Child Health Is Kids' Play at Alamora
Playtime is serious stuff when it comes to physical and mental health for kids. Obesity, diabetes and mental health – issues already affecting many children – could be avoided with more exercise and outside activity.
Villawood puts its money where its mouth is, building multiple high-design playgrounds across its masterplanned communities, including Tarneit’s rapidly growing Alamora where a state-of-the-art playground is under construction.
Costing $1.6 million, the high-end playground is set to open in the first quarter of next year. Together with a range of features designed to encourage activity, learning and fun, the park will host stunning work by artist Folko Kooper including a tree and kookaburras sculpture.
Major adventure playgrounds and district parks, together with numerous smaller focussed activity playgrounds have been delivered by Villawood – including its renowned Pirate Ship Park at Point Cook’s Alamanda.
Play is a fundamental part of childhood. Kids need places where they can run, jump, tumble, sweat and connect to natural elements. Kids need to run around in more natural settings. They need to be able to play in dirt and be exposed to outdoor bacteria, which can improve resistance and help avoid food allergies.
They need to get their heart rate up and reduce the massive strain on the public health system caused by diseases such as asthma, allergies and obesity. Play is particularly important given the lure of iPads, online games, Xboxes and other consoles, mobile phones and computers.
These can be quite detrimental to the healthy physical and mental development of young people. A disturbing range of problems are emerging as a result. Kids are overweight, lacking in physical co-ordination and skills, withdrawn, poor communicators, depressed … the list goes on.
By contrast, kid’s play is a great teacher. It provides experience and that certain amount of risk that helps develop skills and strength. It imbues an appreciation of a healthy lifestyle, it encourages curiosity, and it teaches important social skills. So play is, in fact, serious. But most importantly, from kids’ perspective it’s also serious fun.
