What’s New
10 Ways to Get Kids Moving
Too many calories and too little activity. Those are the two main contributors to childhood obesity, according to the Mayo Clinic. So, if you want to help your child maintain a healthy weight, a diet rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables, lean meats, fish, poultry, and beans is a…
Designer Spotlight – H Nyunny Kim of Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates
“Who needs to escape the city when you can walk down the street or take the F train to Jay Street or the No. 22 to Clark Street or the B63 bus that goes right to Pier 6 at Atlantic Avenue — and see nature in the city.” That’s Anne…
King of the Hill: Topography in Children’s Playgrounds
In a recent interview with the Chicago Tribune’s Blair Kamin, landscape architect Michael Van Valkenburgh was asked about the 40-foot-tall climbing walls at Maggie Daley Park, a sprawling, 20-acre mega-park towering over Chicago’s lakefront. His response: “They were designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates architects and landscape architects (and me!)…
Why Waiting for the Bus Can Be Fun
Stone Abacus, Park City, Compliments of PlaySpace Designs Few of us like to wait at the bus stop. Why? Because aside from scrolling Facebook or surveying the cracks in the sidewalk, there is not a whole to do. Some of the discomfort we feel may be intentional. A recent article in the Atlantic describes how “homeless deterrence technologies,”…
Why Sand and Water Play Are Good for Children
Long before the iPad and Pokémon GO, there was sand and water. The two are foundational to the earth and offer near limitless possibilities for young children’s imaginations. During the summer months, I take my two-year-old son to Chicago’s Montrose Beach on the shore of Lake Michigan. After laying out a…
Play Garland Oosterpark by Carve
Play Garland Oosterpark by Carve The Oosterpark, built in 1891, is part of the Amsterdam 19th century extension girdle, and is the first large public park that was realised by the municipality. Since 2011, plans are being made to integrate the monumental public buildings in the northern zone into the…
A Better Approach to the Slack Line Trend
First Do No Harm with Goric’s Slack Line Playground Equipment Goric is proud to offer an innovative and straightforward approach to slacklining. The line of Slack Line playground equipment gives playscape designers the ability to create a variety of fun configurations using multiple units, along with greater freedom on where and…
The Top 10 Sculptural Playgrounds for Whimsical Fun
These Inventive Structures Promote Aesthetic Beauty and a Whole Lot of Fun ‘Form follows function,’ or so we are often told. Many follow this maxim to the letter. It seems on its surface to always make sense. If you want a fast slide, you need a tall tower. If you want a…
Going Against the Grain of Modern Materials with Robinia Wood
Natural Karolam® Robinia Wood Offers Impressive Benefits Over Modern Materials K&K Karolam® – Robinia Wooden Posts | Video via YouTube.com At their very best, playgrounds and playscapes mimic the joy of running, jumping, climbing, and otherwise playing in a wild and natural setting. They fulfill our instinctual desire to…
Our Top 5 Playground Related Blogs
Image via Goric A Small Collection of Resources on the Importance of Quality Playground Equipment and Design One of the more wonderful aspects of play is how it can foster a sense of community. It is no accident that many of our first friendships were formed while using playground equipment. And just on…
Enjoying the Fun of Winter’s Many Playgrounds
The Snowy Season Transforms Playscapes, but There is Still Fun to be Had Winter is definitely here. Parts of the midwest and the Great Lakes region recently saw a foot of snow quickly accumulate, and a low pressure system from the North caused the accompanying temperature to plunge…
The Touch and Feel of Play in Toshiko MacAdam’s Textile Playgrounds
Structures Made from Nets of Rope Inspire in This Designer’s Wonderfully Crocheted Playscapes Toshiko Horiuchi MacAdam video via PlayArt11 on YouTube.com Toshiko MacAdam was already an accomplished artist in the Fibre Arts movement long before she began exploring the possibilities of creating textile playscapes. In fact, she was exhibiting a…
