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Learning the ropes: why Germany is building risk into its playgrounds (2021)

theguardian.com

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Re: Learning the ropes: why Germany is building risk into its playgrounds (2021)

#121

Post by Kon-Peki »

kspacewalk2 wrote: post #39
chmod775 wrote: post #15

These things are ubiquitous in Berlin: https://stage.berliner-seilfabrik.com/wp-content/uploads/201... They're not actually that high to an adult, but I have childhood memories of these seeming somewhat tall and scary. On an average one, a young child can fall 4-6 times their own height (but not straight, you'll get buffered by the structure as you go down).

We've got these in many newer playgrounds in Canada. They're awesome and always full of kids.

I left Chicago a few years ago, but that’s one of the things I miss. About 10 or 15 years ago they they started rebuilding playgrounds with this stuff. All the metal parts had stampings indicating that they were buying it from those same German manufacturers.

I wish we had stuff like that when I was a kid.

Re: Learning the ropes: why Germany is building risk into its playgrounds (2021)

#122

Post by adgjlsfhk1 »

danielheath wrote: post #114
dan-robertson wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wouldn’t want to fall 1.8m and land awkwardly, even if it might not permanently injure me.

Kids strength-to-weight ratio is drastically improved. My youngest fell that far when he was nearly 3, and was merely annoyed about it. An 80kg adult who gets unlucky falling that distance is headed for the hospital.

As someone who broke their arm as a kid falling off monkey bars, I can say that this is very case by case.

Re: Learning the ropes: why Germany is building risk into its playgrounds (2021)

#123

Post by Kon-Peki »

jkepler wrote: post #118
screwturner68 wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

maybe it's just my old man memory but when I was young in the 70's there was always one or two kids in a cast, usually a broken arm -it was a bit of a badge of honor and something for everyone to sign. Now I almost never see a kid in a cast maybe medicine has gotten a lot better and things seem to have had the entire danger aspect removed from them. I wonder if play today is boring or there is so much safety that kid…

I heard a researcher speaking on how litigation against playground owners in the 1970s in the USA over injuries and in one case a child fatality drove the more stringent playground regulations. However, the unintended consequence was an increase in children's long bone injuries, and her research suggested that this is due to kids not learning to navigate risk on the "safer" playgrounds and eventually getting injured…

Lawyers ruined a super-fun slide just a few years ago

https://www.nbcchicago.com/consumer/tower-slide-at-chicagos-...

Re: Learning the ropes: why Germany is building risk into its playgrounds (2021)

#124

Post by sdwr »

tda wrote: post #81

I remember when my kids were younger they always had difficulty climbing onto the cooler play structures. Somehow the first few steps of the entrance are the most difficult. So I just had to help them get on and they would be fine. At first this annoyed me a bit, but later I realized that this must be intentional; if the kid manages to get in/on the play structure in the first place, they'll probably be fine. If they…

Never noticed this, that's fantastic design!

Re: Learning the ropes: why Germany is building risk into its playgrounds (2021)

#125

Post by yazzku »

ClumsyPilot wrote: post #35
yazzku wrote: post #2

Considering our species used to send children into dark caves as a rite of passage and the way things are now, this is probably for the best. "Parents can try to keep up with their young mountaineers as they ascend through the rope spiderweb, but they might get left behind in the tightly woven mesh." Like Instagram and TikTok, but with real safety guarantees.

> Considering our species used to send children into dark caves as a rite of passage Is this a reference to Victorians sending kids into coal mines to die of back lung, or something else? As a bonus, the tunnels didn't need to be so large.

I was talking about prehistoric ages.

Re: Learning the ropes: why Germany is building risk into its playgrounds (2021)

#126

Post by screwturner68 »

loganc2342 wrote: post #86
screwturner68 wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

maybe it's just my old man memory but when I was young in the 70's there was always one or two kids in a cast, usually a broken arm -it was a bit of a badge of honor and something for everyone to sign. Now I almost never see a kid in a cast maybe medicine has gotten a lot better and things seem to have had the entire danger aspect removed from them. I wonder if play today is boring or there is so much safety that kid…

As a 2000s/2010s kid, I would word it the same way you did: “there was always one or two kids in a cast.” If your wording is accurate to your experience then I don’t think much has changed. If you don’t physically work in a school then it’s a tough pattern to monitor.

I'm looking at a grade school right now, I watch kids come and go all day long but yes I don't have backing statistics.

Re: Learning the ropes: why Germany is building risk into its playgrounds (2021)

#127

Post by aetherson »

chmod775 wrote: post #15

These things are ubiquitous in Berlin: https://stage.berliner-seilfabrik.com/wp-content/uploads/201... They're not actually that high to an adult, but I have childhood memories of these seeming somewhat tall and scary. On an average one, a young child can fall 4-6 times their own height (but not straight, you'll get buffered by the structure as you go down).

They're very common in America, too.

EDIT:

Cayuga Playground in San Francisco: https://aparkadaybayarea.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/chay...

Junipero Serra Playground in San Francisco: https://aparkadaybayarea.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Juni...

Re: Learning the ropes: why Germany is building risk into its playgrounds (2021)

#128

Post by magicalhippo »

wnevets wrote: post #115
magicalhippo wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You wanted research that showed how playgrounds could affect kids later in life. I tried to show that research suggest that indeed overly safe playgrounds can do that. In my other comment on this article I mention a playground designer I knew, and this was one of the things he worked hard to change. He wanted playgrounds where kids could feel danger, so they could develop and get challenged, but that were still suffi…

> I tried to show that research suggest that indeed overly safe playgrounds can do that But you didn't, your post is play vs no play. No one is arguing that no play has zero affect on children and their adulthood. All work and no play makes jack a dull boy. Playgrounds for children are a relative new invention, especially for the unwashed masses. The notion that children require a dangerous feeling playground to beco…

> But you didn't, your post is play vs no play.

Perhaps I failed to emphasize, but the last bit was important to my point. Studies have shown motor skills are important for kids and can affect later academic performance, and good playgrounds help kids develop motor skills.

> Playgrounds for children are a relative new invention, especially for the unwashed masses.

Indeed... yet somehow you don't think they play any role in how kids develop now compared to before they became common?

Re: Learning the ropes: why Germany is building risk into its playgrounds (2021)

#130

Post by wnevets »

magicalhippo wrote: post #128
wnevets wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I tried to show that research suggest that indeed overly safe playgrounds can do that But you didn't, your post is play vs no play. No one is arguing that no play has zero affect on children and their adulthood. All work and no play makes jack a dull boy. Playgrounds for children are a relative new invention, especially for the unwashed masses. The notion that children require a dangerous feeling playground to beco…

> But you didn't, your post is play vs no play. Perhaps I failed to emphasize, but the last bit was important to my point. Studies have shown motor skills are important for kids and can affect later academic performance, and good playgrounds help kids develop motor skills. > Playgrounds for children are a relative new invention, especially for the unwashed masses. Indeed... yet somehow you don't think they play any r…

> good playgrounds help kids develop motor skills.

Once again, your link doesn't show that. Your link only claims physical play is important, it doesn't mention the type of playgrounds. Yes we all agree a sedentary lifestyle is bad for kids and adults.

If you can't provide a scientific source for your claim that the type ("safe" vs dangerous) of playgrounds matter then just say that.

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