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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)

#91

Post by germinalphrase »

schoen wrote: post #87
germinalphrase wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the US, my experience with this style of rope structure is that the ropes are actually steep cables encases in fiber or nylon rope sheathing. There is no stretch, so landings are immediate (unlike falling onto an actual rope net).

I think I've seen that too; why are they made this way? Durability? Supporting more people's weight at once?

I was told that the cables reduce the potential for stretch over time, and this is important to maintain safety tolerances (“space x cannot exceed size y because otherwise a child can…”)

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

#92

Post by Sharlin »

PoignardAzur wrote: post #37
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).

Pretty common in Paris too. I wish they made versions that were socially acceptable for adults to climb. These things were awesome .

Nighttime, walking from a bar or whatever in a group of buzzed, happy young-ish adults (bonus points if you're students), climbing these becomes perfecly socially acceptable :D

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

#93

Post by groestl »

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…

Came here to post this. I noticed as well, the first step is always adjusted to the target age group. So when he was smaller, my kid couldn't get into the structures that were not meant for him, but year after year more stuff became accessible. There were also structures with multiple difficulty levels at once, and different entrance obstacles tuned to them. Pretty neat I must say.

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

#95

Post by [deleted] »

microtonal wrote: post #60
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).

Also in The Netherlands, our kid's after-school care playground has one. There is a quite tall one at another playground: https://speleninstad.nl/mooiste-speeltuinen/speelplek-hoorns... I grew up in a smaller village. We often climbed trees. I am pretty sure that this is safer.

[deleted]

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

#96

Post by johannes1234321 »

screwturner68 wrote: post #71
zabzonk wrote: post #5

I don't know, kids these days. You should have seen what we had to contend with in the 60s - huge lumps of flesh mangling metal, swinging at terrifying angles, throwing small children off in all directions. And no wimpy rubber mats to catch them. Sometimes, I wonder that I survived.

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 won't judge how the risk and injuries has changed. But medicine changed. The strict tied cascing is done less and for shorter periods these days. There are lighter and smaller orthoses these days, which can be worn under clothing and allow some flexibility.

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

#99

Post by grayclhn »

PoignardAzur wrote: post #37
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).

Pretty common in Paris too. I wish they made versions that were socially acceptable for adults to climb. These things were awesome .

Climbing gym :)

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

#100

Post by koen_hendriks »

microtonal wrote: post #60
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).

Also in The Netherlands, our kid's after-school care playground has one. There is a quite tall one at another playground: https://speleninstad.nl/mooiste-speeltuinen/speelplek-hoorns... I grew up in a smaller village. We often climbed trees. I am pretty sure that this is safer.

Don't forget the one in Noorderplantsoen ;)
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