Safer Playgrounds are not necessarily a good thing

[ravinlunachick]

“Paradoxically,†the psychologists write, “we posit that our fear of children being harmed by mostly harmless injuries may result in more fearful children and increased levels of psychopathology.â€

 

The old tall jungle gyms and slides disappeared from most American playgrounds across the country in recent decades because of parental concerns, federal guidelines, new safety standards set by manufacturers and — the most frequently cited factor — fear of lawsuits.

 

Shorter equipment with enclosed platforms was introduced, and the old pavement was replaced with rubber, wood chips or other materials designed for softer landings. These innovations undoubtedly prevented some injuries, but some experts question their overall value.

 

“There is no clear evidence that playground safety measures have lowered the average risk on playgrounds,†said David Ball, a professor of risk management at Middlesex University in London. He noted that the risk of some injuries, like long fractures of the arm, actually increased after the introduction of softer surfaces on playgrounds in Britain and Australia.

 

Read more here.

[SailorMom]

I read this -

Wanted to smack them and say , "duh!"

If you treat a child as if he/she is breakable, they will grow up believing it.

[Carol in Cal.]

When DD was 4 or 5, we went to a local playground with another, far more athletic, girl and her mom. DD saw her friend spit on her hands before going on the monkey bars, so she did it, too. As she swung, her hands slipped off and she fell straight down, completely flat on her front. She fell so hard that she actually bounced. I ran to pick her up, expecting her to have no front teeth and a bloody nose, and she was fine. A little bite on her lip was all. This was because of the 'safe' surface that was padded. I'm grateful for it.

[Carrie12345]

Didn't we recently have a mom post about the horrible accident her child had on a playground slide? You know, where it was unanimous that the town be held responsible? (Rightfully so.)

 

Want more challenging, more risky equipment? So do I. That's what my backyard is for.

[Jen in PA]

When we got to one of these safe playgrounds my kids immediately scout the perimeter for the best climbing trees and rush to the top.:D Probably not what the people who plan these things want to hear.

[Parrothead]

Didn't we recently have a mom post about the horrible accident her child had on a playground slide? You know, where it was unanimous that the town be held responsible? (Rightfully so.)

 

Want more challenging, more risky equipment? So do I. That's what my backyard is for.

:iagree: Exactly.

[Joker]

I don't think cities have much of a choice when so many people today are sue happy. When my dds were in ps they had 3 children break their arms falling off monkey bars. The school had to remove them because parents complained.

[jewellsmommy]

When DD was 4 or 5, we went to a local playground with another, far more athletic, girl and her mom. DD saw her friend spit on her hands before going on the monkey bars, so she did it, too. As she swung, her hands slipped off and she fell straight down, completely flat on her front. She fell so hard that she actually bounced. I ran to pick her up, expecting her to have no front teeth and a bloody nose, and she was fine. A little bite on her lip was all. This was because of the 'safe' surface that was padded. I'm grateful for it.

 

 

Yes, I think that safety does not have to equal paranoia. There is a balance. My dd literally climbs walls (in the hallway) and door openings. Its a heck of a sight. We are not the "oh my gosh! Don't do that!" people. We encourage exploration and finding your personal limits. My dd is proficient on stilts, a pogo stick, in line skates, and climbing equipment. However, I still appreciate that a softer surface is there for her in case she does fall or knee pads or helmets. The mere presence of safety equipment will not stunt a child. It is the attitude we raise them with.

[Dmmetler]

It's a catch-22 for cities. When you read the NAEYC guidelines for playgrounds, some of what they feel playgrounds should have-like the aforementioned Monkey bars-are some of the pieces that often are linked to more accidents.

 

The thing is, they took Monkey bars our here mostly because kids tended to climb on top of them, which was a fall risk. But now that they don't have them, kids tend to climb up on the TOP of the equipment-so if they fall, they're falling from even higher up!

[jamijoy]

When DD was 4 or 5, we went to a local playground with another, far more athletic, girl and her mom. DD saw her friend spit on her hands before going on the monkey bars, so she did it, too. As she swung, her hands slipped off and she fell straight down, completely flat on her front. She fell so hard that she actually bounced. I ran to pick her up, expecting her to have no front teeth and a bloody nose, and she was fine. A little bite on her lip was all. This was because of the 'safe' surface that was padded. I'm grateful for it.

 

We had the same experience when my son was that age. I expected him to come up screaming but he laid there for a few seconds (waiting for something to hurt?), got up, and ran off. It was the recycled tire 'mulch' that he fell onto from about five feet high, right onto his tummy.

 

The playgrounds here in south Texas are huge with high slides, monkey bars, firemen poles and normal swings. Breaking bones probably has to do with landing on your body parts in wrong positions, which can happen even on soft surfaces. I'm glad there is not cement under the playgrounds though.

 

I do agree with us protecting our kids too much and I have to really make myself let them do fun stuff that could result in an injury. My instinct is to tell them to slow down when they are riding their bikes super fast, not climb so high in a tree, or not play tackle football in the backyard, but I usually catch myself and don't say anything and let them have fun being kids without a helicopter mama having a say in everything they do. It's hard, as that is my personality, but I just have to look at the parents I see who don't keep themselves from doing that to realize that I don't my kids to be raised that way.

[FaithManor]

I did not read it, but agree. The new equipment at our local park is useless sterile stuff. The slides are short. The ground is padded. There isn't anything challenging to climb. Even the swings are all of the type where one is belted in one way or another.

 

Climbing stuff, merry go rounds, and swings have been replaced by stuff like tic-tac-toe, bongo drums, steering wheels, and a pretend spyglass. It's not even challenging to someone in a coma.

 

 

True, I do agree that the stuff is boring. By the time that youngest ds was 3 and oldest ds was 6, we had stopped going to our local playground.

 

But, I do understand. We have two community playgrounds that may end up being closed - equipment ripped out, picnic tables and dining canopies put in and NOTHING to play on. The reason...people are selfish, sue-happy freaks. If their kid stubs their toe walking from the swings to the slide, they rush them to the ER and bill the city. The city.simply.cannot.afford.to.continue.to.pay! As a result, the decent people and their families will suffer.

 

We'd put a rock climbing wall on our property but we can't afford privacy fencing yet and the neighbor kids would be over, fall, and we'd be sued. So, I take the boys on hikes back into the stateland and let them climb. I have no intention of suing the state and the DNR is NEVER around anymore because of so many cut-backs to the program. They've got their hands full with bigger issues so they no longer "police" the woods like they used to. I have often wondered though...ds 14 is getting pretty tall and weighs about 115 lbs. I don't think I could carry him if he broke his leg. I hope the cell phone has reception out there.

 

Faith

[simka2]

Guess, I will post since it was my kid that got hurt. I think the parks are in a catch 22. They want to make things as safe as possible, without it being boring...I get that, it's hard. Most public parks are exempt from lawsuits, because of Tort laws. My feelings are that if you are going to be exempt you need to have good accident insurance that your community can utilize.

 

I disagree with the article's pretense. That somehow dumbed down playground equipment is going to instill fear in our children. :tongue_smilie:What instilled fear in my kids was a horrible injury. We went to a water park this week. My normally adventurous, excited, and bold 9yr old boy spent a week terrified of getting hurt on a slide again. Everyday, we were discussing how he could keep his mouth safe. Eventually, he overcame his anxiety enough to enjoy the day. :glare:

Now, are the softer materials better? In most cases, Yes!. In my child's, No!

 

My child was able to snag a tooth in the "softer" plastic of a playground side. This had to do with a combination of plastic and how the slide was put together.

I do not for a second think that safer has to equal boring!!!! We visit so many amazing playgrounds. Train themes, rope climbing webs (that go higher than anything I remember), spray parks, all sorts of things.

Edited July 21, 2011 by simka2

[jamijoy]

The mere presence of safety equipment will not stunt a child. It is the attitude we raise them with.

 

:iagree:

[Pretty in Pink]

I'm all for impact-absorbing surfaces, but it would be nice to see more merry-go-rounds and fewer tic-tac-toe games. Seriously.

[*********]

Yes, I think that safety does not have to equal paranoia. There is a balance. My dd literally climbs walls (in the hallway) and door openings. Its a heck of a sight. We are not the "oh my gosh! Don't do that!" people. We encourage exploration and finding your personal limits. My dd is proficient on stilts, a pogo stick, in line skates, and climbing equipment. However, I still appreciate that a softer surface is there for her in case she does fall or knee pads or helmets. The mere presence of safety equipment will not stunt a child. It is the attitude we raise them with.

 

I'm totally spinning the bolded off into a poll; my boys do this, too; but I had never seen it/heard of it until dh introduced them to it a year or so ago.

[Sputterduck]

Didn't we recently have a mom post about the horrible accident her child had on a playground slide? You know, where it was unanimous that the town be held responsible? (Rightfully so.)

 

Want more challenging, more risky equipment? So do I. That's what my backyard is for.

 

I missed that thread. But, I knew a father who's son broke his neck falling off of one of the old metal slides.

 

Even so, I'd let my son on one as long as he was using it properly.

[Sputterduck]

Guess, I will post since it was my kid that got hurt. I think the parks are in a catch 22. They want to make things as safe as possible, without it being boring...I get that, it's hard. Most public parks are exempt from lawsuits, because of Tort laws. My feelings are that if you are going to be exempt you need to have good accident insurance that your community can utilize.

 

I disagree with the article's pretense. That somehow dumbed down playground equipment is going to instill fear in our children. :tongue_smilie:What instilled fear in my kids was a horrible injury. We went to a water park this week. My normally adventurous, excited, and bold 9yr old boy spent a week terrified of getting hurt on a slide again. Everyday, we were discussing how he could keep his mouth safe. Eventually, he overcame his anxiety enough to enjoy the day. :glare:

Now, are the softer materials better? In most cases, Yes!. In my child's, No!

 

My child was able to snag a tooth in the "softer" plastic of a playground side. This had to do with a combination of plastic and how the slide was put together.

I do not for a second think that safer has to equal boring!!!! We visit so many amazing playgrounds. Train themes, rope climbing webs (that go higher than anything I remember), spray parks, all sorts of things.

:grouphug: Ouch. That's looks very very painful. Were they able to save his adult teeth?

[Julie Smith]

I didn't read all the replies. But I think no concrete around play structures is a very good idea. Woodchips, pebbles, dirt, whatever. Just not concrete or pavement. (Not that you ever really see concrete anymore)

[simka2]

I missed that thread. But, I knew a father who's son broke his neck falling off of one of the old metal slides.

 

Even so, I'd let my son on one as long as he was using it properly.

 

Just an FYI, my son was using the equipment properly! He will still end up having to have an implant and bone grafts once he stops growing.

[Myra]

When my children were younger, I fell off the top of a regular home swing set's slide - don't ask me the particulars as I can still hear the emergency room personnel laughing! Anyways, a broken ankle and dislocated shoulder later and the emergency room doctor told me next timeto fall off a taller public slide as the higher off the ground they are, the less chance of "serious" injury as your body isn't crumbled in a ball when you hit the round as it has a better chance of elongating - hence less serous. Go figure!

 

Myra

[simka2]

:grouphug: Ouch. That's looks very very painful. Were they able to save his adult teeth?

Those were his adult teeth. They have saved one for now, the other was lost. He actually ripped out part of his upper jaw bone.

 

Sorry for the hijack! :D

[Sputterduck]

Just an FYI, my son was using the equipment properly! He will still end up having to have an implant and bone grafts once he stops growing.

 

I was referring to the boy who's father I knew who broke his neck. Somehow he fell off the slide at the top and landed on his head. He was only 2. :crying:

 

I'm sorry about your son. What a terrible injury!

[simka2]

When my children were younger, I fell off the top of a regular home swing set's slide - don't ask me the particulars as I can still hear the emergency room personnel laughing! Anyways, a broken ankle and dislocated shoulder later and the emergency room doctor told me next timeto fall off a taller public slide as the higher off the ground they are, the less chance of "serious" injury as your body isn't crumbled in a ball when you hit the round as it has a better chance of elongating - hence less serous. Go figure!

 

Myra

 

:lol::lol::lol:That is great image!!!

[Lady Florida.]

Yes, I think that safety does not have to equal paranoia. There is a balance.

 

:iagree:You could get into the "In my day we didn't have seatbelts or bike helmets and left the Thanksgiving turkey out all afternoon" kind of mentality, and miss the fact that many safety changes were for the better.

[gingersmom]

I missed that thread. But, I knew a father who's son broke his neck falling off of one of the old metal slides.

 

Even so, I'd let my son on one as long as he was using it properly.

 

I fell off in elementary school during recess and was knocked unconscious.

 

My daughter fell off the monkey bars during school recess (onto the ground covered with woodchips) and broke her elbow. Two surgeries later and her arm is only 90% straight.

[gardening momma]

We have a nice playground nearby that is a combination of the safe, low platform, low slides, etc. and more challenging structures. There is a tall swingset with regular swings, an infant swing, and an "adaptive swing." All the kids love it.

 

Dd7 likes this (she's the one in red):

[The Governess]

I have a fearless child who plays so hard she comes home from the "safe" playground covered in bumps and bruises she doesn't remember getting. I am very grateful for padded surfaces, enclosed platforms, and an overall emphasis on safety.:D

 

I do wish the swings went a little higher though.

[ravinlunachick]

simka2, I'm glad you posted in this thread. I thought I recalled that your son's injury was due to the slide being improperly assembled, rather than generally unsafe/risky equipment.

 

My oldest dd is naturally VERY cautious. She is not a risk-taker at all, so the ultra-safe equipment doesn't really affect her playing style. My youngest dd, though? She is practically feral on the playgrounds! It doesn't occur to her that she is too little to do anything; she always has to be doing whatever the bigger kids around her are doing. I try to be close enough to grab her or give her a boost when needed, but I refrain from saying, "Be careful!" I think it's awesome that she is so willing to take risks and be brave. Of course, I also realize that she will probably be my ER kid, lol.

 

A local park has a very neat climbing area that seems to make even 10-12 year olds happy. They still have the regular sort of play equipment, along with the shredded, glued down tire mulch stuff. I *do* appreciate the sunshade, as it makes it so much nicer to let the kids play there in the summertime. Here's a couple pictures of the equipment:

 

Yikes! The images were HUGE. Let me see if I can find smaller ones. Dangit.

[joannqn]

It's a catch-22 for cities. When you read the NAEYC guidelines for playgrounds, some of what they feel playgrounds should have-like the aforementioned Monkey bars-are some of the pieces that often are linked to more accidents.

 

The thing is, they took Monkey bars our here mostly because kids tended to climb on top of them, which was a fall risk. But now that they don't have them, kids tend to climb up on the TOP of the equipment-so if they fall, they're falling from even higher up!

 

Yesterday at the park, one kid was climbing on top of a piece that covered the slide (it covered the area where you first sit at the top) and fell about 12 feet. He ended up leaving because of chest and back pain. Later I found my 4 year old on top of the same piece of slide.

 

We have a nice playground nearby that is a combination of the safe, low platform, low slides, etc. and more challenging structures. There is a tall swingset with regular swings, an infant swing, and an "adaptive swing." All the kids love it.

 

Dd7 likes this (she's the one in red):

 

We have a park that has both that wave piece and the rope climbing structure. There's another thing that looks like a line drawing mushroom where the top spins. My older kids climb and sit on the top part begging adults to spin them.

[LittleIzumi]

Yes, I think that safety does not have to equal paranoia. There is a balance. My dd literally climbs walls (in the hallway) and door openings. Its a heck of a sight.

 

 

Mine too. :glare: She is teaching her little sister how to scale doorjams.

 

We have two playgrounds with "scary" parts. Gives me a heart attack but the kids love it!

[ravinlunachick]

Here's a link to one of the pictures:

http://agreenvillelife.blogspot.com/2008/09/cleveland-park-playground.html

 

Some of the climbing equipment:

 

Edited July 21, 2011 by ravinlunachick

[ravinlunachick]

I am so sorry that last picture is so huge. I can't seem to find a way to make it smaller. Photobucket is giving me fits today.

 

Anyway, I posted them to show that maybe there is a happy middle ground. Maybe you can allow for high climbing and risky behaviors (spinning, balancing, etc) while still being somewhat safe. I definitely think children need to feel as though they are taking risks and determining danger on their own.

[gardening momma]

I love how that whole playset is shaded!

[Margaret in GA]

I fell off in elementary school during recess and was knocked unconscious.

 

My daughter fell off the monkey bars during school recess (onto the ground covered with woodchips) and broke her elbow. Two surgeries later and her arm is only 90% straight.

 

 

My son (who was 2 at the time) climbed up one of those very common metal spirals and fell. It wasn't a very long fall at all. I wasn't concerned in the least when he was climbing it, as it isn't very tall. But, he fell and broke his elbow. Had to have surgery and his arm will always be twisted. The playground had wood chips. They did no good whatsoever.

 

Not sure what the answer is. I know the playgrounds when we were kids were really dangerous-- and see saws are death traps! We had an old fashioned one at a nearby playground when my kids were little and I hated it. Of course, they didn't get hurt on that- just the 'safe' stupid spiral to nowhere. Kind of ironic.

 

Margaret

[Sputterduck]

Luna, I LOVE that playground! You are so lucky!

[ravinlunachick]

See saws are death traps? How so?

 

I know merry go rounds can be dangerous, if they are high off the ground. I fell under one once, and it even had sharp metal panels sticking down underneath. The kids on the merry go round didn't even stop! Lucky for me, an older cousin of mine dragged me out before I tried to get out myself. If I'd rolled off my back, I'd have been cut for sure. I still have fond memories of that merry go round, though. Man, you could FLY on it, if you had somebody strong spinning!

[stripe]

I've got a blend of old and new equipment near me. Old swings and merrygorounds and whatnot, over grass, and climbing struxtures and such over rubber. I honestly prefer they play on nondesignated playgrounds most of the time.

 

I did notice that it's hard to find tetherball things anywhere.

[gardening momma]

See saws are death traps? How so?

 

I know merry go rounds can be dangerous, if they are high off the ground. I fell under one once, and it even had sharp metal panels sticking down underneath. The kids on the merry go round didn't even stop! Lucky for me, an older cousin of mine dragged me out before I tried to get out myself. If I'd rolled off my back, I'd have been cut for sure. I still have fond memories of that merry go round, though. Man, you could FLY on it, if you had somebody strong spinning!

When I was in elementary school, somewhere around 4th-6th grade, I was on a merry go round during recess. Ours was not a really high one; it was probably about 12 inches above the ground. We often crouched near the outer edge, facing outward while hanging onto the bars. The older kids, 7th grade & up, sometimes were out on the playground the same time as we were (small school). They would often spin the merry go round for us. This one time that they did it, they spun it so fast that my legs flew out from under me. I was able to keep hold, but my legs were flung out and hit everyone who was standing around the merry go round. I'm not sure who was hurt more, them or me. I was ok. It could have been worse, but since it wasn't, I can look back & laugh.

[ravinlunachick]

Have any of you seen the 7Up series about the kids in Great Britain? I watched the original episode not long ago, and I have to admit that I was horrified at the "playground" scene. It looked like they were playing on construction debris! None of the kids seemed fazed by it, so perhaps that was a normal playground at the time.

 

Thanks, Sputter. :) The park closest to us is also very neat; it's all wooden (except for the slides), lots of climbing and hidey-hole nooks everywhere. There's rope ladders and a tire swing as well, and loads of trees left in place for shade when they built the play structure. It was all done by volunteers and donation; the city couldn't afford it at the time, but they maintain it now that it's up.

[Rosy]

This is our new "safe playground". It is my kids' favorite. Safe does not have to equal boring. It has a merry go round that is level with the ground. It has slides and things to climb. It also has equipment that is designed for kids with disabilities. My kids (including the older two) can play there for hours and not get bored.

 

I am far less safety-conscious than most moms I know, and I did enjoy far less safe playgrounds when I was a kid. But for all of us who broke bones, hit heads, etc and came out ok, there are many kids who did not.

[Aura]

Just a word of caution to those of you who let their kids climb walls.

 

When they were kids, my dh & brothers did this in their hall. My dh was all the way up and then fell. My mil still has his cheeks (not the ones you kiss) imprinted on the wall. :lol: She covered the dent with a picture. The kids might not get hurt...but their surroundings are a different story. :D

 

This is why I say things like: Don't climb the walls. You'll put a hole in the wall! Don't slide down the stairs on the mattress. You'll put a foot through the wall, and the mattress is in bad enough shape! :D

 

Personally, I agree that there is a balance between safety, paranoia, and recklessness--for the kids' sake, for your home's sake, and for your sanity's sake!

 

As for playgrounds, we don't go too much anymore. I would get all kinds of ugly looks when I let a toddler climb around or slide down a 3-foot slide while I'm standing back and watching instead of holding on to him. And heaven forbid one of their older siblings take them down the 5-foot slide. :glare:

[ravinlunachick]

Rosy, that looks like so much fun! My son would be over the moon if our playgrounds had water play areas! I'd never get him to do anything else. We have those same spinners at the park I pictured above. I love the merry go round mounted flush with the ground. What a great idea!

[unsinkable]

I am not sure this will work but this is the type of slide that used to be at our closest park.

 

For years, it was there along with a newer safer playground but they finally took it out a couple years ago. All my kids went on it, though, before it got removed. I must admit my heart was in my throat when they were tiny.

[bairnmama]

This is our new "safe playground". It is my kids' favorite. Safe does not have to equal boring. It has a merry go round that is level with the ground. It has slides and things to climb. It also has equipment that is designed for kids with disabilities. My kids (including the older two) can play there for hours and not get bored.

 

I am far less safety-conscious than most moms I know, and I did enjoy far less safe playgrounds when I was a kid. But for all of us who broke bones, hit heads, etc and came out ok, there are many kids who did not.

 

 

I LOVE that playground and wish we had one near us!!! My kids are still fairly young and think that most of the playgrounds around here are too boring. We do have a new one with one of those tall rope pyramids that was posted earlier, but most others are simply made for kids under 6 yrs old even though their signs say 5-12. :glare: Also, many of the newer playgrounds are deserted in the summer because the lack of shade makes the surfaces too hot to touch. That black rubberized mulch radiates so much heat that it's unbearable from about 10 am till 6 pm.

 

I believe that some of the safety regulations have been for the better, but many have simply gone too far. My dad's church had a VERY hard time updating their playground because of all the regulations... They couldn't leave the grass, had to cut down large trees that provided shade because they were too close to the playstructures and posed a "safety risk", couldn't replace with the same size equipment because the required distance from building to playspace changed, etc. So, now they have a horribly hot smaller playground that cost thousands and fewer kids can enjoy at a time when they had previously had a shade and grass cooled space that had been good for many ages. The city actually told them that they could maintain their present playground and keep removing things that became too dangerous without meeting the new codes, but anything added to the playground meant that ALL the new codes must be met.

[bairnmama]

I am not sure this will work but this is the type of slide that used to be at our closest park.

 

For years, it was there along with a newer safer playground but they finally took it out a couple years ago. All my kids went on it, though, before it got removed. I must admit my heart was in my throat when they were tiny.

 

That one is safer than the one that was across the street from my house when my dd was 1. Ours was a slide that made up one leg of the swings. The handrails were about 2 inches above the steps, the steps were slick metal with large gaps and VERY steep (think A-frame swing leg steep), and the "platform" was about 2 inches wide and at the same height as the top of the swing support about 12 feet up. There was absolutely nothing to hold onto while trying to sit down to slide. I think it was put there in the 40's. Dd loved that slide from the time she was 2 'till they took it out a few years ago. That park also had metal seesaws and an old-fashioned jungle gym that was about 8 feet tall and made of all metal pipes!

[twoxcell]

Our city finally upgraded our main park last summer(it was long over due). They put in a great playground that includes something like this. It is very tall. You should have seen the parents standing around in horror talking about how deadly it was the first day the park opened.;) I think it is super cool, and have yet to have heard of anyone injured on it or by it. I do think some playgrounds are a little too safe, but we have some great playgrounds still around here that are brand new, and I much prefer them to the playgrounds of my childhood that basically consisted of a super tall metal slide, teeter totters, swings, monkey bars over cement:blink: and a merr-i-go-round.

[ravinlunachick]

That one is safer than the one that was across the street from my house when my dd was 1. Ours was a slide that made up one leg of the swings. The handrails were about 2 inches above the steps, the steps were slick metal with large gaps and VERY steep (think A-frame swing leg steep), and the "platform" was about 2 inches wide and at the same height as the top of the swing support about 12 feet up. There was absolutely nothing to hold onto while trying to sit down to slide. I think it was put there in the 40's. Dd loved that slide from the time she was 2 'till they took it out a few years ago. That park also had metal seesaws and an old-fashioned jungle gym that was about 8 feet tall and made of all metal pipes!

 

I know exactly the kind of old slide you are talking about! The park I played in as a kid had one; it had been installed in the late 30s, and it's still there, wobbly top step and all. :) Alas, they did take out the merry-go-round and see-saws.

[bettyandbob]

Have any of you seen the 7Up series about the kids in Great Britain? I watched the original episode not long ago, and I have to admit that I was horrified at the "playground" scene. It looked like they were playing on construction debris! None of the kids seemed fazed by it, so perhaps that was a normal playground at the time.

 

 

 

I believe this why the original episodes of Sesame Street have a warning label. There are scenes of kids running through and playing in junkyards and construction areas. That and the opening episodes shows Bob showing a girl new to the neighborhood around (Bob is a complete stranger to her). I'm old enough that I was Sesame Street's target audience and yes I did play in areas like that often bare foot. Do I let my kids do that no way.

 

My kids always climbed "on top" rather than used playground equipment the way it was intended. However, I don't long for metal playgrounds surrounded by concrete. Don't you remember getting burned by the equipment in the summer sun.

[ravinlunachick]

Yes, betty, I do remember getting the flesh seared off my legs by those metal slides in the summertime! :lol: However, the dark green plastic slides that are so popular nowadays get just as hot, imo. I can't let my youngest two kids play on the little kid equipment at one park, because they are in the full sun from about 10am till sunset, and they are way too hot for them. At least, they are from May-October.

[Mommy22alyns]

I remember old playground equipment. My school also had a wooden slide. Guess who got a splinter in her backside? :glare: The school nurse found it very amusing.

 

I do love the softer landing surfaces, but I wish we had a cool playground nearby. We have to drive to get to anything remotely decent and my girls (especially Becca) are gymnasts who love to climb and flip.

 

Interesting article.