Fitness for everybody is our motto – after all, we all feel better after a workout.
So when it comes to outdoor gyms, choosing Sunshine Gym is the smart choice thanks to our wide range of inclusive, accessible, children’s and standard fitness equipment.
Our UK design team has considered the needs and wellbeing of people of all ages, abilities and fitness levels to come up with an engaging collection of outdoor gym equipment.
And that includes equipment designed for users under 4ft 7ins tall. These child-friendly dimensions enable youngsters to enjoy a safe outdoor workout whether at school, at the local recreation ground or visiting a holiday park or leisure site.
Committing to inclusive PE lessons and activities
The UK’s chief medical officers have considered a wide range of evidence to issue physical activity guidelines for different age groups, covering the volume, duration, frequency and types of exercise needed to achieve maximum health benefits.
They say in children and young people, regular physical activity is associated with improved learning and attainment, better mental health and cardiovascular fitness, and it contributes to healthy weight status.
Data from the latest Government’s National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) shows 10.1% of reception children are obese, while 23.4% of children preparing to leave primary school in Year 6 are obese.
And there is a strong link between those living in the most deprived areas of England and higher levels of severe obesity.
In fact the latest data shows that in the most deprived areas, 31.3% of Year 6 children are living with obesity compared to 13.5% in the least deprived areas.
It stands at 13.6% and 6.2% respectively for reception-aged children.
At Sunshine Gym, our team has been working with schools across the UK to create outdoor gyms for KS1 and KS2 pupils to try and turn around these statistics.
The curriculum demands a programme of physical education which inspires all pupils to succeed in sport and other physically demanding activities.
Its aims are designed to ensure all pupils:
- develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities
- are physically active for sustained periods of time
- engage in sports and activity
- lead healthy, active lives.
In addition, the PE and Sports Premium encourages schools to build on their PE capacity by providing funding for improvements which increase the variety of activities on offer.
It calls on headteachers and school managers to invest in sustainable improvements, which engage all pupils now and in the future and which support physical literacy by building a culture of understanding around the benefits of activity.
Outdoor gym workouts for children
For children and young people aged five to 18, the UK guidance advises at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity activity per day across the week.
This ranges from PE classes to after school clubs, active travel, active play times and extra curricular sports.
Different types and intensities of physical activity are advised, to help develop movement skills, muscular fitness and bone strength.
And long periods of sedentary time should be broken up with movement and light physical activity.
Children’s outdoor gym equipment from Sunshine Gym accommodates a wide range of workouts for children, PE lessons and active break and play times to help pupils meet the guidance.
A workout for children can include the Children’s Double Health Walker, which is similar to an outdoor treadmill.
Cardiovascular exercise like this raises the heart rate and gets the blood pumping, helping to control weight and build strong bones and muscles.
Other aerobic activity includes the Children’s Double Slalom Skier, which adds a real fun factor to children’s workouts with all the exhilaration of an imaginary trip down the slopes swooshing side to side.
The Children’s Sky Stepper, a bit like an outdoor cross trainer, works the upper and lower body to improve coordination skills.
And we always like to include the Children’s Horse Rider in outdoor gyms as it again gets young people engaging in physical activity as they work the arms, legs and core as though galloping along on a pony.
For those who like to socialise, our Children’s Multi Gyms are the ideal way to bring pupils together especially those from different peer groups.
And with multi user, multi gym and wheelchair accessible arrangements available, such as the Integr8 and Activ8, all pupils can work out together while completing their exercise at their own speed and pace.
Talk to our team of friendly advisers today to discuss how Sunshine Gym equipment can support children’s workouts in your community, school and leisure park.