One of the benefits of outdoor obstacle courses is their ability to engage people of every generation in fun physical activity. GameTime’s Challenge Courses are installed in cities across North America and attract children and families who want to add some ninja warrior excitement to their trips to the park. That brought Yancy Culp and GameTime’s Fred Wiechmann to the Challenge Course at Tom Bass Regional Park in Houston, Texas.
Watch Yancy Culp and Fred Wiechmann take intergenerational play to the next level at a GameTime Challenge Course in Houston, Texas
When it comes to parenthood, playtime is an activity that doesn't get a lot of attention, yet, playing outdoors with your kids brings many benefits. Read on to learn more about how outdoor obstacle courses bring families together.
Are Parents Spending Enough Time Playing With Their Children?
A study in the U.K. once found that 20% of parents have forgotten how to play with their kids, and a third of parents find playing games with their children to be boring. Yet, research from PlayCore and its scholar network finds that intergenerational play is essential to the health and wellbeing of both children and adults.
Yancy and Fred are both big believers in making time for play with their families. They planned a day of challenging and fun events at the Tom Bass Challenge Course.
Role Modeling Healthy Habits
There’s so much more to outdoor activity than meets the eye. During the school year, there is limited time for children to run and play. Playing outdoors with your kids places you as a role model in their life that represents the importance of healthy fitness habits that they might not otherwise learn about.
Outdoor obstacle courses are the perfect method for modeling healthy habits. Courses like GameTime’s Challenge Course are comprised of obstacles that enhance balance, strength, and agility. When you model how fun and important fitness is for your children on an obstacle course, they are likely to prioritize fitness as they grow older.
Outdoor Play and Fitness Helps Developin Life Skills
Intergenerational play outdoors is also great for helping children develop important life skills, such as:
- Creativity
- Working memory
- Gross motor skills
- Cognitive flexibility
- Regulation of emotions
- Peer group leadership skills
- Building relationships
A great way for children to learn these skills is through the parent-child bond that is strengthened on an outdoor obstacle course. Participants use the challenges at these courses to build important interpersonal and cognitive skills, and they get in a great full-body workout.
Make Time for Outdoor Family Activity
If you’re looking for a fun and active way to celebrate Father’s Day this year, why not take a trip to the park for some play time with the family. Whether you take on an outdoor obstacle course or take a walk together, the time spent will benefit both you and your children.
To learn more about GameTime’s Challenge Course, contact the GameTime play expert in your area.
