Are monkey bars a good exercise for kids?

Kids always look like they're having the time of their lives in the playground. One favourite that seems to have been around since the beginning of time is the monkey bars. You'll see kids challenging each other to see who can swing across them the fastest. Some hang upside down till they're red in the face. While they look like a tonne of fun, are monkey bars a good exercise for kids?

In this article, we'll help you get into the swing of things, and you'll find out exactly what the purpose of monkey bars is and if they provide good exercise for your kids.

Every piece of equipment in a kid's playground was thoughtfully designed and engineered to benefit kids' development through outdoor play. The monkey bars, also known as jungle gyms, were the brainchild of Sebastian Hinton, who designed and patented them in 1920. What was his inspiration? The purpose of monkey bars was to create a place where kids could move in a three-dimensional space to explore movement and curiosity.

Yes! While it's a super fun object to play on, monkey bars are also a great form of kids' exercise. Hence the name jungle gym. Playing on this object requires strength and agility, and there are so many benefits, not just physical ones, for kids who regularly play on the monkey bars.

When they're playing away on the monkey bars, kids develop upper-body strength when they swing from one monkey bar to the next. However, it's more than just their upper bodies working; there are several distinct muscle groups in action:

Bicep muscles allow for something called elbow flexion and sporadic forearm supination. This occurs when kids pull up to grab the next monkey bar. The development of these muscles is crucial to allow you to flex your elbows and supinate (the rotation of your forearms so the palm is pointing upward).

Your kids will activate their shoulder muscles when swinging. They are essential for giving your kids flexibility in their arms to allow for a wide range of motion.

Monkey bars will activate your kids' core muscles, including the abdominals, when they swing forward to grab the monkey bars and stop you from sliding around too much. These muscles secure your body's trunk (the part of the body that contains the chest, back, abdomen, and pelvis) and allow it to move.

When kids are raising themselves up to reach the next monkey bar, the Latissimus muscles come into play. The latissimus are located in your back. They are partially responsible for supporting your back and assisting with breathing, and they also allow you to expand your shoulders.

There's no monkeying around when kids are on this piece of equipment. Okay, maybe there is a little. But your kids can get in a seriously good exercise regimen when playing on monkey bars. Here are some exercises to try:

Some of the benefits of playing on monkey bars include:

When playing on the monkey bars, your kids will be interacting with their peers as they play alongside and with them. Other kids might encourage them as they swing from bar to bar, and they'll start to understand the importance of positive feedback and kindness. They'll have to wait their turn as other kids attempt to make it across, too, which teaches them patience.

Getting your kid outdoors and playing on the monkey bars is a good way to ensure they are healthy and happy. Even kids experience stress to a certain degree, and getting some exercise on the monkey bars is both physically demanding and entertaining. Playing with friends, exercising and laughing will help relieve tension, elevate emotions, promote a meditative state and release endorphins (the happy hormones). Laughter also stimulates the organs, and healthy organs mean a healthy kid overall.

There are so many muscles being worked when kids are on the monkey bars, not just the upper body. Monkey bars as an exercise helps activate and develop the biceps, abdominals, latissimus muscles and shoulder muscles.

Never underestimate how much confidence it takes to swing yourself across the monkey bars, especially as a kid. As they get more comfortable, their confidence will get a huge boost, and it will encourage them to get out of their comfort zones within other areas of life, as well as the playground.

As your kid's muscles are exercised and developed, their posture will also improve. When swinging backwards and forwards, this motion, with the combination of holding up their weight, helps stretch out and strengthen the spine.

Overall, monkey bars are a fantastic way for your kid to exercise and provide more than just physical benefits. There are many different exercises they can practise, and with consistency, they can get a full workout, all while having a tonne of fun.