27 Playgrounds, Adventure Playgrounds, and Other Play Spaces
READ FIRST- Read the two articles below for a historical perspective about children’s play spaces and how to encourage risk taking during play.
- Our Proud Heritage–Playground: A Historical Context by Timothy A. Kindard (~17 minute read)
- Encouraging Risk Taking by Peter Pizzolongo (~14 minute read)
CHOOSE ONE– Select at least one of the resources below to learn more about playgrounds.
- Adventure Playgrounds from Play and Playground Encyclopedia (~3 minute read)
In this entry from the Play and Playground Encyclopedia, learn about adventure playgrounds and how these play spaces are different from typical community playgrounds.
- Guidelines for Designing and Equipping Outdoor Play Yards: Recommendations from the Outdoor Classroom Project by Outdoor Classroom (~10 minute read)
In this article from Community Playthings, you will learn suggestions to keep in mind when setting about an outdoor space for play.
This Danish designer of playgrounds looks to create works of art that also support children’s play. Explore their website to view examples of their play spaces and/or explore the videos to learn more about their approach to building and designing.
- Imagination Playground by KaBoom! (~14 minute read)
In this article, you will learn about research conducted to determine how different types of play spaces supported children’s development.
CHOOSE ONE- Select at least one of the following examples to learn how communities are working together to create play spaces for children.
- Lyman Place– New York City, NY (~3 minute read)
- Share-It-Square– Portland, OR (~7 minute read)
- Play Around the City– Boston, MA
CHOOSE ONE- Select at least one of the resources below to learn how children’s museums support children’s play.
- What is Play All About? Children’s Museums Weigh In by Nicole R. Rivera Alix Tongsgard (~7 minute read)
In this article from NAEYC, Tongsgard describes how children’s museums view play as well as families within these communities.
- Ready, Set, Play: A Top 10 ‘Playlist’ From The Nation’s Children’s Museums by Cory Turner & Anya Kamenetz (~13 minute read)
In this segment from NPR, learn about past exhibits and instillations focused on play from various children’s museums from across the country.
- Tour of the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (~ 4 minutes)
In this video, you will take a tour of the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire and can get an inside perspective on the ways that they encourage play through their exhibits.
Additional Resource
