities and links them to CAPS. Let us know if these course were useful!

Active parents and teachers serve as role models, promoting physical activity and a healthier lifestyle to their children. Take your lessons outside and not only will you be setting a good example and reaping the benefits of physical activity for yourself, you will also be improving the children's academic performance; the proven benefit of linking academic learning to physical activity.  There are no excuses for not taking learning outside! Make your lessons physical! There is a growing body of evidence that proves that Physically Active Learning (PAL), which integrates movement with the delivery of academic content, can improve a child’s retention of knowledge and memory and, as a result, enhance their academic performance. Check out this 12 minute YouTube video from Bryn Mawr School and read this article to find out more about the results of PAL There are other resources to get you started with incorporating PAL lessons into your school day at this link https://www.yhlearning.co.uk/courses/physically-active-learning Take it outside! Take your Physically Active Learning lessons outside, and you can reap the additional benefits of spending time in sunshine, for everyone: Improved sleep and reduced stress Strengthened immune system Fight off depression Strengthened bones Live longer? Read more here

The value of PLAY As parents and teachers, we all want our children to succeed and the desire for them to do well, to get qualifications and ultimately secure a great job, puts us, and our children, under pressure. This has translated into a focus on academic performance with extra home work and extra lessons all becoming the norm. But are we missing something? "Play is the vehicle through which children absorb knowledge organically, effortlessly blending cognitive, physical, emotional and social development." https://storiesofplay.com/the-power-of-play-redefining-learning-for-our-children/ Should we be filling all of our children’s time with organised activities? The answer is NO! Play is essential to the development of creativity, critical thinking and a love for learning which will fuel a child’s curiosity and foster a thirst for knowledge that will naturally propel them forward. More than “Just" play Play is not just frivolous, aimless fun. By giving our children the time and space to play, we are giving them the opportunity to grow into curious, resilient, and self-motivated individuals with a genuine love for learning. We are equipping them with the skills and mindset needed to thrive in an ever-changing world. As parents and teachers, we need to change our mindset and embrace the idea that learning is not confined to textbooks and structured lessons and that play is an essential foundation upon which a child can grow and succeed. Read our previous articles on play and childhood development Get a Rustics jungle gym to make outside play challenging, stimulating and FUN!