Image by Charyl Patrice Lee from Pixabay
Are your kids softer than you were a kid? Most parents feel that their kids are not tough enough to face the world on their own. To some extent, this is true. Kids are becoming softer and more delicate as the years pass.
This can be attributed to the parenting style and the environment they are exposed to. Children love a playful environment. The playground is usually the first and best place to teach your kid how to survive in a harsh and cruel world.
I remember a couple of my dad’s tough playing rules. One of them was never to cry when I fell down or lost the game. As I remember all the pain and suffering, I went through as a kid on the playground, I start thinking about the equipment that made me the person I am today. I’m sure these nine things don’t exist on playgrounds today.
Merry-go-round
This was one of my favorites. This equipment spins so fast that children feel like they are flying. The last one holding on was surely the winner. To further test your courage, could stand, sit on the metal bars or assume any position that was life-threatening.
Teeter-Totters
Others call them see-saws. It’s been a while since I saw some of these. They were very tall. If someone hated you, they could just get off their side while you are up in the air. It was quite dangerous but essential to help us confront our fears.
Metal slides
Today, metal slides are being replaced by plastic ones and this isn’t fun anymore. With restrictions and regulations on safety piling up every single day, equipment is being designed to make everything safe and secure.
On a hot day, you wouldn’t go to the playground wearing a pair of shorts. Also, the sharp metal edges sometimes touched your tender areas. Bringing wax with you to make your sliding descent and tolerable was a daily activity.
Witch’s hat
One more piece of equipment made our days lively. Kids used to gather around the exterior of the ring and grasp it. They would then run fast and after gaining momentum, their bodies would be lifted off the ground. Flying horizontally was just amazing until the momentum was lost.
Wooden or metal swings
Swing seats today must be made of rubber due to the safety and protective restrictions. It’s not easy to find wooden or metal seats unless you visit a third world country. All the fun has been taken away with vinyl coated chains and shorter swing sets. The fun was all about flying back and forth while holding on.
Giant stride
This equipment is similar to the witch’s hat. The only difference is that everyone has his or her hanging piece so that the kids who are slow would be rammed from behind by the active kids or even smashed into the pole at the center.
Monkey bars
I’ll share my interesting childhood story on expert writing very soon. The monkey bars made our school playground look like a military school The metal bars blistered my hands due to the quick crossing and the hot sun. When we were not being supervised, everyone would do what he or she wanted. One kid would start at one end another one on the other end and the would meet in the middle and try to eliminate each other. Dangerous but fun, right?
Geodesic dome
Adventurous kids used to climb on the interior of this equipment so that they would be upside down when they reached the top. They would then continue with their heads first facing down on the other side to the bottom. You would save a lot of time jumping from the top to the ground. Only the kids who were afraid climbed down slowly while holding on.
Tetherball
While playing with this equipment, there was a high risk of the ball smashing your face or breaking your hands or fingers because of hitting the pole instead of the ball. Due to the number of complaints and restrictions, this equipment became extinct on most playgrounds.
These items were great because they made us tough and courageous. They made us actually enjoy our childhood. They can be eliminated due to health and safety issues but they will always remain in our hearts and minds.