Gallery: The Playgrounds of Tomorrow

That Möbius strip would be so fun, all of these make me want to be a kid again..

No kidding. Take a look at the website for MonstroCity. I know i would look a bit odd, a teenager on a playground, but still.

Do humans really ever lose that sense of curiosity, that thrill at the discovery of the previously unknown?

No one has actually said that we *had* to grow up. We do so because that is what is expected. ;)

Cosmic, I'm from St. Louis, and I can tell you it's as awesome as it looks. As a kid, it was amazing. As an adult, still amazing. The inside is even better. Though I'm sure I wouldn't be able to fit through some of the areas I used to.

I would love to be a kid again just to go play on those awesome courses!

-Live life to the fullest, or don't live at all-

Monstrocity looks epic.

Neos: Welcome to the Aperture Science Enrichment Center.

Monstrocity looks BEAST!!!!!I want to seriously try it out.

The Germans are the most epic engineers of fun. I've been to Germany twice. Every pool, even relatively small ones, have waterslides. Most have a secondary wave pool. This weird thing I suspected was in Germany before I even read the article. And of course it weaves through trees, nature. Just like their autobahn system. They're big into nature, not just for aesthetics, but because they know it inspires individuals, and youths need more than anything to be inspired. it's funny, I just got done readin The Keepers by Rick Friar and it talks about this, among infinite other things, about how the Germans love nature, love to be inspired by it, love to imitate it. This playground itself is very natural even in it's form, its flowing asymmetry.

Popular Science
Letter to the Editor
2 Park Ave, 9th Floor
New York, NY 10016

February 15, 2012

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing about the article that appeared both online and in the February 2012 Issue, "State of Play: The World's Most Amazing Playgrounds Future of Fun Architecture and design firms are remaking the playground in ways you'd never expect By Geoff Manaugh".

I like this article because it speaks to the science of play and the need for play.

I am a 40yr old man and I want to play on these playgrounds. Though my limitations, due to my age, would make it difficult; I would have an easier time than many kids. What are missing from this article are the playgrounds that are engineered to be universally accessible to all kids, like SHANE’S INSPIRATION at Griffith Park in Los Angeles (Shanesinspiration.org).

While the playgrounds in this article are engineering feat’s, none of them appear to be accessible to all, denying some of the fundamental rights of childhood: the right to play independently with friends and family at neighborhood and school playgrounds.

Shane’s Inspiration was engineered to create an environment where all children can play together at the highest level of their ability.

More importantly, this playground gives children with disabilities and children without the opportunity to play with and learn from each other, thus increasing awareness and acceptance.

The playground is a child’s classroom. They learn to negotiate while waiting in line for the slide, to communicate by playing pirates or Star Wars on the bridge and most importantly—they learn to trust themselves and others by interacting physically, emotionally and socially with their peers.

As a society we routinely deny children with disabilities entrance onto the playground, as the majority of traditional playgrounds are physically inaccessible to them. When children with disabilities can reach the structure, there are generally only one or two pieces of equipment available to them, leaving them out of the majority of play activities. This means children with disabilities are denied access not only to their social circle but also to the vital benefits of play: physical development, cognitive growth, and social development, among others.

Integrated play helps develop: fine and gross motor skills; receptive communication skills; cerebral functions; physical strength; coordination and balance; and social skills, including independence and self-esteem. Integrated play also gives typically able children the opportunity to experience and accept their peers with special needs as equals, teaching the vital lessons of compassion, awareness, and acceptance.

Despite all of the tremendous benefits that integrated play brings, there are still relatively few truly accessible playgrounds available.

It may seem like I work for Shane’s Inspiration, I assure you I do not. I am the father of a 5yr old boy with Spinal Muscular Atrophy type II. I have seen first hand what this type of playground has done for my son and many of the traditionally able body children. Children do not see my son’s limitations, they play with him like they play with any other child because he can access the same areas that they can. His wheelchair is just his legs. At other playgrounds he has to just watch or I become his legs. Though the looks from the other parents when I pick my son up and run around with him like a crazy man at the non-accessible playground so that he can play are amusing, but both he and I prefer when he gets to play and no additional attention is generated because he is just one of the gang.

Sincerely,

Dave in LA