Playgrounds in Athens and the importance of Play

Last Updated on January 22, 2021 by Celeste

Playgrounds in Athens for outdoor free play exist everywhere. In combination with the pleasant climate and safety of the city, outside play in nature is possible for everyone. This posts tells you more about the importance of play. If will also tell you how to get that so necessary family time for outdoor fun.

The benefits of Outdoor Play

Many parents today spent their children riding their bikes and playing games like baseball or dodgeball on side streets and in neighbors’ backyards or on the streets. Many children today spend much of their time indoors, playing games on their tablets or watching television. The American Academy of Pediatrics says lots of unstructured outdoor play is critical to the health of children, though many have experienced a marked decline in the time they spend in free play.

Outdoor play gives children the opportunity to run, jump, climb, and more, all of which provide aerobic exercise and strength training. The outdoor play also strengthens the immune system and improves vitamin D levels, which can provide protection from osteoporosis and health conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes.

Play Reduces Anxiety

It is recommended that children get moderate to vigorous activity that adds up to at least an hour per day. And did you know that outdoor play can also reduce stress?! Children can also experience stress or suffer from conditions like depression or anxiety. These issues are becoming more common for today’s children, who have busy schedules with school and extracurricular activities.

Physical activity in the form of outdoor play can help kids to reduce this stress. Outdoor play is also important for intellectual and social development. outdoor play has been shown to help children focus better in a classroom setting and to enhance readiness for learning, easing the transition to school. Outdoor play also encourages learning and problem-solving skills, which can help children perform better in the classroom.

The importance of play

The importance of play has been researched often. Unstructured outdoor play also promotes creativity, which children can apply to their academic learning, helping them see the material in another way. Outdoor play also gives children opportunities to learn how to work in groups, including learning how to share, how to negotiate and how to resolve conflicts. And whilst the children are playing, parents have a chance to meet other parents and to socialize too!

Playgrounds in Athens: free and available everywhere

So let’s reinvent play and head out to the nearest playground. It is free and available! Not only the green suburbs provide playgrounds in Athens. Every city neighbourhood, every square and every district, inside the city center, offers some kind of playground or play area with toys and green. Most of them are fenced and some have guards too. Because of the warm weather and the long summer night evenings, the playgrounds in Athens usually offer a water faucet and evenings lights. Most have soft flooring in the shape of rubber tiles or sand.

Playgrounds in Athens

The playgrounds in Athens are well taken care of. The Athenian municipality has placed information signs at most of the city playgrounds. Here you will find opening/closing hours and a contact number to report any broken or unsafe toys. Some Athenian playgrounds are huge and next to the sea. Others are small and green. Like the ones in the ex-pat neighborhoods of Filothei (pictured above) or Kifissia. They are hidden away in green offering lots of shade in summer.

For more things to do in the outdoors with kids in Athens, scroll over to Top things to do in Athens Greece with children.