I can't help but think of the Dashcon ball pit meme whenever ball pits are mentioned. See at about 3:40 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZgxeX2dCnQ
How Urban Legend Destroyed the Ball Pit
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Re: How Urban Legend Destroyed the Ball Pit
#22Quoted post unavailable.
Yeah, as a parent of a young child, all those things are still extremely common (at least at all the playgrounds I've see constructed in the past 5 years). Many even have 10ft+ rope structures and 15ft tall slides.
Sure there are more "thought games" and the merry-go-rounds won't pin and drag a child across the ground.
I mostly take my child to metroparks in my area. I wouldn't be surprised if school playgrounds have been made safer due to less individual supervision and liability for the school.
Re: How Urban Legend Destroyed the Ball Pit
#23Quoted post unavailable.
It sucks that tic-tac-toe is not mentally stimulating enough for you. But... Just what are you doing at those playgrounds?
I'm watching my kids play with all the other kids. tic-tac-toe is an indoor game and you rarely see kids finish a game before running off to do something else. Once in a while a kid will move something, but I've only once seen a complete game.
Parks need more swings, slides, merry-go-rounds, and lots more interesting obstacles to run over/under/around. (run is key: if you can't navigate it without getting caught in a game of tag it is too slow and won't be used much) The other stuff isn't what kids go to a playground for.
Re: How Urban Legend Destroyed the Ball Pit
#24Quoted post unavailable.
That’s just wrong.
My favorite park in Sacramento, McKinley Park [0], has a merry-go-round with spinning cages, swings, and multiple places to climb.
Jean Sweeney [1], in Alameda, has one of the coolest slides, and a zip line!
Emeryville [2] I’ll has a vertical playground!
I’m jealous of the fun my kid has at these parks, and try to join in on the fun as often as I can.
[0] http://www.raebear.net/2016/07/mckinley-park-in-east-sacrame...
[1] https://www.alamedaca.gov/Departments/Recreation-Parks/Jean-...
Re: How Urban Legend Destroyed the Ball Pit
#25I guess this is limited to the US? Ball pits are going strong here in Europe, they're a staple of every indoor playpark. There's a special machine for cleaning them, it looks a bit like the robot from teletubbies
No, ball pits are ubiquitous at most indoor play parks here too, the author is extrapolating their disappearance from fast food restaurants, and correlating it to the 90s rumor mill. These rumors were definitely a thing, but more than just ball pits have been removed; most McDonald’s locations have had their entire PlayPlaces removed, due to the fact that people don’t sit down in fast food restaurants anymore, and al…
They're still common in Chick-Fil-A, and they complement the playgrounds with family night activities for kids on certain days of the week. Chick-fil-A prob doing better than ever too.
Re: How Urban Legend Destroyed the Ball Pit
#26Quoted post unavailable.
That’s just wrong. My favorite park in Sacramento, McKinley Park [0], has a merry-go-round with spinning cages, swings, and multiple places to climb. Jean Sweeney [1], in Alameda, has one of the coolest slides, and a zip line! Emeryville [2] I’ll has a vertical playground! I’m jealous of the fun my kid has at these parks, and try to join in on the fun as often as I can. [0] http://www.raebear.net/2016/07/mckinley-par…
Jean Sweeney is very new, and not completed yet either. Has a fun tower to climb (tight for those over 180cm) that wide slide and the zipline is pretty good. When the rest is finished it should be even cooler. Also, if you're around there check out the Pinball Museum on Webster (used to be the record store)
Re: How Urban Legend Destroyed the Ball Pit
#27Re: How Urban Legend Destroyed the Ball Pit
#28I can't help but think of the Dashcon ball pit meme whenever ball pits are mentioned. See at about 3:40 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZgxeX2dCnQ
For those that don't want or can't watch a video: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/DashCon
Re: How Urban Legend Destroyed the Ball Pit
#29Earlier quoted context omitted.
No, ball pits are ubiquitous at most indoor play parks here too, the author is extrapolating their disappearance from fast food restaurants, and correlating it to the 90s rumor mill. These rumors were definitely a thing, but more than just ball pits have been removed; most McDonald’s locations have had their entire PlayPlaces removed, due to the fact that people don’t sit down in fast food restaurants anymore, and al…
They're still common in Chick-Fil-A, and they complement the playgrounds with family night activities for kids on certain days of the week. Chick-fil-A prob doing better than ever too.
Tbh Chick-Fil-A is the only fast food restaurant where im like "damn this slaps" not "meh its food ig". Food i actually like eating at fast food prices.
Re: How Urban Legend Destroyed the Ball Pit
#30I’ve forgotten what it’s like to be in ball pits. Are they even swimmable or do you just sink straight down? What if there was a very deep ball pit, think 12 feet or so. Could it be escaped by swimming back up?