Mulwala all-abilities playground to start taking shape in April, 2018

You swung high from the monkey bars, you slid down giant slides, you climbed, you spun …. and yes, on the odd occasion, you got hurt.

As councils, schools, child care centres and pre-schools were forced to become more risk aware, some of the fun went out of the equipment erected in parks across Australia.

With it went skills vital to a child’s physical, emotional and mental development, according to Ms Cummins.

Things like risk-taking, resilience, problem-solving, confidence, and even basic strength and balance.

So when Kaitlyn, an occupational therapist, spotted the attributes of Moama’s adventure playpark on a holiday with her husband, the seed was planted for a project much closer to home. 

Three years after it was first proposed, the Mulwala all-abilities playground scored a major breakthrough when Federation Council confirmed $855,650 towards the project in May this year.

Now all is in place for work to start on the $1.2 million project in April, 2018.

And while it hasn’t all been smooth sailing for the committee, Ms Cummins said the support from the local community and businesses had been overwhelming.

One of the most exciting parts has been choosing the play equipment.

The park will tap into European innovation, whose play equipment is designed to encourage children to take risks in a safe way.

Take the 12-metre high climbing frame  – unashamedly designed to test the fear factor and challenge children to push themselves.

And while the playground will of course adhere to stringent national safety guidelines, Ms Cummins said Australia had recently reviewed its policy to come in line with more progressive European standards.

Play time is considered so essential to childhood development it’s been recognised by the UN High Commission for Human Rights as a right of every child.

In her day-to-day work, Ms Cummins sees the impacts of the lack of active and adventurous play.

“Children are not climbing, running and swinging at child care and pre-school – studies show 90 per cent of outdoor play time is sedentary,” she said.

“We see so many kids at school who don’t know how to hop, skip and jump.

“This has a significant impact on their brains such as the ability to concentrate and problem solve.”

Ms Cummins said children needed 2-3 hours of outdoor play each day to optimise their physical and mental development

And they need to be “huffing and puffing” for at least one of those hours.

Those issues are compounded for children with additional needs such as those with autism, ADHD and learning difficulties.

“Movement and risk-taking helps these kids improve their motor skills, language and even social skills.”