White paper

Climbing clever

How novel movement patterns benefit the brain

Climbing can make us clever. It is an essential and fun developmental activity for children to strengthen motor skills and muscles. But climbing also connects body and mind.

This white paper aims to:

  • Establish understanding of the link between motor skills and cognitive development

  • Describe the popularity of climbing among different age and user groups

  • List 5 important features for climbing playground equipment that develop children's brains

White paper

Climbing clever

Download white paper
Connect ##body and mind## through climbing

5 important features for climbing clever playground equipment

  1. Present age-appropriate novelty to the children, so that new ways of moving benefit working memory skills.

  2. Offer graduated challenges and multiple pathways to extend play and develop skills.

  3. Feature entry points and ground-level activities accessible for children of all abilities.

  4. Enable the movement and coordination of multiple body parts at once, for example with kids climbing nets or the pieces in a wooden climbing trail playground.

  5. Have meeting points and social spaces in the climbing playground equipment.

Play webinars and white papers

Sensory Play: Science behind child wellbeing in playgrounds

Play

Webinar

Tweens love playgrounds: 5 new science-based tips for school playground design

Children playing on a large playground tower made from more sustainable materials in Olins Park

Play for the planet: redefining outdoor design to minimise carbon footprints

Nature Play: 8 Tips on encouraging outdoor play with nature playgrounds

Inclusive Public Playgrounds: 10 new, science-based practices for play spaces

Designing unique playgrounds that match your story and your scene

Equality in play - Survey on playground use in children with disabilities

Play for all - Universal designs for inclusive playgrounds

Sensory play: The why, how and what of sensory stimulating playgrounds

Physical activity among preschool children

Tweens love playgrounds

Unique Play Designs - Increase play duration

The cover of a book about playground equipment

Families love thrilling and sensory playgrounds

6 tips to dramatic play outdoors

A couple of girls climbing on KOMPAN play equipment.

Climbing activates tween girls - How to increase tween girls' physical activity

More play and no conflicts

a children's play area with children playing on the playground.

A Design Checklist for Success with Inclusive Playgrounds

Play value - The influence of playground equipment

truly inclusive section

Truly inclusive - the reward of thrill in universal play designs

Nature play and natural playgrounds

The risk-benefit equation of challenging playgrounds

Innovative products - The key to more play

Play value increases with sensory play

Energy expenditure on a KOMPAN school-age playground

Sign up to our newsletter

Fill in the boxes, and you are all set.