New Playgrounds Are Safe—and That's Why Nobody Uses Them

[soopaman2]

Originally Posted by Krauter

So very true!



This This and more of This. I get that parents want to protect their kids, but all they're doing is hurting them later in life by coddling them.

@ Edit: Naah, the real trick was to make your opponent fall of the monkey bars, then land on top of them

You look at the past few posts and it looks like pure brutality, truth is it was fun for us.

Look at todays little league, everyone gets a trophy, no one is a loser.

In order to win, you must know how tragic it is to lose.

My quote, don't steal it.

We have lost our "testes" as a country, or as a society.

[Krauter]

Originally Posted by soopaman2

Look at todays little league, everyone gets a trophy, no one is a loser.

In order to win, you must know how tragic it is to lose

Exactly, one of the things my coach loves to tell us is that you cannot be afraid of losing. All you have to do is remember how ****ty you felt the last time you lost and all you will want to do is avoid that feeling.

[Osmium Steele]

Last summer I took the kids to a lake north of Mundellein, Illinois (near Chicago) that had an incredible play area. It covered about 1/4 acre, the predominant building material was landscaping blocks. It had multiple levels, tunnels, a big rock to climb on. The 8 - 10' walls were easy to climb and the ground was a 2 foot layer of shredded tires. Even the "adult" bleachers were made from the landscaping blocks and integrated into the play area. The "modern" play area; swings, bridges, fort, slides and poles was on the upper level.

It was the most fun I've had with the kids in years. But if it was safe and fun for a 46 year old fat man, perhaps it was too safe?

Krashkart's point was brilliant. Where's the incentive to hold on for dear life if the ground is soft enough to break your fall and not your arm?

[antikristuseke]

Originally Posted by Dowly

Haha, we used pine cones. The ones that are long-ish and pretty darn hard.

We used pinecones when things were friendly, but there were rivalries between kids in different appartment buildings so things escalated to stones, was awesome.

[Marcantilan]

With a 3 years daughter, I watch a lot Disney´s channels. In Mickey Mouse CLubhouse everything is dull. Really, I prefer the times when Donald smoked and Black Pete was really a badass.

Anyway...

[Bilge_Rat]

I remember when I was 10-11, for fun during the winter, we would toboggan down a run near our house, but it was no ordinary run, about a 30 degree angle, maybe 10 feet wide with trees on both sides and at the very end of the slope was a brick wall so we had to do a very quick stop to avoid it. We never thought twice about it. It still amazes me no one was ever hurt.

I also remember having BB gun fights with live pellets. Eye injury? what's that.


good old days.

[Buddahaid]

I just had a BB gun fight last weekend with bronze and steel BB's. Been doing it for years but we have headgear to keep the head from damage. I was hit a good 140 times and have several nice welts to show for it and at 56 I should retire but it's just too damned fun.

[u crank]

Between the ages 8 to 12 years old I lived at Camp Borden, a military base about 70 km. north of Toronto, Canada. My Dad was in the Air force but our house was about 100 yds from the Army training area. Guess where we played? My two brothers and our friends would spend most of our summer vacation roaming this vast playground. We'd watch the tanks, hide from the M.P.s and have a riot. We'd bring home live ammo, 303 rounds that my Dad would use to hunt deer. I also learned how to smoke out there. Every day was a new adventure. I shudder at the thought of my kids or my 12 yr. old grandson doing this but we thought nothing of it. My Dad knew but Mom had no idea. Times have definitely changed. This was '58-'62.

This is what happens when you don't have computers or video games!