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Playgrounds symbolize childhood and a yearning for freedom to explore, learn and understand the world around you. As my children have grown—all in their teens now—their playgrounds have developed into more complex forms of recreation. The backyard toy of …

When do civil rights become “interim?” Seems an odd question, I know. Did you know that it’s possible for a child’s civil rights to be deemed “interim” when dealing with accessibility issues in the instance of, say, a differently-abled 11-year-old child …

Clarification of terms: The CPSC Handbook uses the term “guidelines,” ASTM uses “standards,” and states use “regulations.” All three terms essentially mean “requirements” because of their legal status and/or their influence in litigation and may be used …

First of all, there are a few things to consider. Creating a playground is not as simple as just driving to a vacant lot, throwing a few two by sixes and a swing up and calling it a play area. Every play space is different, and all children are …

Before we go any further, let’s clarify what I am talking about. It’s not your school work I am offering to help with. I’m talking about designing and building a playground—taking your ideas from the drawing board and making a good solid plan for your …

In 1983, Donald Strickland and Anthony Strickland began producing see-saws and swing sets in a make-shift shop consisting of a converted mechanic's garage. It was truly a family effort with this father and son duo not only producing the structures but …

What does it take to have the ultimate ride without breaking the bank? Sk8Parks International may have what you’re looking for. With their modular, you are able to either choose a pre-designed skate park or get outside the box and design your own to fit …

There’s a new playground sanitization service on the scene. It‘s the Playground Patrol, based in Minneola, Fla., and it is dedicated to helping you keep your playground sanitized and safe for children. After seeing the need for cleaner playgrounds, David …

There’s an elephant in the room, and nobody’s really talking about it. We all know it’s there, but sometimes nobody really wants to acknowledge its presence. Some would like to just leave it alone and hope it leaves them alone. It’s a stranger on the …

What more could you possibly add to a Jimmy Carter Work Project, a “blitz build” of 30 homes in one week, to make it even more complete? A playground, of course. You can’t have such a spectacular new place in the works without considering where the …

A­ddleman, the vice president of Recreation Creations, Inc., a playground equipment company based in Hillsdale, Mich., had heard the family story many times before. In 1936, an uncle bearing the same name had accidentally died while playing football in …

After nearly five years of planning, fundraising and coordinating, Billie Patton’s dream of making over the playgrounds in the Village of Blissfield, Mich., is nearly complete. The working mother of three children found the time to help organize the …

The first school day back from summer vacation validated the long hours invested over the past 18 months by the playground committee. Teachers and students alike either stood in amazement of or climbed on, over, under and around the newly installed …

Mia Miseria, a spinster aunt, lived on a sweet spot of country land. Every day she would sit on her porch, read a good book, and sip her tea. Her life would have been perfect had she not had to endure the torment of those Bully Boys . Every day after …

Before any crew arrives on the job site with shovels and wrenches, many pre-construction issues need to be addressed. The 5 Ps of playground construction — Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance — will help uncover potential installations issues that …

On a summer evening early in July, our friend and neighbor reported their ten-year-old boy was missing. Twenty-four hours later, the county search and rescue found the boy dead. He was hanging by a rope inside a homemade tree house. Initially, we were …

One thing I have noticed about the playground industry is the many abbreviations floating about. We have the NRPA, ASTM, IPEMA, NPSI, NPCAI, NPPS, and the list goes on. They all stand for important organizations and regulations concerning the industry, …

Want a place to play a game of Soldiers or Cowboys and Indians? The playground at Fort Christmas, Florida just might be the place you’ll want to go. The PVC log look-alike playground structure in the Fort Christmas Historical Park in Christmas, Florida is …

A new theme-oriented children's playground has become the crown jewel in a major redevelopment of a little used recreational resource in the Borough of Seaside Heights, N.J. Long known for its famed boardwalk and white sand of the Atlantic Ocean beach, …

Skateboarding is not often thought of as a family activity, but Tee’s Golf Center in Conshohocken, Penn., recently added Ollie World, an extreme skatepark, to its family entertainment complex which already included a driving range, a miniature golf …

There’s a new way to get wet at the Buffalo Grove Park District. Last summer, more than 500 people were on hand to celebrate the grand opening of “Spray ‘N Play,” the colorful aquatic playground addition to the Busch Grove Community Park in Illinois. …