This week, we are continuing our “Age-appropriate play” blog series. In our previous instalments, we’ve established how to make a playground appropriate for different age groups of children. Although the importance and benefits of play for children are widely known, the importance of play for teenagers and adolescents are not as well-recognised, leaving a gap in playground equipment options that is suitable for their age group. In this blog post, we will explore how adolescents play, and what types of playground equipment can facilitate their development.

Teenagers are in an important transition stage of their life – they are undergoing cognitive, emotional, physical, and attitudinal changes. Although the nature and meaning of “play” may change for adolescents, recreational and social spaces are still important for the mental and physical wellbeing of this age group. While they may have grown out of traditional playground equipment, they still want and need to let out their energy and have fun.

Unfortunately, many people seem to assume that play is ‘done’ by the time children reach this age. Often, this can mean that teens and adolescents have very few options for play outside of organised sports and exercise. It can be argued that play doesn’t necessarily need a structure, but playgrounds can facilitate social interactions and encourage imaginative play.

While many people have known about and capitalised on the learning and developmental benefits of play for younger children for a long time, the benefits of play for teens and adolescents have been greatly underestimated. Being active and engaging in play is just as critically important for teens and adolescents as it is for younger children.

There are numerous benefits associated with play for this age group – play can have an impact on their physical health – the right play and fitness equipment can help teens and adolescents develop physical skills, test their balance, and promote flexibility, while also developing their social skills.

Play has also been connected with mental health – it has been found that a decline in play is associated with a rise in mental health disorders among teens and adolescents.

In addition to the cognitive and physical benefits of play, engaging in play allows teens and adolescents to get away from social anxiety-inducing environments and is proven to help counteract toxic stress in this age group by allowing them to practice positive stress coping skills.

When designing a play space for teens and adolescents, it should give them a place to hang out and expend energy. There are four main elements that should be considered which have a large play impact – competition, socialization, physical activity, and challenge.

As they are in an older age bracket, teens and adolescents begin to enjoy more competitive games and sports with their peers, and therefore the play space should incorporate elements that promote healthy and friendly competition, such as fitness equipment or obstacle courses.

This age group also requires areas that foster social development by allowing them to socialise comfortably. Areas with park furniture such as benches and tables, as well as shaded areas, can encourage this by creating designated ‘hang out’ zones. Spaces like this can help create a space where teens and adolescents feel welcome and provides a common activity space – somewhere they can gather and socialize.

Creating a sport, fitness, and movement area provides teens and adolescents with a space and equipment to move around and use up energy. A play space dedicated to teens and adolescents can also provide opportunities for physical and mental challenges, through fitness equipment or obstacle courses, or active play equipment that provides cognitive challenges and development, with the potential for further socializing and friendly competition with peers. The inclusion of a fitness area help to encourage the preservation of a healthy lifestyle as they grow older.

Some equipment that would be great for teens and adolescents includes basket swings, bouldering or climbing equipment, and obstacle courses, as well as Multi-Use Game Arenas and a variety of fitness equipment.

Some of the equipment that we supply at Austek Play includes:

At Austek Play, our playground specialists and massive selection of play and fitness equipment can help you create the perfect play space for teenagers and adolescents. Contact us today for some expert advice and help starting your new play space.