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Unstructured Fun
Exercise Equipment for Kids
By Kelly Burgess
Although we may not think of them as "exercise equipment," swing sets and other types of play sets are probably the first exercise equipment any of us ever had. But they've come a long way from the swing/slide/teeter totter combinations we grew up with. Swings are still the thing, but play sets now have ropes to climb, tunnels to explore and monkey bars to swing on.
One company, Swingsets, Inc., is actually in the process of creating a line of swing sets that promote specific fitness activities. Working in partnership with Disney and with Dr. Sothern as an expert advisor, they are creating a gym set featuring an obstacle course with various stations that encourage activities that increase strength and endurance.
"We want to capitalize on the fitness benefits of playing outside," says company spokesperson Tammy Ellet. "We also encourage parents to get involved by suggesting many things that parents can do with their kids, or to get their kids moving."
Dr. Sothern also points out that traditional outdoor toys, such as bicycles and skates, are things that entire families can do together. Maybe an adolescent son can have fun teaching Mom how to inline skate, while Dad teaches his daughter how to shoot a basket.
"Exercise should be fun and it should be just a normal part of life, not something your child has to do between this time and that like homework," Dr. Sothern says. "The best way to get your child to exercise is to get out and do something fun with them. Then they're more likely to stick with fitness for the long run."
