With people migrating back outside again to reconnect with nature and soak up a little vitamin D, activities traditionally associated with the indoors are moving outdoors. With summer right around the corner, we think the timing is perfect!

The benefits of being outdoors are well-documented. Outside play leads to improved physical and mental health, provides opportunities for socialization, and offers greater access to nature. Simply breathing in fresh air and being exposed to natural light are great stress-reducers. Who wouldn’t want to take advantage of all that?

Getting people moving outside is part of our mission at Burke and this recent movement back to the outdoors has us stoked about all the ways people can spend more time in our favorite place – OUTSIDE! A company focused on play, playgrounds and recreation is always going to be focused on the great outdoors, of course, but there are plenty of options beyond slides, climbers, and bridges.

Outdoor Activities for All

Here are a few ways people of all ages are embracing the outdoors by participating in activities under the bright sun instead of those annoyingly artificial fluorescent lights:

• Outdoor fitness. Gyms aren’t the only places to get in a good workout. Our outdoor fitness collections are designed to challenge and exercise bodies in healthy ways while providing outdoor stimulation — and they’re great for kids ages 5-12 and adults 13+ alike. ACTIVATE® Fitness Circuits combine muscle building and toning with a cardio workout, ELEVATE® is an obstacle course for individuals and teams, and INVIGORATE® is for adults ages 13+ and offers familiar gym equipment, including ellipticals, recumbent bikes, and chest presses, in standalone pieces that take up little outdoor space. It doesn’t feel like a workout when you’re having so much fun!
• Outdoor learning. Not all classrooms require walls. In fact, studies show that outdoor learning spaces boost test scores and promote creativity and problem solving. We’ve developed collections that promote learning opportunities for all ages, from Sensory and Exploration stations for early childhood development to StemPlay™, which focuses on engineering and science; Art Spot™, which lets budding artists put their imagination to work, and Nucleus playsets that provide enriching learning environments.
• Outdoor music. Music and play go together like peanut butter and jelly — a combination that has stood the test of time! That’s why we created a range of musical instruments designed for the outdoors including drums, chimes, metallophones — even pianos and guitars. Pair them together and you’ll have a junior musical group in no time. Outdoor music collections like PlayEnsemble® and Sound Garden bring together some of our most popular instruments and function as freestanding music playspaces or can be added onto existing Burke play structures. Music and movement promote wellness and help develop imaginative, cooperative, and problem-solving skills. Add in the benefits of nature and you may never want to listen to music indoors again!

Creating Opportunities for More Outdoor Activities

The best way to move indoor activities outside is to change the way we think about them and figure out creative ways to incorporate them into outdoor spaces. This might be as simple as playing outdoor instruments in unexpected places, maybe along walking paths or next to the local community center. It’s all about creating opportunities; once they’re in place, the rest happens naturally.

Contact us today for additional inspiration!