The Ups and Downs of the Slide.

Creating Brighter Futures hardworking OT, Katie Willim, gives us a reminder of how important it is to play out of the box. Let's give risky play a seat at the table again!

Why climbing up the slide is just as important as sliding down for learning & physical development:

Why do kids go up the slide? They are seeking risk & challenge in their play. Kids feel powerful scaling the slide. Going up the slide is fun. It’s healthy adventure – often part of imaginative play. Climbing the slide helps kids test their strength, find their limits and gain balance, spital awareness, as well as, social awareness and consideration of peers in the surrounding area.

• § Climbing up the slide strengthens arms & legs. Children need to be active & exercise.

• § Climbing the slide promotes risky play. Risky play that provides opportunities for challenges, testing limits, exploring boundaries & learning. Children need to learn how to take risks in life, & it starts through play.

• § Climbing the slide involves conflict. When a child climbs up a slide, another will want to go down the slide. This is a great way for children to practice solving problems. Most of the time, the children learn how to solve the problem on their own.

• § Climbing the slide teaches children about failure. Children need to learn that when you fall down, you get back up.

• § Climbing up the slide encourages success. Children won’t give up until they figure out a way to the top.

• § When children are allowed to do risky things like climbing up the slide, they learn to trust their own abilities & that you trust them to try. It’s important kids know we trust them to do risky things because that's how they learn.

This can be said about the rock wall climbing gym as well!