The Benefits of Outdoor palyground equipment focuses on the importance of outdoor palyground equipment for children's broad needs. The research reported here refutes common assumptions that outdoor play is primarily for the expenditure of excess energy and for developing grossmotor skills. “Analyzed evidence overwhelmingly suggests that the benefits of outdoor play are much more extensive.”

Among the benefits of unstructured outdoor play as discussed in The  Benefits of Outdoor palyground equipment are the abilities to make decisions, work and play within a community of others, and to try out ideas and explore the play environment. Also highlighted are the benefits of pretend play, which has recently been shown to further the development of brain synaptic connections. The conclusions by Hirsh-Pasek, Golinkoff, and Perry show that “If children lack opportunities to pretend, their long-term capacities related to critical thinking, problem solving, and social functioning, as well as to academic areas such as literacy, mathematics, and science, may be diminished.”

Besides the social and academic benefits of play, research indicates that children with play opportunities are not likely to be depressed and hostile and generally do not exhibit excessive fear, rage, and worry. These emotional, social, and academic benefits join the physical benefits ofstrength, coordination, flexibility, and perceptual motor skills which enhance a child's life and help protect him from injury during play.