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In this edition we present part 3 of a 5 part series discussing the physical benefits for children of playing on a jungle gym - we continue with the benefits of Core Strength and what equipment is best for its development. Core strength is needed to stabilise children’s bodies and maintain balance. The core muscles are the muscles around the spine which help to stabilise and protect the spine and help provide a solid base from which movement can take place. neck muscles keep the head stable and upright back muscles keep the spine erect and stable abdominal muscles stabilise the lower back and pelvis in addition, the pelvic floor muscles and diaphragm are also considered to be part of the core If a child has poor core strength, they will have difficulty controlling fine motor skills, such as handwriting, and participating in gross motor activities like school sport. Check out this article to identify whether your child has core strength issues. Benefits of Core strength A strong core means smooth movement and controlled appendages, affecting both gross motor play skills and fine motor classroom skills. On the playground, core strength allows the arms and legs to move freely for running, jumping, climbing, and skipping, giving children confidence to partake in sporting activities. In the classroom, core strength allows children to hold their heads still to read a book or write and to support their torsos, freeing their hands to work on cutting, writing, colouring, and building. They also need core strength to sit comfortably at a desk to listen and to attend to a task. Playground equipment to develop core strength Swings Children need to engage their core abdominal muscles to stay upright in the centre of the swing. The balance required to keep the momentum of the swing also works those core muscles. Climbing frames Any climbing frame which encourages children to climb, pull and clamber will improve core strength - look out for swings, monkey bars, cargo nets, and balance beams in your jungle gym design. Check out the Tarantula, Baby-T and Rons' Unit for good examples of climbing frames to help build core strength. Monkey Bars A child is required to hold their core strong while they move their hands along on the monkey bars. Knotted Ropes and Cargo Nets Lifting and controlling their own body weight to successfully climb a knotted rope or cargo net requires a child to use their core. Balance beams and bridges The core muscles are used to keep the body upright when balancing - balance beams and balance beam bridges can be used for balance practice. Tunnels For younger children, crawling through tunnels is an excellent way to improve core strength. Contact us if you have would like a playground design to develop core strength

Rustics jungle Gyms has recently installed a history-inspired, ship-shaped jungle gym at Yellow Sands Family caravan park, in the Eastern Cape. The ship design was inspired by the story of the Santa Alberto, a ship that sank off the Kwelera Point in 1593. This unique, historical theme provides a platform for the children to exercise their imaginations while gaining many of the other benefits of outdoor play, including physical strength and soft skills development. Parents and grandparents benefit from hours of peace, while the children create their own imaginary world with their new friends. It's a holiday win-win! "Working with the Rustics Jungle Gyms design team was an absolute pleasure. They paid attention to our needs, accommodated any customisations we requested, and ensured that the final design was a perfect realisation of the project dream. The entire team was efficient, responsive, and managed to complete the project impressively quickly. I would absolutely recommend Rustics Jungle Gyms to anyone looking to create a healthy, outdoor play experience for their children." Jason Leppan, Manager, Yellow Sands Resort Family Caravan Park says

In this edition we present part 2 of a 5 part series discussing the physical benefits for children of playing on a jungle gym - we continue with the benefits of Lower Body Strength and what equipment is best for its development. The lower body is the foundation of many of our kids’ daily physical activities. Lower body strength is needed to stand, climb stairs, walk and run. Benefits of Lower body strength Engaging in exercise that uses the legs and lower core leads to: Improved bone health - bones are better able to take the impact without fracturing and the risk of osteoporosis later in life is reduced. Better balance - strengthening the hip, glute and legs muscles stabilises the entire body reducing the risk of falling and getting hurt Improved posture - building lower body muscles stabilises the entire core improving overall posture and helping to avoid the back and neck pain which are typical symptoms of poor posture. Playground equipment to develop lower body strength Most types of weight-bearing exercise are good for improving lower body strength. Weight-bearing exercise is any exercise in which the feet and legs carry the body's weight. Climbing frames Any climbing frame which includes ladders, cargo nets, balance beams and balance beam bridges will help children develop their lower body muscles and bones. Check out the Tarantula, Baby-T and Eye-ex units for good examples of climbing frames to help build lower body strength Ladders, Arched Ladders and Cargo Nets Climbing ladders, arched ladders and cargo nets require the child to bear the weight of their body on their legs and to push their body weight up. In addition to lifting and controlling their own body weight to successfully climb a cargo net, children also need good eye-hand co-ordination to get to the top of the net without slipping through one of the openings. Balance beams and bridges Balancing uses the muscles in the lower body—the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, calf muscles, and inner thigh muscles to keep the body in alignment. More balancing = more strength in these muscles. Research also shows that balance skills help children to develop better language, improve reading and writing skills, improve concentration and body control. Contact us if you have would like a playground design to develop lower body strength

A Jungle Gym is a long-term investment in your child’s development, and in your property. A quality Jungle gym, that is built to withstand the harsh South African elements is not cheap and if it is, beware of poor-quality building materials. We recently visited a jungle gym which was beautifully designed and perfectly built BUT it was breaking after only three years' use because it was built using incorrect materials. Use treated timber A layer of varnish on the outside is NOT enough to protect wood from the elements. A proper timber treatment is a highly specialised industrial process that involves the impregnation of SABS approved chemicals under pressure into dry timber. It renders the wood nutrients unpalatable to insects and uninhabitable to fungus. SABS approved treated timber is the ONLY timber to use to build a quality, long-lasting Jungle Gym Avoid repurposing previously used wood The holes from previous bolts and screws will weaken the structure of the wood and hence your jungle gym, making it unsafe. Use galvanised or passivated hardware Galvanising and passivation are chemical processes which improve the corrosion resistance of metals so that they last longer. If your jungle gym is not built from the appropriate materials the consequences could be disastrous! Check out this video of how easily a jungle gym manufactured from the wrong materials was toppled into a pile of rubble. You would not want your children to be playing on it at the time. At Rustics Jungle Gyms we understand the South African National Standard by-laws, SANS regulation number 51176-1, 71176-2, 51176-3, 51176-4, 51176-5, 51176-6, 51176-7 and 51176-10; and design and manufacture all of our jungle gyms to these safety standards.

Rustics recently installed its flagship Tarantula Play System and a custom designed wooden unit at the new St Joseph’s Preparatory and College in East London. The Foundation Phase spokesperson says, “We are very happy with our new playground. The grass under the equipment needed two weeks to bed-in and it was torture for the children …and the teachers, to see it, but not be able to play. “Since they were let loose, the children have absolutely loved playing on the equipment. It is well designed and provides good quality play with its many different areas for play and use of the imagination. The children use the two double towers with a bridge between, to play prince and princesses. “We had an excellent experience with Toni and her team. Their years of experience were invaluable in planning how the playground should look and what would need to be included to create a quality play experience for the children. Throughout the process, they were in constant communication and were very responsive to all our questions." “We selected Rustics Jungle Gyms because they came highly recommended – we were not disappointed and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to anyone looking for a safe, quality playground.”

The first day of school can be daunting – whether starting school in grade 1, beginning a new phase or moving to a new school. The playground can be a great place to help the new children integrate into their new environment. Children generally benefit greatly from social interaction and group play and a fun, challenging outdoor playground can help children adapt to a new school by giving them a chance to interact with the children around them in a non-threatening environment and helping them find new friends. At Rustics, we design our Playground equipment to boost social interaction by incorporating equipment that encourages cooperative play; children can climb over bars which intersect with other pieces of equipment, they can climb up cargo nets together, run, jump, and crawl together. Swings are also placed side by side to encourage interaction.

Children will be children and it doesn't matter how hard you try to protect them, they may still become injured while playing outside on a jungle gym. In this newsletter we discuss how to reduce the risks of injury and how to cope with the most frequent playground injuries, should they happen. How To Avoid Serious Playground Injuries Obviously, the first priority in any playground is to prevent injuries, and safety starts with building and designing a playground that will limit injuries. Make sure that your outdoor play equipment is designed, built and installed to SA National standards using SABS approved materials. We presented a list of questions to consider when assessing the safety of a jungle gym design in a previous newsletter. Secondly – make sure that you maintain your playground equipment. See our Jungle Gym Maintenance Checklist post. Thirdly - have rules in the playground to ensure that equipment is used safely – see our playground safety tips. Even after taking all of these precautions, children are unpredictable, and some injuries may still occur on the playground. What to do if there is an injury The key is to relax, take deep breaths, and keep calm. If you are panicking you will not be able to think rationally which will impair your ability to offer the right help in good time. Assess the injury and talk to the child so they know what you are doing to help them Call for additional help if necessary Provide first aid while you wait for help to arrive Here are some first aid treatments you can do while you wait Black Eye It’s normal to see some discoloration, swelling, and bruising. There can be temporary visual impairment. The child may also experience headaches and neck aches. To Treat: Wrap ice in a clean cloth and put it on the eye for only 15 minutes in every hour. Keep their head elevated above heart level to drain the blood and reduce the bruising. Check with a medical professional whether you can give painkillers. Seek immediate medical attention if these symptoms persist: There is a deformity in the eye or the face The child becomes dizzy Clear fluid is leaking from the ears When there is a change in behaviour Broken Bones Children's bones are more supple compared to adults' bones. Bones can split, crack or bend. A fracture is when the bone breaks or cracks. You will notice swelling, bruising and difficulty in moving. The limb could look twisted or bent, have a grating noise or lose strength. To Treat: Get a pad and cover the injured limb and try to immobilise it – either with a triangular bandage if its an arm, or by tying the injured leg to the other leg, if it’s a leg. Tell the child to keep still to ease the pain. If it’s an open fracture and you can see a bone protruding or there is a wound, you need to control the bleeding. Get a sterile cloth and cover the wound. Be sure not to put pressure on the bone. Don’t move the child while waiting for medical assistance. Split Lip To Treat: Find the source of the bleeding. Stop the bleeding by getting a clean cloth and putting it over the injured lip. Do this for five to seven minutes until the bleeding stops. Use a cold compress if there’s swelling. Call for medical assistance for a deeper cut and if the bleeding doesn’t stop after seven minutes. Cuts To Treat: You may use a towel and apply pressure on the wound for at least 5 minutes and elevate the area. When the bleeding stops, wash it with water and cover the wound with a plaster. Clean cuts can be easily managed. It may be advisable to get a tetanus shot – check with your GP. Call for help if: • It bleeds for longer than 10 minutes • The cut is deep/large and may require stitches • There’s debris in the wound • There are signs of infection (increased swelling, redness, pain or pus) Friction Burns Assess the burn. If it’s on the top layer of the skin, it’s considered a minor burn. To Treat: Do NOT apply ice/ ice water. Carefully remove any debris with sterilized tweezers. Apply antiseptic and wrap it loosely with gauze making sure to leave some space for the wound to breathe. Seek immediate medical attention if: • There is severe damage to the outer layer of the skin • The burn is more than 3 inches in diameter • The burn is in a sensitive area • The area becomes infected Knocked-Out Tooth To Treat: Apply a cold piece of cloth if there is bleeding. If the child is old enough, let them bite on the gauze. You can also get them an ice pop. If this is a permanent tooth pick up the tooth by the crown (the normally exposed part) and rinse the root off with water if it’s dirty. Don’t scrub or remove tissue. Try putting the tooth back in place. If this is not possible, place it in a small container of milk and see a dentist a soon as possible. Teeth are more likely salvageable if reinserted within 1 hour of being knocked out. If the tooth is broken, rinse their mouth immediately with warm water and call the dentist to discuss options. Head Injuries To Treat: Get immediate help and while you’re waiting, check if the child is breathing, if not, do Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Check for any signs of bleeding. If there is an object stuck in their head, don’t pull it out, get a clean cloth and cover it. Don’t shake or move your child unless you need to get them somewhere safe. Nosebleed To Treat: Ask the child to sit and lean slightly forward. Don’t lay them down as blood could block the airway. Pinch the soft part of the nose and ask the child breathe through their mouth. Keep the pressure on the nose for ten minutes. Don’t let them blow their nose or rub it to avoid further irritation. Seek immediate medical attention if: the bleeding doesn’t stop after two tries of applying pressure, ten minutes each. there is bruising the child is feeling dizzy or weak. Splinter To Treat: Don’t touch the splinter with your bare hands. Use tweezers. Gently pinch the splinter at the base near the skin and pull it out at the same angle that it went in. If you were able to remove it, squeeze the skin and let it bleed. This is to flush out any particles left in the wound. Wash the wound with soap and water and put a plaster over it. Watch the injury for signs of infection over the next few days (redness, warmth, pus). If you cannot remove the splinter yourself after 5 minutes of trying or if it breaks off seek medical help to avoid traumatising the child and the wound. Children at play run the risk of injuries but by following the preventative measures above and applying timely first aid in the event of an accident, these injuries can be successfully managed and children can get back to the healthy business of playing. Sources: https://playgroundprofessionals.com/playground/playground-safety/treat-playground-injuries? https://health.clevelandclinic.org/treat-10-common-playground-injuries/

Soft skills are essential for success in the work environment and children with exceptional soft skills are more likely to grow into adults with exceptional soft skills. As parents and teachers, it is crucial that we encourage our children to become the best that they can be. By exposing children to outdoor play and thoughtfully designed playground equipment, we provide the environment for those soft skills to develop. Outdoor playground equipment creates an environment in which children learn to use their imagination to solve problems. This develops out-of-the-box thinking abilities for use in later life, in academic or work environments When children are faced with real or imagined obstacles while playing, they are required to use their cognitive skills to know how best to overcome them. If there's an imagined massive gorge that they must cross, which could be on flat ground or on the playground equipment, they will stop and figure out the best way to get across. Do they go around, build a bridge, or throw an imaginary rope across and swing? Or do they have a wizard who can create a bridge for them or cast a spell of flight, so they can fly across? Given the opportunity, children will come up with some of the most inventive and out of the box solutions to a problem. In doing so, they are learning how to solve puzzles and problems. These skills will help them attain higher grades in school and will serve them well in the workplace. If you learn how to think outside the box early, you won't be tempted to stay in it as an adult. Talk to me about your jungle gym requirements

They say that leaders are born, not made. But leadership is a skill that can be learned, and these lessons can be learned as early as childhood. Unstructured play, where children aren't being directed or told how to play, allows children to learn how to lead. They become leaders of their groups and direct their own play. Research shows that about 30% of leadership behaviours can be traced back to genes, which leaves 70% to contextual factors, such as training and development. You'll see it anytime there is a group of kids together gathered around a jungle gym in the playground. One of them will step up to be the leader and come up with the game, but they'll listen to input from others in their group, and if someone else comes up with a better idea, they'll openly and honestly discuss it, quickly resolve any issues and move back to playing. Even if this results in a change of leader. Children do this instinctively. Giving everyone a chance to develop their leadership skills. Playing in this unstructured way teaches children to be compassionate and to listen to the will of the masses, to develop a vision of what they want to achieve, to make decisions quickly, to organise, to communicate, to plan, problem solve and resolve conflict to reach that vision. Good leaders are the ones that can hold on to those skills that they learned on the playground. A jungle gym provides a free play environment where children can learn leadership skills Talk to me about your jungle gym requirements

Outdoor playgrounds offer children the chance to encounter acceptable risks as part of a stimulating, challenging and controlled learning environment. In fact they are a great source of learning risk-based behavioural skills. BUT, it is essential to balance these benefits with the need to keep children safe from serious harm. How do you do this? Purchase your outdoor playground equipment from a reputable supplier with a proven safety track record. Beware of playground equipment not built to the relevant South African National Standards. Not only is it important to use materials that are certified fit for the purpose but also the design needs to have structural integrity and meet safety standards. Questions to consider when assessing a design include: What is the maximum distance a child can free fall Can you get access to children wherever they are on the equipment to help if necessary? Are handrails at the correct height and angle? Are barriers erected to prevent long distance free falling? Can children climb on these barriers to increase their potential falling distance? Are the rails and bars for grabbing, a suitable diameter? Are there bolts which protrude which could pose a safety hazard? Are the gaps between railings, and the planks in platforms, at the correct distance to prevent the trapping of clothes, heads, hands and feet? Are the ends of all pipes and tubes closed off to prevent fingers getting trapped? Is there enough free space around the equipment to ensure safe use? These are just a few of the questions that need to considered when assessing the design of your outdoor play equipment - you can purchase the full specification SANS 51176-1:2010 at the SABS website for your own information or you can ensure that you purchase equipment from a supplier who specifies that their equipment meets this standard. If you are unsure, contact us - we can help you. Pick one of our SANS approved existing designs or work with us to design your own!

One study by Common Sense Media found that today's children are subject to 10 times the amount of mobile screen time than in 2011. In the battle between nature and gadgets, the latter wins the majority of the time. Attention grabbing games are designed to keep children wanting more; parents find it an easier and cleaner way to entertain their children so they can get on with their own tasks. Its not easy to be a parent under these circumstances but it is your role to look after the well-being of your children until they are old enough to do so for themselves. You wouldn’t dream of letting your child eat chocolate cake and ice cream all day. Use of technology falls into the same category - its just not healthy! As a parent, you need to teach your child a healthy balance between physical activity and playing with screens. There are consequences of taking the easy way out. Children as young as 8 are consulting chiropractors with neck and shoulder issues normally associated with adults who spend all day hunched over a keyboard and cell phones and play games in the evenings. When this happens hour after hour, day after day the neck and shoulders start to ache, develop pinched nerves, or even become numb from a lack of circulation and movement. Children who don’t move are at risk of becoming obese which brings a whole host of health hazards including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, social anxiety and asthma.

Follow this link to read more about how play can: Relieve stress. Improve brain function. Stimulate the mind and boost creativity. Improve relationships and your connection to others. Keep you feeling young and energetic. The authors make suggestions on how to rekindle play in your life, how play improves the quality of your love relationships—as well as your connections with co-workers, family members, and friends and, more interestingly, how play can boost productivity and innovation in your work environment. “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” George Bernard Shaw Invest in a jungle gym to create outdoor 'play' opportunities for your whole family