Many years ago I attended a conference where Lisa Murphy of Ooey Gooey Inc, was the keynote speaker. I enjoyed her keynote so much that I ditched the rest of my planned sessions for the day and attended only her sessions instead.
One of the things she talked about was the old metal playgrounds and all the childhood experiences that are being taken away, because of adult concern for liability. She often posts photos on her FB page about "spicy slides" she discovers in her travels.
I don't usually share photos from my personal time, but this weekend on a mini-vacation to Campobello Island, New Brunswick, my family and I discovered one of these old playgrounds.
We had so much fun.
"When we strive to remove all risk from childhood we also remove the foundations of a rational adulthood, and we eliminate the very experiences that will help kids grow up to be the empowered, creative, brave problem-solvers that they can and must be.
-Gever Tulley. Beware Dangerism!
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| Full sun: SO hot and spicy! Didn't stop them and nobody got hurt. |
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| For extra risk... the swinging metal ladder. :) |
The evolution of playground equipment has been to this ever safer, less challenging, less interesting assemblies of equipment.
Gever Tulley
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| My kids love finding these on playgrounds. |
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| The Giant Metal Seesaw |
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| Giant metal rocking horse, which was great for cooperation and teamwork. |
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| The shorter wider, Toddler slide? |
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| Even if it isn't risky, my kids will find a way to make it so. |
"Real protection means teaching children to manage risks on their own, not shielding them from every hazard."
-Wendy Mogel (The Blessing of a Skinned Knee)
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