Depending on where you live, you have probably passed by a playground. You remember playing there as a child, whether that would be at a park or school. Either your parents took you there or you were there with friends. Regardless of the situation, you were always bound to have fun there.
One of the most important parts of the playground is the slide. You climb up some steps to the top, and then let gravity slide you down on an angled surface. You’ve probably spent a good chunk of your time on one because of how quick it is. Slides can be made out of metal or plastic, and unfortunately, both have their flaws. Metal slides are bound to dent, get rusted, and burn your skin. Plastic slides are bound to look extremely dirty, shock you, and also burn your skin. Despite this, we are still probably going down there. Some kids love to also climb up the stairs. I don’t think I’ve ever done this but if I did, I probably failed miserably. A weird slide design I’ve once seen was one where instead of one solid piece, it had a track system similar to the rolling surface you’ve seen at airport security. I’ve had my doubts about this design because I thought a piece of my clothing would get caught. But alas, I slid down the slope with ease. The length of a slide can be an issue for those who are terrified of heights, and I’m someone who hates heights. However, it’s one of these things you get used to once you’re on.
(mrpbps / Flickr)
Monkey bars are also a staple at playgrounds. Your arms do need to be strong enough to handle them, however. I was not a strong person so monkey bars were a big struggle. There are two options for monkey bars. Some monkey bars are one solid piece, and other monkey bars have handles attached to chains. The ones that are a solid piece are easier to handle because you didn’t move around too much, allowing you to get across with ease. The chain ones have a problem where kids will sometimes put them over the top bar. Kids are usually not tall enough to retrieve the handle, requiring an adult to get it back.
Swings are common not just at playgrounds, but also as a stand-alone things. They come in various forms. There’s the typical style where you’re sitting on a strip of material, and it’s seen at most playgrounds. Realistically, only one person can go on it but people will find a way to get two people on there. There’s a playground near my house that have swings that are one big dish. You can fit up to four people on it, five if you’re daring enough. Having at least two people on the swing is amazing because no one has to be the sole pusher. You both contribute to how high you swing. There are a few people out there who like to be the pusher because they want to see how high people will go. One of my friends once hung onto the swing lying on his stomach while his brother pushed him as high as possible. As a spectator, that was terrifying. I was convinced at some point that my friend was going to fly off the swing. Babies are not supposed to go on normal swings. Most playgrounds will usually have a separate set of swings that will fit babies. They look like big rubber diapers and babies will be a sucker for them. It’s one of the only things on a playground that is safe for babies.
(EvelynGiggles / Flickr)
Balance bars are sort of a lazy design, but people will always go on them. I even met my best friend at a balance bar. I can’t remember what exactly we talked about, but the balance bar had to be a part of it. They’re generally pretty low, just so then you don’t hurt yourself critically if you fall off.
Ziplines are also a staple at most playgrounds. There’s something exhilarating about pushing yourself off a platform and zooming above the ground. Just like the monkey bars, you do need some decent arm strength to use it properly. It hurts a lot more when you fall because of the speed you’re going at. Just like the swings, someone can just push you to go even faster. One of my friends once did this to me and I jumped down out of fear. If the handle gets stuck in the middle, someone who is tall enough has to push it back in one direction so then the next person can use it.
(Tom Page / Flickr)
Space nets or other kinds of weird jungle gym domes are interesting to hang around at. I remember the time when the space net was first installed at my elementary school. I’m scared of heights and the thought of it bouncing while I’m high up scared me. I was also scared of slipping off and hurting myself. It also doesn’t help that I wasn’t very flexible. Over the years, I managed to find my way to the top of our space net without any issues. These days, my size just doesn’t allow me to get up there properly. The space net is a pretty common part of a playground for people to do group photos. The class photo for our grade 7 yearbook was taken on one which made things complicated. There’s only so much room on one side before people start getting hidden.
The material playgrounds are made of is extremely important since it has to stand the test of time. The playground at my elementary school was made of wood with metal frames before they switched to primarily coated metal and plastic after I was gone. The wood was getting rotten to the point where it would’ve been dangerous for children to be on them. They ended up redesigning the entire playground which meant the end of my childhood.
Playgrounds should always stay around. There’s not that much you can do outside, so having one place where you can do a lot is essential.