This is the first in a series of three blogs, each of which will focus on one of the three main pillars of Unleashed Brands youth enrichment brands: Learn, Play, and Grow. This edition is all about Play. While the three pillars all work in concert with one another to develop the creativity and success of our children, perhaps the most important of these is Play. We’re going to delve into the importance of play as an activity, and the role it has in the development of the whole child.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, play is essential for helping children develop both mind and body. It’s how kids learn about the world and how to interact with others, especially as it relates to their physical, social, cognitive, and emotional needs. There’s also a fundamental truth about Play. It’s highly effective in developing specific skill sets that help children in other activities such as relationships, work, and schooling. And it can go a long way towards boosting both confidence and self-esteem. Let’s continue discussing the value of Play as one of the three main pillars of Unleashed Brands franchising success.
PLAY Isn’t Always Just About Play…
One of the key drivers for learning and experiencing new things comes during playtime. This is because kids are experiencing their immediate environment and surroundings on their own terms. Play is also essential for establishing happiness and well-balanced children. We’ve all heard the saying, “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” But studies prove there’s something to this mantra. Play can be either indoors or outdoors – and there are benefits for each option. Essentially, play is about movement, exploration, discovery, wonder, and more than often involves excitement. That’s why kids perennially look forward to the activity of playing! When experienced in an unbridled atmosphere, it can provide both stress relief and sensory stimulation - something every growing kid needs to experience on a daily basis.
Our Recent Corporate Book Report
Recently, the staff at Unleashed Brands was tasked with reading, “The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind” as part of our monthly book club. This New York Times Best Seller has sold more than one million copies and the premise is both simple and direct. It’s imperative to establish a curriculum of brain development in our kids if we want to raise healthy, self-confident children. This practical book was co-authored by Daniel J. Siegel, a neuropsychiatrist, and Tina Payne Bryson, a noted parenting expert. The authors highlight how play helps create a healthy attachment between children and caregivers. But it’s not just about play for kids’ sake alone. The book stresses the need for parental participation, which has proven to strengthen their bond and promote a positive, nurturing, and meaningful relationship.
Integrating PLAY Into Our Franchise Brands
With the exception of Class 101, play is an integral part of each of our other five youth enrichment brands. And it’s helpful to note there’s a distinction between play for learning and play for playing’s sake. Kids can have uninhibited physical fun with the attractions at The Little Gym and Urban Air Adventure Park, our indoor extravaganza of trampoline jumps, bumper cars, obstacle courses, climbing walls, and playgrounds. For parents who want to integrate learning into their child’s play, there’s Snapology, Premier Martial Arts, and XP League – our new esports gaming concept.
As you can see, Play has earned a well-deserved spot among the three pillars of Learn, Play, and Grow. Play helps children learn about their own unique gifts and talents on an individual level. But at the same time, play is irreplaceable as a means to develop the social skills needed to facilitate another important aspect of our lives – the establishment of friendship.
At Unleashed Brands, our mission is to build great kids through our learn, play, and grow concepts. We look for the best of the best when it comes to youth enrichment brands that share these same values and fill important developmental needs for children. If you own or work for a brand that helps kids escape from life’s hardships and PLAY, we invite you to learn more about impacting more kids through the Unleashed Brands platform.
A Little More About Us…
The Unleashed Brands platform includes Urban Air Adventure Park, Snapology, The Little Gym, XP League, Class 101, and Premier Martial Arts youth enrichment franchises. As the parent company, Unleashed Brands was founded to curate and grow the most innovative and profitable business opportunities that help kids learn, play and grow. Over the last 10 years, the team at Unleashed Brands has built a proven platform and know-how for scaling businesses that focus on serving families. All have become first-in-category brands by providing fun, engaging, and inspiring experiences that help kids with their No. 1 development goal – to become who they were destined to be.
