Adventure playground explained

An adventure playground is a specific type of playground for children. Adventure playgrounds can take many forms, ranging from "natural playgrounds" to "junk playgrounds", and are typically defined by an ethos of unrestricted play, the presence of playworkers (or "wardens"), and the absence of adult-manufactured or rigid play-structures.^{[1] [2]} Adventure playgrounds are frequently defined in contrast to playing fields, contemporary-design playgrounds made by adult architects, and traditional-equipment play areas containing adult-made rigid play-structures like swings, slides, seesaws, and climbing bars.^[3]

History

Harry Shier, in Adventure Playgrounds: An Introduction (1984), defines an adventure playground this way:

The first planned playground of this type, the Emdrup Junk Playground, opened in Emdrup, Denmark, in 1943. In 1948, an adventure playground opened in Camberwell, England. The term "junk playground" is a calque from the Danish term skrammellegeplads. Early examples of adventure playgrounds in the UK were known as "junk playgrounds", "waste material playgrounds", or "bomb-site adventure playgrounds".^{[4] [5]} The term "adventure playground" was first adopted in the United Kingdom to describe waste material playgrounds "in an effort to make the ‘junk’ playground concept more palatable to local authorities".^[6]

The architect Simon Nicholson numbered among the advantages of the adventure playground, "the relationship between experiment and play, community involvement, the catalytic value of play leaders, and indeed the whole concept of a free society in miniature.'"^[7] Essential in this for Nicholson was the concept of 'loose parts': "In any environment, both the degree of inventiveness and creativity, and the possibility of discovery, are directly proportional to the number and kind of variables in it."^{[8] [9]} In a playground context loose parts would include:^[10]

• natural resources – such as straw, mud and pine cones
• building materials and tools – planks, nails, hammers
• scrap materials – old tyres, off-cuts of guttering
• bark which can be both safe playground surfacing and a loose part
• and, most essentially, random found objects.

Denmark

The first junk playgrounds were based on the ideas of Carl Theodor Sørensen, a Danish landscape architect, who noticed that children preferred to play everywhere but in the playgrounds that he designed. In 1931, inspired by the sight of children playing in a construction site, he imagined "A junk playground in which children could create and shape, dream and imagine a reality". His aim was to provide children living in cities the same opportunities for play that were enjoyed by children living in rural areas.^[11] The first adventure playground was set up by a Workers Cooperative Housing Association in Emdrup, Denmark, during the German occupation of the 1940s. The playground at Emdrup grew out of the spirit of resistance to Nazi occupation and parents' fears that "their children's play might be mistaken for acts of sabotage by soldiers".^[12] Play advocates sometimes emphasize the importance of adventure playgrounds for children of color in the United States, where policing "can feel like a kind of occupation".^[12]

United Kingdom

Marjory Allen, an English landscape architect and child welfare advocate, visited and subsequently wrote a widely-read article about the Emdrup Adventure playground titled Why Not Use Our Bomb Sites Like This? and published in the Picture Post in 1946.^[13] Marjory Allen's article is often credited with the introduction into the UK of "the idea of transforming bomb sites into 'junk playgrounds', but historians of the Adventure playground movement have pointed to the role played by other experiments carried out by youth workers in the UK. For example, "Marie Paneth, an art therapist heavily influenced by Freud, independently developed the concept of permissive play as a tool for ameliorating childhood aggression in her work running a blitz-era play centre in London although not specifically incorporating the elements of a Junk/Adventure playground pointing to her role in the history of UK specific Playwork development."^{[14] [15]}

List of adventure playgrounds

To date, there are approximately 1,000 adventure playgrounds in Europe, most of them in England, Denmark, France, Germany, The Netherlands and Switzerland. Japan also has a significant number of adventure playgrounds.^[16]

The Americas

Canada

• TELUS Spark, in Calgary, Alberta has a Junkyard Playground open in the summer months.^[17]
• The city of Calgary, in Alberta, Canada, piloted a mobile adventure playground in five city parks during the summer of 2016.^{[18] [19]}
• Toronto Ontario hosted an Adventure Playground from 1974 until the mid-1980s. It was a part of the revitalization of the waterfront called Harbourfront Centre.^[20]
• The City of Coquitlam in British Columbia created an Adventure Playground in the summer of 2018 as a pilot project.^{[21] [22]}

United States

• The Yard (The first adventure playground in the United States)
• Adventure Playground in Berkeley, California
• Huntington Beach Adventure Playground in Huntington Beach, California
• Adventure Playground in Irvine, California^[23]
• Sacramento Adventure Playground in Sacramento, California
• The Hands-on-Nature Anarchy Zone in the Ithaca Children's Garden, Ithaca, NY

• Adventure Playground at The Parish School in Houston, Texas
• on Governors Island in New York City
• SCV Adventure Play Foundation in Val Verde, CA.^[24]

• Heckscher Playground in New York City's Central Park
• Tarr Family Playground, also in Central Park in New York City

Asia

Japan

• The Setagaya Play Park or "Junk Playground" in Hanegi Park in Setagaya ward, Tokyo, Japan.^{[25] [26] [27]}
• Children’s Dream Park 川崎市子ども夢パーク (or "Yume Park") in Shimosakunobe, Kawasaki Takatsu Ward, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.^[28]

Australia

Australian Capital Territory

• POD Playground at the National Arboretum. Canberra, Australian Capital Territory.^[29]
• Ridgeline Park Playground.Denman Prospect, Australian Capital Territory.^{[30] [31]}
• Ruth Park Playground. Coombs, Australian Capital Territory.^{[32] [31]}

New South Wales

• Bungendore Park. Bungendore, New South Wales.^[33]
• Carberry Park Adventure Playground. Gundagai, New South Wales.^{[34] [35]}
• The Adventure Playground Jubilee Park. Cootamundra, New South Wales.^{[36] [37]}

Northern Territory

• Jingili Water Gardens Playground, Darwin, Northern Territory.^[38]
• Adventure Play Park. Katherine, Northern Territory.

Queensland

• Flagstone Adventure Playground and Skate Park. Flagstone, Queensland.^{[39] [40]}
• Hinterland Adventure Playground. Cooroy, Queensland.^{[41] [42] [43]}
• The Jungle Adventure Play. Tingalpa, Queensland.^{[44] [45]}
• Hervey Bay Adventure Playground. Pialba, Queensland.^{[46] [47]}

South Australia

• Jubilee Park Adventure Playground. Port Noarlunga, South Australia.^[48]
• Monash Adventure Park. Monash, South Australia.^{[49] [50]}
• St Kilda Adventure Playground. St Kilda, South Australia^{[51] [52]}

Tasmania

• Kingston Park Playground. Hobart, Tasmania.^[53]

Riverbend Park. Launceston, Tasmania.^[54]

Victoria

• Hays Paddock playground, Kew East, Victoria.^{[55] [56]}
• KidsTown Adventure Playground. Shepparton, Victoria.^[57]
• Lake Pertobe Adventure Playground. Warrnambool, Victoria.^[58]
• The Venny, Kensington Adventure Playground. Kensington, Victoria.^[59]
• Community Bank® Adventure Playground Hadfield Park. Wallan, Victoria.^{[60] [61]}

Western Australia

• All Ages Playground. Katanning, Western Australia.^[62]
• Manjimup Heritage Park Adventure Playground. Manjimup, Western Australia.^{[63] [64]}
• Rio Tinto Naturescape. Perth.^[65]
• Chevron Parkland, Optus Stadium. Perth.^[65]

Europe

DenmarkDenmark has several adventure playgrounds, now known as Byggelegeplads (Building-playground) and formerly as Skrammellegeplads (Junk-playground).^[66] From the first site in Emdrup, the idea spread across the country and at the height of the popularity in the 1960s, there were about 100 adventure playgrounds in the country.^[67] Present active adventure playgrounds in Denmark includes:

• Skrammellegepladsen in Emdrup, Copenhagen.
• Bredegrund Byggelegeplads on Amager, Copenhagen.^[68]
• Remiseparken, on Amager next to Bredegrund.^[69]
• Regnbuen in Hvidovre a suburb of Copenhagen.^[70]
• Rødovre Byggelegeplads in Rødovre a suburb of Copenhagen.^[71]
• Byggelegepladsen Broparken, Rødovre.^[72]
• Byggelegepladsen Rønneholm, Rødovre.^[72]
• Højkjær Byggelegeplads in Brøndby a suburb of Copenhagen.^[73]
• Skolemarken in Aarhus.^[74]
• Søndergård in Lystrup a suburb of Aarhus.^[75]

Italy

• Ai Pioppi Playground, Nervesa della Battaglia.^{[76] [77]}

Germany

• Abenteuerspielplätze und Kinderbauernhöfe in Berlin, or AKiB for short, is a federation of adventure playgrounds and children's farms in Berlin, Germany^[78]

Sweden

• St Hans bygglekplats in Lund
• Borgarparkens bygglekplats in Lund
• Klostergårdens bygglekplats in Lund

Switzerland

• Robi-Spiel Aktionen—An organization of adventure playgrounds in Basel, Switzerland^[79]

United Kingdom

• Camberwell, England
• Eccleshill Adventure Playground, also known as The Big Swing (Bradford, England)
• Evergreen Adventure Playground, Dalston, London^[80]
• Lockleaze Adventure Playground, Bristol, UK.^[81]
• Felix Road Adventure Playground, Bristol, UK.
• St Paul's Adventure Playground, Bristol, UK.
• The Playground aka Adventure Play Hub, St John's Wood London, UK.
• The Land (Adventure playground) in Wrexham, Wales, UK
• The Triangle Adventure Playground in Oval, South London. London's oldest adventure playground still located on its original site.
• Meriden Adventure Playground Solihull, West Midlands
• Glamis Adventure Playground Tower Hamlets, London

Literature

• C. Th. Sørensen (1931): "Parkpolitik i Sogn og Købstad",
• "Risk and Safety in Play: The law and practice for adventure playgrounds (2003)"
• Joan Almon, Editor. (2017) Playing It Up—With Loose Parts, Playpods, and Adventure Playgrounds, Annapolis, MD: Alliance for Childhood.
• Mike Lanza (2012): "IPlayborhood. Free Play Press

Academic

• BDJA: Adventure playgrounds and city farms in Europe and what they contribute to sustainable urban development, a study from Germany
• Adventure Playground as an Example of the Child's Right to Play . Kotliar I.A. and Sokolova M.V. . Psychological Science and Education Psyedu.ru . 81–90 . 6 (no.2). 2 . 2014 . 10.17759/psyedu.2014060207.
• Leichter-Saxby, Morgan (2007) Constructing the “Natural” Child: The Materiality of Play, Power and Subversion at Evergreen Adventure Playground. M.A. thesis, University of London. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
• Sutton, Lia (2005): Kinderparadijs (Children's Paradise): Advancing the Adventure Playground Movement, a student's thesis (Hampshire College, Massachusetts)
• Wilson, Reilly Bergin (2014) Who Owns the Playground: Space and Power at Lollard Adventure Playground (1954–1961). M.A. thesis, University of Leeds.

Film

• Erin Davis (2015): The Land
• British Pathé (1950–1959): Come Out To Play Reel 2 1950–1959 includes a "junk playground" sequence.
• William H. Whyte (1980): The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces includes a "junk playground" sequence.
• Alliance for Childhood – play:ground NYC

Arts and Theatre

• Junkyard (musical) written by Jack Thorne about Lockleaze Adventure playground (or ‘The Vench') in Bristol.^[82]

See also

• Children's street culture
• Home zone/Play street
• Playwork
• Pop-Up Adventure Play
• Sudbury School
• Tinkering School
• Makerspaces
• Free-range parenting
• Forest kindergarten
• Lady Allen of Hurtwood

External links

• The Overprotected Kid, The Atlantic, 2014
• Inside a European Adventure Playground, The Atlantic, 2014
• Where the wild things play, NPR, 2014
• Play Wales, the national charity for children's play.
• Adventure Playground: A Parable of Anarchy

Notes and References

1. Web site: Playworkers, Ph.Ds, and the Growing Adventure Playground Movement . Tao . Tao Holmes. November 6, 2015 . atlasobscura.com. Atlasobscura. January 29, 2017.
2. "Play is a process that is freely chosen, personally directed and intrinsically motivated. That is, children and young people determine and control the content and intent of their play, by following their own instincts, ideas and interests, in their own way for their own reasons." Web site: Playwork Principles. . 2005. playwales.org.uk . Playwork Principles Scrutiny Group. January 29, 2017.
3. Hayward. Geoffrey D.. Rothenberg. Marilyn. Beasley. Robert. 1974. Children's Play and Urban Playground Environments: A Comparison of Traditional, Contemporary, and Adventure Playground Types. Environment and Behavior. 6. 2. 131–168. 10.1177/001391657400600201. 220476708.
4. Book: Wilson, Penny. 2010 . The Playwork Primer. Alliance for Childhood .
5. Wilson. Reilly Bergin. 2014. Who Owns the Playground: Space and Power at Lollard Adventure Playground (1954–1961). M.A.. University of Leeds .
6. Wilson. Reilly Bergin. 2014. Who Owns the Playground: Space and Power at Lollard Adventure Playground (1954–1961). M.A.. University of Leeds . 21.
7. Web site: Robertson . Juliet . Simon Nicholson and The Theory of Loose Parts – 1 Million Thanks — Creative STAR Learning I'm a teacher, get me OUTSIDE here! . creativestarlearning.co.uk . 29 November 2018. 8 December 2017 .
8. Nicholson . Simon . How Not To Treat Children: The Theory of Loose Parts . Landscape Architecture . October 1971 . 62 . 30–34 .
9. Book: Weinstein . C. S. . David . T. G. . Spaces for children : the built environment and child development . Plenum Press . 978-1-4684-5227-3 . 205 . 29 November 2018. 11 November 2013 .
10. Book: Play Wales . Resources for playing : providing loose parts to support children's play : A Toolkit . July 2017 . Play Wales . 978-0-9932410-4-8 . 6 . 29 November 2018.
11. Web site: History of Adventure Playgrounds . Sutton . Lia . 2011 . adventureplaygrounds.hampshire.edu/.
12. Web site: When Play Is Criminalized: Racial Disparities in Childhood. Eisa . Nefertari Ulen. July 25, 2016 . truth-out.org. Truth Out . January 22, 2017.
13. Highmore. Ben . 2013 . Playgrounds and Bombsites: Postwar Britain's Ruined Landscapes. Cultural Politics . 9. 3. 323–336. 10.1215/17432197-2347009 .
14. Wilson. Reilly Bergin. 2014. Who Owns the Playground: Space and Power at Lollard Adventure Playground (1954–1961). M.A.. University of Leeds .
15. Web site: Featured book: Marie Paneth (1944) Branch Street. A sociological study, London: George Allen and Unwin. Smith. Mark K. . 1996. www.infed.org. January 23, 2017.
16. Web site: The Play and Playground Encyclopedia . 2015-05-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150717162440/http://www.playgroundprofessionals.com/encyclopedia/a/adventure-playgrounds . 2015-07-17 . dead .
17. Web site: Junkyard Playground . Telus Spark . May 23, 2019 . sparkscience.ca. October 12, 2019.
18. News: Nerman. Danielle. September 20, 2016. City wraps ups Calgary mobile adventure playground pilot . CBC News. Cagdary . January 18, 2017.
19. Web site: Mobile Adventure Playground. 2016. calgary.ca. The City of Calgary. January 18, 2017.
20. News: That time when Toronto had the greatest playground ever. blogTO. 2017-09-24. en.
21. News: Coquitlam's Adventure Playground ends this weekend, will it be back next year? Here's what we found.. 2018-08-31. Newslight. 2018-10-29. en-US.
22. News: Letting kids be kids, a sneak peek at Coquitlam's new Adventure Playground. 2018-06-29. Newslight. 2018-10-29. en-US.
23. http://www.cityofirvine.org/parks-facilities/adventure-playground Adventure Playground
24. Web site: scv-adventure-play. scv-adventure-play. en. 2019-07-04.
25. . May 20, 2010. Adventures Abound . Tokyo Weekender. Tokyo, Japan . Tokyo Weekender. January 17, 2017.
26. Web site: 日本の冒険遊び場の歴史 . 2003 . bouken-asobiba.org . Japan adventure playground creation association. January 17, 2017.
27. The Setagaya Play Park was featured in episode 48 of Arirang's "Going Global" series Web site: Going Global _ Japan "adventure playground". https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/qxlntHvXWfo . 2021-12-19 . live. www.arirang.com . ARIRANG CULTURE. January 23, 2017.
28. Web site: どんなところ？. . 2008 . Kawasaki City Children's Dream Park (川崎市子ども夢パーク) . January 23, 2017.
29. Web site: POD Playground at the National Arboretum VisitCanberra . 2024-10-08 . visitcanberra.com.au.
30. Web site: Ridgeline Park in Denman Prospect . 2024-10-08 . Denman Prospect . en.
31. Web site: 2024-11-07 . Canberra’s favourite playgrounds . 2024-10-08 . Our Canberra . en.
32. Web site: 2024-06-24 . New inclusive playground open in Coombs . 2024-10-08 . Our Canberra . en.
33. Web site: Bungendore’s new adventure playground opened . 2024-10-08 . www.qprc.nsw.gov.au . en-AU.
34. Web site: 2023-02-23 . Gundagai's Adventure Playground NSW Government . 2024-10-08 . www.nsw.gov.au . en-AU.
35. Web site: Gundagai's Adventure Playground NSW Holidays & Accommodation, Things to Do, Attractions and Events . 2024-10-08 . www.visitnsw.com . en-AU.
36. Web site: 2020-02-06 . Adventure playground a hit with kids . 2024-10-08 . Cootamundra Herald . en-AU.
37. Web site: JUBILEE PARK TAKES SHAPE Cootamundra Gundagai Regional Council . 2024-10-08 . www.cgrc.nsw.gov.au.
38. Web site: Jingili Water Gardens . 2024-10-08 . City of Darwin Darwin Council, Northern Territory . en.
39. Web site: 2020-09-20 . Flagstone Adventure Park - Brisbane Kids . 2024-10-08 . brisbanekids.com.au . en-US.
40. Web site: Flagstone Regional Park . 2024-10-08 . Logan City Council . en.
41. Web site: 2022-05-14 . Hinterland Adventure Playground at Cooroy - Brisbane Kids . 2024-10-08 . brisbanekids.com.au . en-US.
42. Web site: Hinterland Adventure Playground . 2024-10-08 . Visit Noosa . en-US.
43. Web site: Hinterland Adventure Playground . 2024-10-08 . Noosa Shire Council . en.
44. Web site: Home . 2024-10-08 . Jungle Adventure Play . en-US.
45. https://www.mustdobrisbane.com/kids-whats-on-kids-indoors-rock-climbing-play-birthday-parties-indoors-games/jungle-adventure-play
46. Web site: Angela . 2017-12-15 . Hervey Bay Adventure Playground Pialba - Wide Bay Kids . 2024-10-08 . widebaykids.com.au . en-AU.
47. Web site: Pialba Adventure Playground . 2024-10-08 . Fraser Coast Regional Council . en.
48. Web site: 2024-02-24 . Port Noarlunga Jubilee Park Adventure Playground - Port Noarlunga... . 2024-10-08 . southaustralia.com . en-AU.
49. https://www.berribarmera.sa.gov.au/council-services/infrastructure-services/points-of-interest/monash-adventure-park
50. Web site: 2024-07-03 . Monash Adventure Park - Monash, Attraction South Australia . 2024-10-08 . southaustralia.com . en-AU.
51. Web site: St Kilda Adventure Playground . 2024-10-08 . City of Salisbury . en-AU.
52. Web site: Jubilee Park Adventure Playground . 2024-10-08 . www.onkaparingacity.com . en-AU.
53. Web site: Kingston Park Playground . 2024-10-08 . www.kingborough.tas.gov.au.
54. Web site: Riverbend Park . 2024-10-08 . www.launceston.tas.gov.au . en-AU.
55. Web site: 2024-08-09 . Hays Paddock playground, Kew East . 2024-10-08 . City of Boroondara . en-AU.
56. Web site: Hays Paddock Playground . 2024-10-08 . Your Say Boroondara . en.
57. https://kidstown.org.au
58. Web site: Lake Pertobe . 2024-10-08 . Warrnambool - A City for Living . en.
59. Web site: Play is the Beginning . 2024-10-08 . The Venny . en-AU.
60. Web site: Hadfield Park . 2024-10-08 . Mitchell Shire Council . en.
61. https://jeavons.net.au/project/community-bank-adventure-playground/
62. https://www.katanning.wa.gov.au/development/projects-initiatives/all-ages-playground.aspx
63. Web site: Manjimup Heritage Park - Shire of Manjimup . 2024-10-08 . www.manjimup.wa.gov.au.
64. Web site: Jessica . Best Playground In The South West . 2024-10-08 . Manjimup Heritage Park . en-AU.
65. Web site: Longley . Griffin . 2020-06-04 . Top Nature Playgrounds . 2024-10-08 . Nature Play WA . en-AU.
66. Web site: Adventure Playgrounds Copenhagen 2003 . YNKB. 2003. 22 February 2016.
67. Web site: Børnenes Kulturkanon [The Children's Culture Canon] ]. da . Ministry of Culture Denmark. skrammelvenner.dk. 22 February 2016.
68. Web site: Bredegrund Byggelegeplads. da. Copenhagen Municipality. 7 December 2014.
69. Web site: Bondegården og Byggelegepladsen i Remiseparken. da. Copenhagen Municipality. 7 December 2014.
70. Web site: Byggelegepladsen Regnbuen. da. Copenhagen Municipality. 7 December 2014.
71. Web site: Rødovre Byggelegeplads. da. Byggeren.dk. 7 December 2014.
72. Web site: Byggelegepladser i Rødovre Kommune. da. Rødovre Municipality. 7 December 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20161220075308/https://www.rk.dk/borger/skoler-sfo-klubber-og-uddannelser/klubber-og-socialpaedagogiske-fritidstilbud/byggelegepladser-i-roedovre-kommune/. 20 December 2016. dead.
73. Web site: Højkjær Byggelegeplads. da. 7 December 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141217090703/http://hoejkaer.dk/. 17 December 2014. dead. dmy-all.
74. Web site: Legepladsen Skolemarken. da. Børn i byen. 7 December 2014.
75. Web site: Legepladsen Søndergård. da. Børn i byen. 7 December 2014.
76. Web site: Ai Pioppi Playground . 2024-10-08 . Atlas Obscura . en.
77. The Human-Powered, Giant Theme Park Playground: Ai Pioppi . 2015-04-06 . Tom Scott . 2024-10-08 . YouTube.
78. Web site: Abenteuerspielplätze und Kinderbauernhöfe in Berlin. German. 28 April 2021.
79. Web site: Robi Spiel Aktionen. German. 28 April 2021.
80. Leichter-Saxby. Morgan. 2007. Constructing the "Natural" Child: The Materiality of Play, Power and Subversion at Evergreen Adventure Playground. MA. University of London.
81. News: Banyard. Natalie. January 18, 2017. The story of a Bristol adventure playground is being turned into a major new musical. Bristol Post. January 18, 2017.
82. News: Thorne . Jack . February 6, 2017 . Jack Thorne's Junkyard: how I turned an adventure playground into a musical . The Guardian . London. February 12, 2017.