ADVENTURE PLAYGROUNDS
An Adventure Playground is a unique, safe environment where children and youth have ownership of how the space is built, morphed and created. They decide how materials are used, and they have the freedom to create their own play. An Adventure Playground is staffed with trained playworkers.
"The Land (2015) is a short documentary film about the nature of play, risk and hazard set in The Land, a Welsh "adventure” playground. At The Land children climb trees, light fires and use hammers and nails in a play-space rooted in the belief that kids are empowered when they learn to manage risks on their own." It is a great place to start understanding the intricates of playwork and the decisions we make. The movie is free thanks to PBS for a short while longer so if you are interested in Playwork this is a must see.
Adventure Playground Readings
A Brief History of
Adventure Playgrounds
by: Reilly Bergin Wilson
NYC PLAY:GROUND has gotten much deserved traction from all their great work on their destination Adventure Playground. They hold Summer Camps and offer workshops. Reily has studied adventure playgrounds in the US and gives an informative overview on their history
No Parents Allowed: Kids Explore, Take Risks at Junkyard Playgrounds
By: Marj Kleinman
"We have witnessed a seismic shift over the past few generations — a gradual but dramatic decline in children’s free-play opportunities and an increase in childhood mental and emotional disorders. Play is the crucial childhood goal — it’s how kids develop a sense of self, learn how to make their own decisions, solve problems, regulate emotions, exert control, follow rules, make friends and experience joy (Gray, 2011)"
A Different Type of Play: How Cities Are Embracing Adventure Playgrounds
By: Emma Kantrowitz
"Swings, slides, jungle gyms and monkey bars are all standard fare at an ordinary playground. But an adventure playground is no ordinary playground."
