By Charlotte Avery
Ask children what their favourite subject is, and you’ll often get a cheeky smile and the answer, ‘Lunchtime!’ They grin because they know it’s not really a subject, thinking that real learning takes place behind a desk, with a book or device in front of them.
As educators, we know that lunchtime and playtime is when an astonishing amount of childhood development can take place.
Thanks to the wonderful generosity of our donors, St Cuthbert’s has recently invested in a new playground for our Year 7 to 10 students, building on the beautiful Junior School playgrounds opened last year.
Officially launched yesterday by Auckland’s Deputy Mayor, Desley Simpson, our new Year 7 to 10 playground includes inground trampolines, new swings, and a fort with climbing and swinging equipment. It represents a lot of work, a considerable amount of fundraising, and no small expense. But every bit of time and money invested in our new playground is well spent – because what looks on the surface like noisy chaos is in fact an essential part of every child’s learning experience!
Active kids are happier and have improved academic performance
The benefits of a well-designed playground are surprisingly broad. At the top of the list, there is the obvious benefit: play areas encourage kids to run around and be active. There is a clear relationship between the number of play facilities a school has, and how much its students move around.
The quality of the playground matters, too, which is why we worked hard to create a challenging, colourful and creative space. There is a strong link between better play environments and students’ levels of activity, particularly for pre-adolescent children. Climbing and adventure equipment (along with areas for team sports) promote the highest levels of meaningful exercise among students.
Why does it matter how much exercise children get at school? Put simply, active children are healthier, happier, and show improved academic performance. For example, one UK study found that higher activity levels at age 11 predicted better GCSE exam results in later years. Being active during adolescence is also associated with lower rates of depression and anxiety, and higher self-esteem.
Building friendships, confidence and love of school
We understand the importance of technology – St Cuthbert’s is an Apple Distinguished School, which recognises our focus on innovation and learning with technology. But technology cannot teach us everything, and there’s no substitute for real-world experiences and sensations. Knowing how to navigate social groups and friendships, for instance, can be an enormous challenge for adolescent girls. The very best way to develop social competence is to spend time with other people, and playgrounds are a vital driver of student interaction.
Unstructured time in play areas allows friendships to emerge and evolve, helping students develop and maintain strong social connections. Quality play areas at schools are linked to positive improvements in leadership skills, friendships, overcoming shyness, socialisation and self-confidence. In addition, play areas make students feel more positive about their school and the support provided by teachers.
Fostering creativity, imagination and resilience
At every age, play unleashes our imaginations, our creativity and our problem-solving skills. Playgrounds give students a chance to independently invent games, find compromises and use the equipment in creative ways. Play and playfulness have been found to improve student performance in higher education, and lead to more innovation and creativity in the workplace.
Being outside and interacting with the world gives us a better understanding of physics – and being on a playground lets our students play with gravity, trajectory and acceleration. And yes, sometimes they get to experience a real-world injury – but that’s not a reason to keep children off playgrounds. Risky play has been found to promote creativity, resilience and social interactions. Research has also found no association between the height of playground equipment and the number of bones broken, and incidence rates per 1,000 hours for injuries on playgrounds are lower than for organised sport.
For our Year 7 to 10 students, time spent in the playground helps bridge the gap between childhood and adolescence. It lets the girls express their playful and carefree impulses as they head into their teenage years, which come with higher expectations and more complex challenges to navigate.
So if you’re talking to a child who claims that lunchtime is their favourite subject, don’t brush it off as a joke and press them for a ‘proper’ answer. Talk to them about what they do at lunchtime, how they decide what to play, and what games are the most enjoyable.
Our new playground might look like just a bit of fun, but this is a valuable addition to our school and an extension of the excellent work that our teachers are doing in the classroom. Play is a serious business, and it’s helping our girls grow into the grounded and confident women we know they’re going to be.
