Why Our Zip Line Rocks (Plus Sofia’s Other Favorites)

Even if you haven’t been to We Rock the Spectrum, you might have heard that we have one particularly popular piece of equipment—the zip line!

It’s not hard to figure out that there are many adults who love to zip line—just go to an amusement park, cruise ship, or an outdoor adventure camp.  Unfortunately, there are a lot of restrictions on these zip lines that don’t allow kids to ride—especially not if they have special needs. That’s probably why it’s such an exciting part of the We Rock gym.

Why Kids Love The Zip Line

To get a better perspective of why kids love the zip line, we asked Sofia about it.  Sofia is our six year old daughter who gets to play in the gym almost every day!  The zip line is undoubtedly her favorite, but as you can see, she has more than one favorite.

When we asked what her favorite part about the zip line was, she said, “When you get to ride it, and ride and wait until it’s done.” It’s pretty simple—the best part about the zip line is that it is exciting!

We Rock the Spectrum Oklahoma City Zip Line

Benefits of the Zip Line

Let’s face it, some kids love adventure and adrenaline rushes more than other kids.  This is definitely true of kids with extra sensory needs!  In fact, some kids with autism or ADHD are adrenaline junkies.  Flying through the air and feeling the speed and the feeling of falling can be like therapy.  Playing on the zip line encourages upper body strength and active play.  It’s just like going on a park ride or doing something fun helps adults relieve stress.

Something else that Sofia is probably referring to is the two pieces of equipment that accompany the actual zip line: The zip box and the crash pit.

 

Zip Box

The zip box includes a set of padded stairs and a slide.  To get on the zip line, kids can either climb up the stairs or up the slide.  Usually, kids who love the actual zip line don’t spend much extra time on the zip box.  However, young kids and toddlers love climbing the stairs and going up and down the slide.  It helps kids with gross motor coordination, climbing, planning, and even socialization. The zip box is usually a place where kids come in contact with others—even if it’s unwillingly! It gives them great opportunities to learn to take turns and to make friends.

 

Crash Pit

There are lots of We Rock kids who find the crash pit even more exciting than the zip line, and many who like both of them combined.

The crash pit is an extremely safe landing area at the end of the zip line for kids to safely fall.  If you have a kid with sensory needs, you probably already know how this is great for kids who seek vestibular input.  Some kids even skip the zip line completely so they can stand on the edge of the crash pit and fall into it.

 

Sofia’s Other Favorites

Even though Sofia said the zip line was her first favorite, she also couldn’t decide between the donut swing and the bumpy slide, which are new pieces of equipment at the gym.  Watch her talk about both pieces in this adorable “commercial.”

In her words, the bumpy slide “feels like, when you go down it, you shiver.  And that’s the fun part!”

We Rock The Spectrum Oklahoma City Donut Swing

For more kid spotlights, check out:
4 Ways Play Tunnels Rock (And Why They’re Olivia’s Favorite)
Kid Spotlight: Growing Up Around Down Syndrome