Page 27 - 10 Most Admiring Playground Equipment Manufacturers & Distributors – 2020

The playground era of the 1960s was influenced by the Playground Association to the International Association for
theories of child psychologists such as Erik Erikson and the Child’s Right to Play.
Jean Piaget as well as by modern landscape architects.
In this phase of contemporary playground design the The organization Play link (formerly the London
psychology of children at play and their stages of Adventure Playground Association) described an adventure
development gained in consideration; equipment such as playground as an area of between one-third to two and
activity panels that were geared toward teaching children a half acres (one-tenth to one hectare) equipped with
a concept through play began to be fostered in playground materials for building “houses,” cooking in the open,
environments. Denmark is considered the leader in digging holes, gardening, and playing with sand, water,
playground development and was the first country to and clay under the supervision of at least two full-time
pass laws to ensure that playgrounds were built in public playground leaders who participate in the activities that the
housing projects. This concept has spread throughout much children organize themselves. Ideally such playgrounds
of Europe. would also contain an indoor facility with supplies
for dramatic play and creative activities such as paints
A more recent trend in playground design is the and modeling clay. At some adventure playgrounds in
“adventure” playground. Inspired by Scandinavian and Copenhagen children are encouraged in such activities as
British playground reformers, this design attempts to allow constructing huts for rabbits, feeding chickens, and cooking
for a child-oriented perspective in play; children are, for meals over outdoor bonfires.
instance, encouraged in these playgrounds to build their
own appropriate play structures. This shift in philosophy
can also be seen in the name change of the International

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