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There is a myth that work and play are entirely separate from one another. We work, and then we play. Work hard, play hard. Get one done efficiently so you have time for the other. But what about the creativity needed to be most efficient at work? How …

Over the past year there have been many articles written about the impact of screen time on children. Such concerns are nothing new. In the ’50s, many of the same dire predictions where rampant over the impact of TV. Interestingly, some of those …

The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) maintains more than 20 networks for interaction between the more than 44,000 members of NRPA. Those members include professionals tasked with playground design, planning, maintenance, and development. …

2014 has been another great year for inclusive play. For those sceptics that say that inclusive play is a fad, the numbers do not agree with you. I estimate that just over 100 new inclusive playgrounds opened in United States and Canada this year. I have …

My recent article for Playground Magazine dealt with the materials technology of playgrounds. One of the materials I mentioned was the trend toward using more naturals such as logs, plants, and rocks, etc. I needed a good image of a playscape to …

It hasn't been too many decades ago, when playgrounds were made primarily of steel, with some wood accents. Color was rare, and kids of that era will tell you that after a play session, there was usually a red coating on their hands from the oxidized or …

Consumer product safety is a perennial topic of concern, and (thankfully) we have all witnessed industries and consumer products that have made enormous strides over relatively short periods of time to improve the safety of users, especially so when the …

Have you ever driven by a beautiful new playground and thought “That looks really good. I wonder who made the equipment, and who supplied the surfacing?” It’s easy to forget that the second part of the question, “Who supplied the surfacing?” would, not so …

Inclusion occurs when children with disabilities unconditionally participate in regular recreation opportunities in their own community. In terms of playgrounds this means that a family who is raising a child with disabilities should be able to go to the …

Two main elements are the primary factors that have determined how playgrounds look and perform: concept and technology. Over the past century we have seen the concept of what a playground is evolve continuously from basic fitness apparatus to expressions …

In my last column I cited some news headlines that reported a child’s death on a playground and some resulting actions of removing playground equipment to avoid injury. What can we do to curtail or fend off this knee jerk reaction and public relations …

We tend not to give ourselves as much credit as we deserve - especially when it comes to thinking ourselves as “playful.”  Playfulness is something we associate with children and childhood. We might have been playful back then. But now, grown-up, …

I signed up for Google Alerts on various topics of interest to me such as: Playground Safety , Playground Injuries, and Playground Legislation. It is amazing how many email notices I receive on just these three topics. It is a great way to stay in touch …

Launched in Fall 2013, Free Play™ is a studio that creates interactive learning environments for children through sensory-focused play structures that can be customized to fit any landscape. A father of two, Free Play™ founder and president Dan Schreibman …

We assume that while our children are using playgrounds at schools, recreation programs, and childcare facilities, they are being supervised by trained professionals. Like many other assumptions, this is often incorrect. Teachers, teaching assistants, …

Initially known as the Magic Cube, today’s Rubik’s Cube—a six-sided puzzler that has challenged several generations—holds the title of best-selling toy of all time. Along with bubbles and little green army men, Rubik’s Cube is one of the 2014 inductees to …

When kids run, skip, swing, slide and jump on playgrounds, they’re not just having fun and taking a break from their schoolwork. They’re also burning calories. There’s been lots of discussion lately about school lunches and how we best feed our kids. …

  I’m always surprised, when talking to recreation managers and buyers about surfacing, to hear them say, “it’s expensive, and doesn't really add any play or fun to the site, but it’s something we have to do.” There’s good news; surfacing can actually be …

Ed Brown Playground - MacLearie Park - Belmar, NJ! Our DC-8 has landed safely at one-of-a-kind Maclearie Park in Belmar, NJ. Situated  just a few short miles from the Monmouth Executive Airport, Ed Brown  playground features maps similar to the real …

Throughout my childhood we played pretty much everywhere including the streets. Much of our play was kid-generated games and “projects.” During my daughter’s childhood, play happened in vacant lots, creek beds, and backyards. Now my grandchildren play on …