まなびクマ
Hello!
I am Manabi Kuma, your friendly bear who loves to see you learn new things!
Today, I want to talk about how playing in a way that feels a little scary can actually make you very strong and smart, kuma!
Today, we are looking at how special playgrounds can help your brain grow.
A long time ago, a man named Carl Theodore Sorenson saw children playing with old wood and tools at a building site.
It looked messy, but the kids were having so much fun building bridges and swinging from beams!
This inspired him to create the very first junk playground in Denmark so children could have their own space to build things.
You might think that playing with old scrap metal or climbing high looks dangerous.
But science shows that this kind of play helps your brain grow in ways that a normal slide cannot!
When you build your own games and follow your own rules, you are learning how to be a great problem solver, kuma!
Moving your body through mud or over uneven ground is like a workout for your brain and your muscles.
It helps you get better at controlling your body and makes your movements very smooth.
Playing with your friends also helps you practice talking and being a kind leader.
To have the best kind of play, you need three special ingredients: freedom, novelty, and time.
Freedom means being able to explore without a grown-up telling you what to do every single second!
Novelty means finding new things that you haven't seen before, and time means having enough hours to finish your big adventures.
Have you ever heard of the word affordance?
It sounds big, but it just means how many ways you can use something!
A slide has low affordance because you can only go down it, but a pile of sand has high affordance because you can make it a castle, a mountain, or a pie, kuma!
Some cities around the world are making special adventure playgrounds to give kids more of these high-affordance tools.
In Berlin, at a place called Kolle 37, kids use real building tools to make their own structures.
In Tokyo, children at Harappa Park play in the mud and make their own water slides and splash pools!
In London, at the Glamis Adventure Playground, kids even learn how to use fire pits with the help of kind playworkers.
These places might look wild, but they help you learn how to handle risks and keep yourself safe.
A researcher named Ellen Sandseter says that this risky play is very important for every growing child!
When you climb high or run fast, you are learning how to judge the world around you.
You become more aware of your surroundings and learn how to use your hands and feet carefully.
One study found that kids in these wild playgrounds actually get hurt less than kids on normal swings because they are paying more attention!
Risky play is also a secret way to keep your heart healthy and happy.
When you face a little bit of uncertainty, you get used to the feeling of not knowing what will happen next.
This helps you grow up to be an adult who doesn't get too scared or anxious when things change, kuma!
Nature is one of the best playgrounds of all!
Exploring deep caves, climbing tall trees, or splashing in creeks gives you all the benefits of risky play while keeping you connected to the earth.
It makes you feel brave and helps you appreciate the beautiful world we live in.
Even traditional parks are starting to change to be more fun and exciting.
In Philadelphia, there is a giant swing that can hold 30 people at once!
In Nebraska, the Omaha Riverfront playground has secret tunnels and rope forests that feel like a big maze.
The most important thing is to have a variety of places where you can be free and a little bit adventurous.
Whether you are playing a simple game like Peekaboo as a baby or building a fort as a big kid, every bit of play helps your mind shine.
I hope you go out today and find a fun adventure that makes you smile, kuma!
Remember, being brave doesn't mean you aren't scared; it means you are trying something new even if it feels a little bit different.
Your brain is like a muscle that gets stronger every time you take a small risk.
Happy playing, and keep exploring the wonderful world around you!