Swinging At The Park

Swinging

Do you remember the simple joy of childhood swinging? As a child, it was one of my favorite playground activities! When I was young, I loved to swing on my Grandpa Robert's homemade tree swing, which hung from a large Oak tree in his yard. My Uncle Michael gave me a swing set for my seventh birthday!

Most recently, I have fond memories of swinging on the base housing swing set with my Marine in Pensacola Florida on hot, humid Southern evenings.

Well .. .  now it is my baby's turn to SWING!!!

Happy Monday! Today, Robbie and I met my sweet friend Amanda and her little cutie, Paige, for a play date and picnic in the park. Robbie went on the swings for the first time. He LOVED it!!! It was so cute to watch him light up with a BIG gummy smile as his one little blonde curl swayed in the wind as he swung back and forth!! Here are some fun pictures Amanda captured from today's outing!



Robbie and Mommy at the park.



Robbie on his first swing ride!

Paige and Robbie having a ball!

The face of one happy little boy!

Beautiful Paige!



 What a blast! Two happy and tired babies!

Benefits of Swinging

Swing sets provide social, emotional and physical benefits for children.

"Swinging on a swing set is one of the pure joys of childhood. Whether at a beach, playground or backyard, a swing set provides a child with enjoyment, exercise and fresh air. Swing sets have evolved from the first handmade sets on the American prairie and the simple rubber tire or rope swings hanging from sturdy oak trees. No matter how elaborate, the swing set's attraction and benefits remain unchanged for youngsters."

Physical Benefits

One of the best ways to fight the childhood obesity epidemic is with outdoor exercise. Swinging burns calories and engages muscle groups. The simple act of swinging--pulling back and pushing forward with the legs--works the quadriceps and hamstrings. It also builds endurance in the knees and hips. Maintaining balance with the arms works the abdominal muscles, shoulders, upper back and neck.

Emotional Benefits

Many children have structured events scheduled throughout the day, leaving little to no time for unstructured play. Swinging allows a child downtime to unwind, think and reflect on the day's events. It's relaxing and allows time for imaginative and creative thought. It also gives a child unstructured time to process what he or she has learned that day.

Social Benefits

Richard Louv, author of ''Last Child in the Woods,'' believes outdoor play in natural settings is crucial not only to a child's emotional development, but to their social development as well. Simple outdoor activities, such as swinging, relieve stress, keep off excess weight, teach interaction with others, and instill an appreciation of the natural world in children. Louv believes children need exposure to nature on a daily basis to become the next generation of the earth's caretakers.

Have a blessed week everyone.

Go find a swing set, swing until your heart is content and let out a loud "weeeeeee"!!

After all, it's good for you!

XoXo,

Sarah