Have adults forgotten how we played as children? Playgrounds dominated by identikit equipment are monuments to collective acts of forgetfulness.
Maybe children have changed. Perhaps they don't know how to play anymore.
But observing children left to their own devices proves this wrong. They will do much as you did as a child. They'll use environments to their best advantage - build dens, be active and passive, be social and solitary, delight in natural areas. They'll take risks that, through intuition and experience, they've judged worthwhile. Too many playgrounds appear constructed for a different sort of child.
Commitment to transform how we think about, design, plant and equip places where children play is needed. This requires a break with old practice - constructing play areas after communing with catalogues and 'consulting'
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here