There’s a new playground close to my house. It was designed with input by children – the experts on adventure, you would think. However, it seems very tame and there are hardly ever any kids on it. It has just one swing and then a fairly high tower with a slide, plus some balance bars and a water pump that creates a tiny “stream”.

I can’t help but think the children were not really all that involved. I know that when I was a kid, my playground designs would have included underground tunnels and caves. Water features would not be trickling, but dousing you at unpredictable times. There would be a maze, a giant treehouse, and countless hiding spots. Aren’t jump scares part of most playground games?

An example of a playground I loved is this one. Plastic volcano with inbuilt pool and tons of secret passages and caves underneath. The design made clear you were in a dangerous area (there were even plastic streams of lava), and it inspired extremely wild games.

What about you? What playgrounds did you love, and what was missing?

Topics: children, play, design, childhood, imagination