1. Clean Drinking Water (more than needed):
Healthy juices are also good for hydration, as well as for simple carbohydrates to maintain optimal blood sugar levels during extended exercise, but nothing is as good for hydration as purified clean drinking water. It is better to have too much of this, rather than too little, and not left in the vehicle or out in the sun where it can get too hot.
2. Food & Snacks:
Parks and schools with playgrounds are ideal locations for picnics also, with plenty of outdoor benches, tables, and grass with blankets, which is ideal when adults and/or children are tired from good playground exercise and the need to take a little break every few minutes.
3. Sun Protection & Ideal Vision:
A) Sun Glasses (also to enhance vision with bright & dim sunlight settings).
B) Hat with Sun Visor, or more for warmth in cold cloudy weather (also to cover ears and neck may be ideal).
C) Sunscreen (water/sweat proof)
D) Hand gloves for exercises that are hard on the hands, such as for gripping chains, poles, and/or the ground (as with pictures on this page)
4. Towels, Wash Cloths, and/or Disinfectant Wet Naps:
Often we and/or playgrounds somehow get more filthy dirty than expected. Sanitation for hands, faces, and playground contact surfaces can prevent most sicknesses, as well as prevent injuries when slippery due to water, other fluids, dirt, mud, and/or food spillages that are not yet cleaned thoroughly enough.
5. Prepare for Potential Diverse Weather:
Since weather can change rather quickly and not always as predicted, always come prepared for colder, hotter, windy, and heat wave weather conditions. A bag or backpack with all this in the vehicle of transportation can easily improve readiness and decrease forgetfulness for all potential weather possibilities of each day, during each current season of the year.
6. Extra Change of Clothes:
Sometimes we get more wet and/or dirty than expected, and do not want to get in our vehicle or to the next location while being so dirty and/or wet. Most playgrounds have local restrooms, especially parks, in case there is a real need to privately change clothes before leaving the playground location.
7. Toys For Children:
A) For playgrounds with sandboxes, there are plenty of beach sand-toys that could come with you, because children love to play in the sand and often stay in one place for a long time with such toys (while parents may want to do exercises and keep easy attention to their kids).
B) During hot weather, children love water toys to squirt each other with, as well as their parents if allowed, while everyone may have fun cardio exercise chasing each other safely, and cool-off nicely while getting each other wet with water-fights.
Playground Exercises For Parents (book & website) – Copyright © 2012 Russell A. Smith