Play Worth Remembering

Are Playgrounds Too Safe?

Authors

  • Sara Brunelle
  • Susan Herrington
  • Ryan Coghlan
  • Mariana Brussoni

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7721/chilyoutenvi.26.1.0017

Keywords:

play memory, outdoor play, natural environments, risky play, child development

Abstract

Are playgrounds too safe? The Play Worth Remembering project involvedan online survey that asked adults this very question.Research on children’s outdoor play environments has found that safety has become the key driverof play space design, and that children’s free play with natural elements has decreased with time. Adults reflecting upon their own childhood frequently recall playing on their own and in natural settings. In order to better understand the typesof landscapesthat people considered memorable for play and if theselandscapesoffered beneficial challenges,we asked participants to recall their favorite outdoor play spaces and the elements contained in these spaces, to describe the benefits they received by playing in these places and to consider if they were safe play spaces. Of the 592 respondents, 69percentfound today’s playgrounds too safe. When recollecting their own childhood, 59percentof participants preferred natural play spaces, compared to 14percentwho preferred spaces designed specifically for play (like atraditional playground). The results suggest public support for rethinking the design of children’s outdoor play spaces to include more challenging play opportunities, natural elements, and access to unstructured play areas.

Published

2022-10-18