Nature Play in SA
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The wonders of electronics have changed our lives over the last several decades, bringing us gadgets that we could not previously have dreamed of. From the wireless and TV to computers and electronic games, the things that we do have been impacted dramatically by electronic devices.
While electronics have benefited society massively as a whole, there is a growing feeling that there has been a downside to its impact on activities for kids - how and where children play.
In the first half of the twentieth century kids often congregated in streets and their local neighbourhood to play. As money was short, they looked for free things to do. Games of marbles were popular with young kids, and activities like football, riding bikes, climbing trees, skipping and hopscotch. These were sociable games played outside, and most involved physical exertion.
Obesity was rarely a problem in those days - partly due to higher levels of kids' activity, and also because food was less plentiful and possibly more nutritious.
There's a growing feeling that the age of electronics has caused children to become less active, playing indoors on computer games and watching TV more. Our kids are spending less time outdoors than any other kids in history.
The loss of outdoor adventure playgrounds like
Puzzle Park and the immensely popular original
Monash playground has only helped to compound the trend, as older kids find little appeal in a modern playground.
Nature Play SA aims to reverse that trend, and increase the time South Australian children spend in unstructured play outdoors and in nature. It's a not for profit organisation that is supported by the SA government, and Nature Play promotes creative fun things to do outdoors. Not only does more activity make kids in Adelaide physically healthier, but it helps to reduce the likelihood of depression and other behavioural problems. It also helps to foster a closer relationship with our natural environment.
Despite the huge number of awesome
parks in Adelaide , many are little used. The urban forest of
Narnungga Park in the west parklands is often empty on weekends, while beautiful
Mount George Conservation Park near Bridgewater sees few young visitors.
Nature Play's website and
Facebook page are crammed with creative ideas for free things to do that your children can enjoy outdoors. One of my favourites is a list of
51 fun things to do before you're 12 . And for parents who can't persuade their kids to part with their electronic "friend", Nature Play have some excellent advice how to
use it to your advantage .
Of course Weekend Notes has a great collection of activities for kids in Adelaide too. Why not visit the
adventure playground or climb trees in
Belair National Park south of Adelaide? Sail a
radio controlled boat , go hiking, or feed the ducks at beautiful
Lake Woorabinda in Stirling.
Take a dog for a walk in mysterious
Blackwood Forest .
Shepherds Hill Recreation Park has many fun things to do - archery, ride on the BMX and mountain bike trails, or explore caves.
Visit the
Dunstan Adventure Playground to see why it's one of the most popular in the state for thrillseeking kids. Or see how many water bird varieties you can spot at the
St Peters Billabong . South of Adelaide you can try the
Onkaparinga Swing Bridge and explore the walking trails nearby.
In the Port area, take the kids cycling, scooting or skateboarding around the
Inner Harbour Loop Path and see how many Port River dolphins you can spot. They will love to try out the new
Hart's Mill playground afterwards.
Nature Play is all about finding fun things to do outdoors. Try it - both you and your children will be pleasantly surprised.
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104908 - 2023-06-12 11:34:27