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A medical resident in Oakland, Calif., recently did an unusual study and it was published in a major health care journal. She did a tally of records from the emergency room that sees most of the seriously injured children in that area. She found that a …

Certainly, one attribute of an effective playground structure is that it captivates a child’s interest, but any discussion about the value of play quickly discards this as an over-generalization. Playgrounds do and should serve that purpose, but they can …

Truly understanding children and playgrounds is not as easy as one may think. The way adults perceive playgrounds can be vastly different than a child’s perception of a playground.  For example, recently I helped a school district in a large urban area …

Without the conductor, the orchestra might never find the tune; without the teacher, the students might never read more than cereal boxes; and without a director, the actors might change their lines to whatever, whenever they like.   Those who coordinate …

This all depends on your perspective of this multi-faceted place. What’s your point of view? I want to be a child today and have what they have. I don’t know how many times I have said “We didn’t have that when I was a kid.” We played Planet of the Apes …

“Do you double-dog dare me to slide down this hill?” “Yes.” “Ok, then you go first.” “Who dares walk up our hill? We are giants!” Out of the mouths of children at play come the most entertaining conversations. These children were enjoying a day at a …

Think about it...what doesn’t go with water? Even a certain percentage of the human body is water, it helps to quench our thirst as well. But have you thought about how it quenches our thirst for play? How do you know what kind of components you want to …

The giant is patient, lying still, while sneakers trample and kick him, hands pull his beard and fingers, and endless photos are snapped of him. Three-year-olds climb into the giant’s mouth and curl up on his tongue. Older kids climb the giant’s foot, …

United States politicians have repeatedly proven that schools are not their top concern when it comes to providing ample funding. So, when a parent group leader sets their mind on the idea that the local elementary school needs a new play structure, you …

Monty Christiansen obtained BSLA and MLA degrees in landscape architecture from Iowa State University. He was a landscape architect for the National Park Service, the St. Louis County Mo. Park and Recreation Department, and Phillip Flores Associates of …

On December 26, 2004, an earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale generated a series of destructive waves that hit coastal Sri Lanka with devastating impact. The tsunami waves caused the loss of over 30,000 lives, the displacement of over 800,000 …

At one of the play areas we saw, there was a swing made of coconut rope hanging from a rain tree with a seat belt fashioned out of a rag tied to the rope. Many of the playgrounds were constructed with ropes and wood. The metal equipment was made of poor …

I know, it’s pretty rare for someone to want to be taken to the principal, although my youngest son wanted to when he was in first grade. He had broken one of the playground rules—the one where you “Do not ever climb up the slide, itself. Use the ladder.” …

Playgrounds can bring a community together. Just ask the residents of Charleston Place in Boise, Idaho. They joined together to design and build the playground that now serves not only as a place for the kids to play, but also as a meeting place for the …

Skateboard. The word alone may send chills up your spine if you have been impacted by this trend. The increased popularity of skateboarding has created new challenges and issues for our society to address.   One issue is the need to restrict skateboarding …

One of the joys adults receive from children is watching them have fun as they play. Another delight of adults is to see that their taxes are being used efficiently and for the reason they were allocated. Both of theses factors are evident with the new …

Do you remember getting Weekly Reader (WR) in your classroom as a child? Whether five or ninety years old, it seems most people have been exposed to it at one point or another in their lives. Most of us probably did read it as a child. When accepting an …

The first “playground” was documented in Boston, Mass., at a Children’s mission on Parmeter Street in 1886. With the placement of huge piles of sand as directed by the mission’s director, children were observed doing what they tend to do naturally: play. …

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I have a serious case of spring fever, which can translate into “playground fever.” I have been chauffeuring children around getting them to school, the golf course, the playground and soccer field. It’s getting …

Kids love to be challenged and those at Goric Marketing Group USA, Inc. seem to understand this best. For more than 25 years this manufacturer has been building playgrounds and has become a leader in new designs and concepts. Goric was first established …