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Trim Trails For School


To the untrained adult eye trim trails for schools appear to be a collection of wooden logs and bridges laid out to look like an obstacle course. Children on the other hand see challenges, adventures and hours of entertainment. Trim trails help children to develop physically, emotionally, socially and imaginatively. All children enjoy playing on trim trails for schools because they are so versatile. The types of exercise trim trails encourage actually improve children’s performance in the classroom as well as on the sports field.

You only have to read interviews with head teachers to realise how important trim trails for schools are. When head teachers are describing all of the positive aspects of their schools they mention teaching, reward systems, circle time, forest areas and that they have a trim trail in the playground. Having playground equipment that encourages physical and imaginative play is a desired commodity in education.

Schools have to consider every aspect of children’s development and not just, as we are often lead to believe, academic achievement. Trim trails for schools play a part in addressing the balance between skills acquired through play and those learnt in the classroom.

A healthy body, A healthy mind

Buddhists believe that the mind and body are interconnected and therefore ensuring that both are healthy is fundamentally important to maintain well being. Hippies used to be mocked because they also believed in caring for your, ‘mind, body and soul’. Buddhist teachings involve meditation for the mind and exercise such as Yoga to help balance the mind and the body. Trim trails can help children to find a balance between their mind and body while having oodles of fun.

If you have ever watched joggers pounding the streets in the pouring rain and wondered why they do it you may not have heard of endorphins. Endorphins are hormones that are released during exercise that activate the body’s opiate receptors triggering a positive feeling in your mind and body. When children have plenty of exercise at playtime they will return to the classroom feeling calm, relaxed and ready to learn. When children are relaxed they are more receptive to learning and will perform better in their school work.

Trim trails build perseverance

Some school children can complete trim trails like Olympic athletes while others find them much more challenging. Children will aspire to complete the trim trail like their more agile buddies and will undoubtedly face frustration when they lose balance or their muscles just aren’t strong enough. Children will set themselves a challenge to overcome the parts of the trim trail that defeat them and through constant effort they will eventually succeed. The joy they will feel will encourage them to keep trying in all aspects of their life.

Trim Trails for schools & wellbeing

We mistakenly consider childhood to be a happy time for children so recent studies that have found that 1 in 10 children have a clinically diagnosable mental problem suffer from mental health problems is deeply concerning. Children in England were also found to be the unhappiest compared to their peers in other countries.

Children become unhappy when they have a low sense of achievement and are self conscious about their appearance. This can result in loss of friendship and difficult relationships with teachers. Doctors even claim that exercise is the most natural way to achieve a healthy mind and body. Trim trails give school children the opportunity to improve their well being in all ways.

Never has gaining a sense of well being been such fun. The play potential on a trim trail is immense allowing imaginative, physical and social development. The mere fact that children are actively playing on a trim trail means they are exercising their wonderful bodies. Imagining that the trim trail is a pirate ship takes children to another universe where their minds can consider different scenarios and problem solving. Sharing the school playground equipment forces children to interact socially and learn how to deal with the trials and tribulations of friendship. Imagine the rush of excitement and achievement a child feels when they manage to complete the trim trail – they will relish in their awesomeness.

Balance improves spatial awareness

Balance is not just about being able to stand on one leg with your arms out, it is also about knowing how your body fits in the world. Children who develop good balance are less likely to be accident prone and will find participating in everyday activities difficult. It is vitally important that children have the opportunity to learn about their bodies, trim trails for schools provide excellent opportunities for children to hone their spatial awareness and balance. Children who have special needs such as dyspraxia benefit greatly from quiet time with a teaching assistant practicing their balance on trim trails for schools.

If you would like to add an adventure trail to your school’s great attributes contact us and we would be delighted to discuss all of your options.


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