Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Playground
  • Surfacing
  • Parks
  • Athletics
  • Aquatics
  • Play
Home
  • Playground
  • Surfacing
  • Parks
  • Athletics
  • Aquatics
  • Play
  • What You Need To Know About Curb Ramps
  • 9 Things You No Longer See on Playgrounds
  • Benefits of Nature Play
  • Train Themed Playground
  • The World is a Kiwanis Playground

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Playground
  3. The Playground as Theater

The Playground as Theater

Playground
March 24, 2016
Profile picture for user Bernie Dekoven
By Bernie Dekoven on
  • facebook-f
  • twitter
  • envelope
  • print
1300

Making the connection between playgrounds and theater is nothing short of brilliant, and nothing even shorter of obvious. Playgrounds, after all, are theater. Just ask the little actors running around shouting, "Watch me!" to their parents.

By making the connection even more obvious, by designing a playground even more for the purpose of being theater-like, one of our favorite playground design companies, Monstrum (http://www.monstrum.dk/en/), has created what I hope will prove another paradigm for playground design. Because this one invites imagination, fantasy, pretend play; invites more of the child - both mind and body; invites social interaction - as actors and audience; invites fun.

The Playground as Theater

The Playground as Theater

The Playground as Theater

The Playground as Theater

The Playground as Theater

The Playground as Theater

The Playground as Theater

The Playground as Theater

The Playground as Theater

They call this one Theater Park. I quote (http://www.monstrum.dk/en/pages/164):

“Remember to bring your costumes when you visit the Theater Park. Here you have plenty of opportunities to express your inner actor! You’ll find hats, drums and play masks to hide behind and put your arms through. Everything on the playground is in some way inspired by the world of theater. On the big stage the actors can overlook the cheering crowd, who just bought their tickets and some goodies from the Movie Kiosk. A little further away you will find the spinning Theatre – by spinning it, you can switch between four different scenarios. In another stage the scenery can be pushed from side to side, and there’s even a box to the prompter so he can whisper the lines if the actors suddenly forget what to say.”

Forgive me if I over-enthuse, but this prompter box is just the kind of detail that represents the best of Monstrum's play/work: a small feature, yet one that adds a whole new level (literally and figuratively) to the kind of play this park invites. No matter how it gets used (it could just as easily be a “box seat” for the fortunate few, or a place for the proverbial critic to stand and launch critical nerf balls, or a cubby for constructive kibitzing, or a platform for the budding playwright/director).

And then there's the "spinning theater" which not only provides actors with a choice of scenery, but also the opportunity to get spun while simultaneously allowing for the employment of a stagehand or several. And, of course, the instant costumes. And the ticket booth to legitimize the whole endeavor.

Look at the pictures again (they enlarge when you click on them). Imagine yourself (yes, you grown-up person you, your very own self) in each (you might also need to imagine yourself small enough, or the buildings large enough). Imagine how encouraged you'd be to pretend that you were really an actor, a thespian, in fact, of the highest order. Or a ticket-taker. Or a stage-hand. Imagine how each element would help in supporting this fantasy, would contribute to your imagined brilliance. Imagine organizing a special performance of an improvised version of Hamlet. And charging admission even.

← The Infinite Playground (http://www.aplayfulpath.com/the-infinite-playground/)

Add new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
About text formats

Plain text

  • No HTML tags allowed.
  • Web page addresses and email addresses turn into links automatically.
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
Profile picture for user Bernie Dekoven
Bernie Dekoven
Published 7 years ago
Last updated 6 months ago
1300
1
min read
A- A+
  • facebook-f
  • twitter
  • envelope
  • print

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter

More About

Jul 01, 2001
Playground

A Global Power

Playground Magazine
Three ball-playing, wheelchair friendly sports.
May 27, 2019
Playground

Reeve's Peeves

Reeve Brenner
Young girl eating fruit at watermelon
Jun 13, 2017
Playground

Healthy Playground Eats

Kacey Mya
What makes a great playground survey
Aug 18, 2014
Playground

What makes a great playground? It's all about what you can do

Anne-Marie-Spencer
Apr 15, 2013
Playground

Selecting Playground Equipment: The Citizen Perspective

Butch-Defillippo
Synergy Imagination Brings Developmental Opportunities to the Play Environment
Sep 23, 2020
Playground

Synergy Imagination

Sarah Lisiecki
Oct 01, 2005
Playground

Fort Christmas

Playground Magazine
Mar 01, 2002
Playground

Play Value

Playground Magazine
Girls at a playground
Aug 27, 2018
Playground

Kids Need Playgrounds: 7 Key Reasons

Mary Whitman
May 01, 2001
Playground

Member of the Family

Playground Magazine
9 Things You No Longer See on Playgrounds
Sep 01, 2009
Playground

9 Things You No Longer See on Playgrounds

Playground Magazine
Photo: Courtesy of Shutterstock / McCarthy's PhotoWorks
Apr 28, 2014
Playground

The Playground is Dead! - Long Live the Playground!

Jay-Beckwith

Playground Professionals

International Playground Safety Institute
International Playground Safety Institute
Organization
More
Brewer Fitness
Brewer Fitness
Sales Rep
More
Schoolscapes, Inc.
Schoolscapes, Inc.
Services
More
Recreation Unlimited
Recreation Unlimited
Sales Rep
More
Bison Pumps
Bison Pumps
Manufacturer
More
ExerPlay, Inc.
ExerPlay, Inc.
Sales Rep
More
Safety Down Under, Inc.
Safety Down Under, Inc.
Services
More
TL Contracting Inc.
TL Contracting Inc.
Services
More
Landscape Structures, Inc.
Landscape Structures, Inc.
Manufacturer
More
Playground Safety Services, Inc.
Playground Safety Services, Inc.
Services
More
Slyde the Playground Hound
Slyde the Playground Hound
Organization
More
Go Play, Inc.
Go Play, Inc.
Manufacturer
More
Home

Follow Us

Play and playground news and information since 2001

  • instagram
  • facebook-f
  • twitter
  • pinterest
  • linkedin

Company

  • Playground Magazine
  • Contributors
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

Copyright © 2001 - 2023 Playground Professionals, LLC

Footer menu

  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Terms and conditions