Bring Back the Merry-Go-Round

"Children need rapid, changing, and accelerating movement on a daily basis.  They need to swing high up into the air, they need to sled down large hills, they need to spin in circles just for fun, and even hang upside down from the monkey bars."  These are the observations of Angela Hanscom in her Washington Post article "Rethinking ‘ultra-safe’ playgrounds. "These types of movements are very therapeutic to the growing child and support attention and school-readiness.  When children's movement opportunities are chronically restricted or limited due to insufficient playtime outdoors, playground equipment that no longer challenges, or too much time sitting at a desk, we often start to see problems with sensory and motor skills, body awareness, self-regulation, and simply focusing in the classroom.

"Believe it or not, the metal playground equipment of the 1960s and 1970s were actually highly therapeutic for children.  One great example is the merry-go-round.  As a child, I loved the merry-go-round!  It was such a thrill.  I remember holding on to the metal posts as we ran around and around, finally jumping onto the merry-go-round at the last second, hanging on for 'dear life' as we experienced the thrill and funny sensation only the merry-go-round could provide.  As a therapist, I believe the merry-go-round is one of the most powerful therapeutic pieces of playground equipment ever invented....

"Merry-go-rounds, teeter-totters, tall swings, and slides all help children establish strong balance systems.  They give us our 'center' and allow us to move through space safely.  By taking these away, we are limiting children's exposure to sensory input that actually helps children become sturdy on their feet and prepares them for learning.  If our goal is to do 'no harm' to our children, we need to re-think our playground equipment.  We need to start providing equipment that actually challenges, stimulates growth, and prepares the brain for learning."

Contributed by Zvia Dover

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