An article about the move for shade in playgrounds

[conuly]

The comments are bizarre. People feel sorry for kids because... people want to put trees in playgrounds? So that playgrounds are more inviting and kids aren't ensconced in air conditioning all day? Kids should suck it up... even when they're so little they really do have to go with their parents? Who might not want to?

For crying out loud, there were trees in the playgrounds I went to as a child, and none of us was harmed by this startling innovation!

(I'd also like to see freeze-proof fountains in playgrounds, because lack of water in winter definitely keeps me from heading out. But that's another argument for another day.)

Comments

[dragonwolf]

The park near me actually has supposedly freeze-proof water fountains. Don't know how well they work, though. I haven't been there in the winter.

[cumaeansibyl.livejournal.com]

"30 years ago we all sucked it up lol."

Okay, #1: 30 years ago your playground probably had trees
#2: 30 years ago I bet you kept your happy ass off the slide in high summer
#3 shut up

[elenbarathi.livejournal.com]

I went to elementary school in the '60's - two in California, one in New Jersey, both in nice areas with plenty of trees. One of those playgrounds had three big trees that we were not allowed to be over by; the other two playgrounds had no trees at all.

The playground in New Jersey didn't even have play equipment, just a few tetherballs, and painted lines on the blacktop for games. However, it was (and still is, yay!) bordered by forest, into which it was possible to vanish at recess if one was sly about it, and that's what I did, as often as I could get away with it.

Oh yeah, we "sucked it up" all right. Recess is supposed to be fun, and there isn't much fun in being turned out to 'play' in a barren paddock.

Why can't the students plant and tend their own trees and trellises? Children place a lot more value on what they do themselves than on what is done for them, and the skills and knowledge gained in gardening are certainly far more useful than learning to chase a ball around a field.

[conuly]

Because many if not most playgrounds aren't connected to schools?

[elenbarathi.livejournal.com]

They don't have to be. (http://dreamplayground.com/)