Also, regardless of the fun level, the safer playgrounds are not helping the kids mental and physical development as well as the old unsafe playgrounds did.
Please back that up with some sort of evidence, you have only presented opinion and speculation thus far. I am not saying that there might not be proof to back up your assessments, only that I would like to see it. Thanks!
This thread is basically all speculation and a bias against the idea of increased safety. Who knows, maybe the world was really dangerous and we just didn't realize.. Though I suspect at least some of this to be the handiwork of "concerned parents" have any of us gone and seen this "outside" thing for ourselves in recent times?
have any of us gone and seen this "outside" thing for ourselves in recent times?
Um, yeah. Just 'cause I'm a (relatively) grown up person doesn't mean I don't muck about in the woods on a regular basis. I mean, talk to Rym, he's the one who randomly climbs up cliff faces and stuff.
Please back that up with some sort of evidence, you have only presented opinion and speculation thus far. I am not saying that there might not be proof to back up your assessments, only that I would like to see it. Thanks!
There haven't really been any studies has to how "fun" different playground elements are. However, there are still some people trying to make playgrounds that are safe, but also fun. In the video above, you can clearly see that in that style of playground the kids don't know what they are supposed to do. I bet you don't know what to do either. Meanwhile, check out this video from an Ontario playground in 1985. . It's a zip-line bitches! You don't need a study to tell you that at a playground with a zip-line the kids will be lining up all day, just like they used to line-up for the long deceased high dive at the pool. You also don't need a study to tell you the zip-line and the high dive are hella dangerous. There's just something about humans that for many people, especially kids, seems to make it so that danger=fun. In the never ending quest of concerned parents to eliminate danger, very few of them seem to care that fun has been extinguished as well.
I remember in elementary school we had a tall wooden frame (about 12 feet tall I would guess, but my memory is probably exaggerating that number), which hung to metal poles next to each other and a bell in between them at the top. We used to have climbing contests to see who would climb the poles the fastest. It's still the most dangerous object I've seen at a playground.
I've also seen kids fall off the monkey bars and have their forearm's bone structure puncture their wrist.
Every generation laments the wussification of the next.
This is true, however I think our stance will be supported a generation from now. I have fond memories of both playgrounds and video games. I think if I had kids today, they might only have fond memories of the video games. Also, relatedly, recess is dead. And they wonder why childhood obesity is up.
An "EcoPlay Park" was opened at a mall here very recently. Now, I know I shouldn't expect much out of a play area that's situated inside a mall. Obviously you can't have a lot of the more elaborate equipment. But do you know what this "play park" consists of? Statues and benches. STATUES. And BENCHES. And a lame-looking windmill. There are a few big, cutesy animal statues, and one tire statue. The only thing in the whole park that actually lets kids interact with it is the wheel that turns the windmill. The rest, the kids are just supposed to climb and sit on, I guess. The benches are for the parents to sit on while they rest and watch their kids. What the hell? Even my family doctor's office has a play area that has more to do than this place does. o_O
Here's a thing about it on the mall's website. Check out the "great" selling points, which are sure to make it fun for kids:
My sarcasm detector is off the charts! If I were to become among the idle rich, My first act would be to make some good old fashioned playgrounds. Kids need that thrill of actual danger to find out just how far they can push themselves.
The merry-go-round type things are also gone. They could project a kid at an alarming speed.
Nos, the merry go rounds are the best!
Agreed! Not too long ago me and my friends found one of the last merry go rounds. We played on that until nightfall.
In the 80's till early 90's there was this huge playground in the back of the neighborhood that was wood and metal and tall as a house. It had a big swirly metal tube slide at the peak and bridges and slides. It was massive and surrounded by many metal monkey bars. Then they tossed it and it's smaller version in other parts of the neighborhood. Then a year ago they tossed THE DOME! It was monkey bars in a dome shape and multicolored. Noes!
I walked around my old elementary growing up and seen that they took everything cool away. Now it this low plastic crap! Damn you!
Honestly, as long as the kids have fun then why should it matter if the playground is too safe?
That's exactly what we are saying. They are making the playgrounds so safe, that the kids are no longer having fun. Also, regardless of the fun level, the safer playgrounds are not helping the kids mental and physical development as well as the old unsafe playgrounds did.
...I think your underestimating the power of the imagination in a kid, they can find fun in anything. While the newer 'safe' playgrounds may not seem fun to you they may seem fun to a little kid.
Also, how do tall metal slides, those spiny wheel thingies, and swings make someone mentally fit? i can understand and believe that they make a kid more physically fit but mental, unless you can bring proof that it does I'm calling shenanigans on this one.
Speaking of adults and playgrounds and Albany, I will be in that fair city next week for a wedding. I need to know: Has anyone been to Jilian's, and is it worth going for some late-night drinking and games? Or is it kind of lame? Let me know.
Jesus, don't go to Jillian's. It's lame, the food sucks, and late at night, you get the college fratboy crowd.
If you want some late-night drinking, I recommend Bomber's (a mixed crowd) or Justin's (jazz bar; just get there by 9 so you can see the band). If you want a brewpub, hit the Pump Station in Albany or Brown's in Troy. But stay the hell away from Jillian's.
Also, regardless of the fun level, the safer playgrounds are not helping the kids mental and physical development as well as the old unsafe playgrounds did.
Please back that up with some sort of evidence, you have only presented opinion and speculation thus far. I am not saying that there might not be proof to back up your assessments, only that I would like to see it. Thanks!
I get that there are crazy people out there and that the movement for precaution has gone way too far. However, I was asking you to back up the claim that older playgrounds (I will not call them unsafe, because not all of them were, and with proper supervision I doubt that the majority of them are that harmful) are somehow more beneficial to "kids mental and physical development" over the newer playgrounds (I will not call them safer, because accidents can still happen, kids will be kids, yadda yadda... pay attention to your kids while they play and all will be well most of the time). It just seems like you are making an illogical leap to your conclusions without any data to back it from child psychologists, phys. ed. professionals, etc.
Well look at the bright side of things gomi, he does get his point across
I just visited my elementary school and they have also done the safe playground thing. Most of the equipment there when I was a young lad would have taught you a lesson or two if you used it improperly or tried something stupid. Nowadays I can see how children don't have a knowledge on how far they can go before getting hurt. I wish I had the statistics on this but I theorize that many more accidents happen because children don't learn their limits.
Comments
It's a zip-line bitches! You don't need a study to tell you that at a playground with a zip-line the kids will be lining up all day, just like they used to line-up for the long deceased high dive at the pool. You also don't need a study to tell you the zip-line and the high dive are hella dangerous. There's just something about humans that for many people, especially kids, seems to make it so that danger=fun. In the never ending quest of concerned parents to eliminate danger, very few of them seem to care that fun has been extinguished as well.
I've also seen kids fall off the monkey bars and have their forearm's bone structure puncture their wrist.
Here's a thing about it on the mall's website. Check out the "great" selling points, which are sure to make it fun for kids:
http://sunridgemall.shopping.ca/getmallevent?id=13902&mallid=sun
My sarcasm detector is off the charts! If I were to become among the idle rich, My first act would be to make some good old fashioned playgrounds. Kids need that thrill of actual danger to find out just how far they can push themselves.
In the 80's till early 90's there was this huge playground in the back of the neighborhood that was wood and metal and tall as a house. It had a big swirly metal tube slide at the peak and bridges and slides. It was massive and surrounded by many metal monkey bars. Then they tossed it and it's smaller version in other parts of the neighborhood. Then a year ago they tossed THE DOME! It was monkey bars in a dome shape and multicolored. Noes!
I walked around my old elementary growing up and seen that they took everything cool away. Now it this low plastic crap! Damn you!
Also, how do tall metal slides, those spiny wheel thingies, and swings make someone mentally fit? i can understand and believe that they make a kid more physically fit but mental, unless you can bring proof that it does I'm calling shenanigans on this one.
If you want some late-night drinking, I recommend Bomber's (a mixed crowd) or Justin's (jazz bar; just get there by 9 so you can see the band). If you want a brewpub, hit the Pump Station in Albany or Brown's in Troy. But stay the hell away from Jillian's.
Plus, I think they took it out after I fell off twice and hit my head hard.
I just visited my elementary school and they have also done the safe playground thing. Most of the equipment there when I was a young lad would have taught you a lesson or two if you used it improperly or tried something stupid. Nowadays I can see how children don't have a knowledge on how far they can go before getting hurt. I wish I had the statistics on this but I theorize that many more accidents happen because children don't learn their limits.