Swing sets for the win: The benefits of swinging for all ages
The swings at our neighbourhood park are getting a workout this summer. Whether it’s the daycare kids spending the morning giggling and soaring through the air or the soccer players hanging out and unwinding with popsicles after their games, the rhythmic creaking of the chains forms the quintessential soundtrack of the season.
Often associated with carefree childhood memories, the simple motion of swinging back and forth is more than just sitting around. It’s a heart-pumping and brain-boosting workout! From physical health to mental well-being, social development, and even endorphins, swinging offers a host of benefits for children and adults of all ages.
Infants and toddlers: building motor skills and bonding
For young children, swinging isn’t just fun; it’s an important part of their physical and cognitive growth, fostering sensory integration and motor skill development. The rhythmic pendulum motion of swinging gently in a baby swing—with body and head supported—helps to stimulate their vestibular system, which contributes to balance and spatial orientation. As they kick their legs and reach out, they’re building core strength and coordination. Tandem swings—in which babies and caregivers can swing facing each other—promote intergenerational play and create an immersive bonding experience.
While you may be tempted to start on the “big-kid” swings early, experts such as HealthLink BC recommend that “children sit in a bucket swing with leg holes until they can safely sit in the middle of a standard swing.”
Early childhood: exploration and stimulation
In early childhood, swinging becomes a playground staple. Besides the invigorating sensations of wind and movement as kids become human pendulums, their brains and bodies are undergoing huge leaps as they experience muscle movement and balance. Pumping the legs and leaning just right, or pushing too hard and feeling that stomach-dropping thump at the top of the arc all enhance the proprioceptive system of body awareness and coordination. And it’s a lesson of physics in motion as they feel the pull of gravity and adjust their movements accordingly, and experience the effects of friction while dragging their feet.
Swinging has also been shown to increase collaboration between cohorts. In 2017, researchers at the University of Washington revealed that preschoolers who had swung together exhibited notably greater levels of cooperation in a series of tasks afterwards compared to children who had swung alone or not at all.
Swinging can also be particularly beneficial for children with sensory processing disorders, because it provides sensory input that can help regulate the nervous system. The rhythmic motion of swinging to and fro can have a calming or grounding effect on children who may be oversensitive or undersensitive to sensory stimuli. A variety of swinging apparatus that provide different types of movements and a variety of sensory activities can be found in some playgrounds. A hammock-style swing can help a child or adult who needs more gross motor support, a hard saucer-type swing helps build upper body and core strength, balance, and allows for many positioning options (sitting, kneeling, and laying down). The sense of freedom and independence experienced when swinging can also foster confidence and self-esteem.
For children who need additional body support, look for moulded adaptive seats with three-and five-point harnesses that allow users who need full-body support the ability to enjoy movement through swinging. And while not yet widely available in all cities (but it’s improving yearly), no-transfer accessible swings enable wheelchair users to get in on the fun and benefits of swinging together with their friends.
Teens: stress relief and socializing
My neighbourhood’s high schoolers can often be found at local playgrounds during their lunchtime. Clustered on and around the swings, there are competitions for who can reach the highest, best jump off the seats, or most spins on the tire swing. In addition to the challenges, I’ve witnessed quiet conversations as friends swing gently together or sit and talk about homework while straddling overhead see-saw swings.
As kids grow into teenagers, swinging can provide a much-needed therapeutic outlet for stress relief and relaxation. A 2021 Bloomberg article discusses the need for more public spaces designed specifically to meet the needs of teenage girls—safe places that create opportunities for personal well-being and environments for social interaction. Swing Time, a play area first installed in Boston in 2014 features 20 illuminated and interactive ring-shaped swings that proved a surprising hit with tween and teen girls who clamoured aboard to (literally) hang out together.
Adulthood: fitness and mindfulness
Swinging isn’t just child’s play—it’s also a great workout for adults. Pumping your legs and engaging your core muscles builds strength and helps adults meet the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults, designed to encourage those between 18 and 64 to move more and aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week. In addition to the overall fitness advantages of swinging for adults, studies have shown that swinging can ease PMS symptoms and lessen anxiety in college students.
Those wanting to reduce their anxiety and stress can soothe their soul with a more rhythmic and gentle motion, and even music! In Montreal and various cities worldwide, kids, teens, and adults are invited to create their own melodies with Musical Swings, an interactive and artistic take on the traditional playground apparatus. The swings are an “inviting cross-generational cooperative, exploratory, open-ended, creative fun,” writes Bernard De Koven, author of A Playful Path, which explores the importance of playfulness in our lives and how incorporating more play can lead to greater creativity, joy, and fulfillment.
Senior age: joint mobility and joyful memories
Even in their golden years, seniors can benefit from swinging. Gentle swinging can help maintain joint mobility and flexibility, keeping arthritis and stiffness at bay. Swings’ outdoor placement also encourages more time in nature and the outdoors, where just a short amount of time is proven to have positive effects on both the mind and body. Research also suggests that swing gliders can significantly improve emotions and relaxation in seniors, especially those with dementia, after just 10 minutes of swinging.
If it’s been some time since you last tried swinging, why not head to your nearest park and try it with the kids or even solo? After all, you’re never too young or too old to enjoy the simple pleasure of soaring through the air.
