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PLAYGROUND MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN TRAINING The two-day Playground Maintenance Technician Training focuses on practical playground maintenance activities, inspection principles and best practices in making repairs. This program does not focus on play theory or memorizing standards.
Participant Benefits • Learn about materials! Learn how to maintain playground equipment made of metal, plastic, wood and concrete • Learn about safety! Understand how to take damaged equipment out of service safely, keep proper records, and identify potential legal issues related to playground maintenance • Learn about surfaces! Learn how best to maintain unitary and loose-fill surfaces as well as fasteners and connectors • Cost effective! Train front-line maintenance staff at an affordable price • Ensure your equipment lasts through its useful life! Improve playground user safety and prolong the useful life of equipment
Upcoming Playground Maintenance Technician Programs • July 16-17, 2018 - Buffalo Grove, IL • August 23-24, 2018 - Waterford Township, MI • Sept 19-20, 2018 - Pleasant Hill, IA • Oct 4-5, 2018 - Wilsonville, OR • Oct 23-24, 2018 - Renton, WA • Dec 12-13, 2018 - West Chicago, IL
Want to host a PMT program in your area? Contact the Program Coordinator at the Eppley Institute pmt@eppley.org Find out more at
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SUMMER 2018 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 3
Contents
Play and Playground Magazine | Volume 18 No. 2 | Summer 2018
8
Features 8
Keeping Play Unstructured This Summer by IPEMA and The Voice of Play
10 My Father: The Man Who Inspired People To Play by Pat Rumbaugh
14
14 Outdoor Fitness Parks Can Help Your Community Reach its Health and Wellness Goals by Rob Wilson
18 A New Way To View Exercise For The Whole Community
By Sarah Lisiecki, Brian Johnson, and Leigh Walden
22 Making Playground Surfacing Safe for Kids By Tim McNamara
24 Rethinking The Environmental Safety of Recycled Rubber Tire Mulch on Playgrounds By Nic Campesi and Cathie Ericson
26
26 A History of Play Provision in the UK By Ray Willis
30 Bringing Basketball to the Art Museum By Reeve Brenner
DEPARTMENTS 5 5 6
CPSI Course Schedule Happening Today in Play Editor's Notes
4 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SUMMER 2018
Cover illustration courtesy of Dawn Jeanette Grant Harrison
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
You Were Meant to THRIVE! Improve community wellness with THRIVE outdoor fitness systems. THRIVE accommodates multiple users at once, provides adaptive training options and encourages people of all fitness levels to spend more time training outdoors. Learn more at gametime.com/thrive.
CPSI Course Calendar
Tr a i n i n g Co u r s e s - A n n u a l E v e n t s - Co n f e r e n c e s - M o r e
June 18-20
Arlington, TX
Happening Today in play
512-267-5550
July 17-19
Raleigh, NC
919-515-7118
17-19
San Mateo, CA
916-665-2777
August 7-9
Irvine, CA
916-665-2777
21-23
Livermore, CA
916-665-2777
27-29
Wheat Ridge, CO
303-231-0943
September 12-14
Novi, MI
517-485-9888
12-14
Syracuse, NY
518-584-0321
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
June 25-27
Shape America Regional Conference
July
UV Safety Month
July
Park & Recreation Month
July 16-22
National Youth Sports Week
July 23-25
2018 National Physical Education & School Sport Institute
Sept.
National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month
Sept. 22 Sept. 25-27
10th Annual Takoma Park Play Day NRPA Conference SUMMER 2018 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 5
Magazine Publisher Design | Webmaster Jake Amen Editor Sara Bowersox Sara O'Neill Accounting Nancy Bergman
Contributing Authors Reeve Brenner Nic Campesi Cathie Ericson IPEMA and The Voice of Play Brian Johnson Sarah Lisiecki Tim McNamara Pat Rumbaugh Leigh Walden Ray Willis Rob Wilson
Copyright, 2018 published by Playground Professionals, LLC, 4 issues per year, sub rates, back copies, foreign, reproduction prohibitions, all rights reserved, not responsible for content of ads and submitted materials, mail permits.
Message From the Editor CORPORATE OFFICE Playground Professionals LLC P.O. Box 595 Ashton, Idaho 83420
Sara Bowersox
www.playgroundprofessionals.com
6 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SUMMER 2018
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
SUMMER IS HERE, and play takes on a whole new meaning. Kids of all ages find themselves outside more and focused more on fun than work or learning (or at least us adult kids wish we could be). The articles in this issue may cause you to think differently about play, structured and unstructured. You can take a look back at some history as well as into the future of outdoor play. One of the recent trends in outdoor “play” is obstacle course racing. TV shows such as American Ninja Warrior and Spartan Ultimate Team Challenge have piqued all of our interest. I don’t know about you, but I really want to give it a try! Actually, I must confess that I did try the monkey bars at our local park last summer and fell. So much for that. We actually highlight two different outdoor fitness structures in this issue. You can learn how these contribute to your community as well as what each product has to offer. As you design and install a playground, you want your surface to be safe. This issue offers some tips on your options as well as important information you need when making that decision. In addition, we have some insight into concerns around recycled rubber. We want to help you gain as much information on the pros and cons of various surfaces so that you can make the best decision for your playground. You read much these days about the need to bring calculated risk back to our children’s play experience. Many of today’s playgrounds recall the adventure playgrounds in the UK after World War II. Our friend Ray Wills has a new book out on the development of those play spaces, and he’s written us an article on that history. Over the past year, we’ve been telling you how we are growing Play & Playground Magazine and our website. We are taking another step in that direction this summer by renewing our partnership with the National Playground Contractors Association, Inc. (NPCAI). We’ve been meeting with the NPCAI board over the past few months to plan how we can work together. Over the summer you may start to see the results of this work on our website, in both the directory listings and in content. www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
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1-877-348-3647 SUMMER 2018 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 7
keeping play
Unstructured by IPEMA and the Voice of Play
SCHOOL’S OUT, PLAY’S ON! Summer is here which means more time to play. Playgrounds are nature’s colorful, hands-on, open classrooms that provide learning opportunities to kids of all ages. With more time for play, it’s important to remind everyone about the importance of outdoor free play. Free or unstructured play is when children engage in a playful state that’s not directly led by a parent or teacher, letting them use their imaginations. In this state where their play enables the child to be in control of their actions and emotions, research shows that unstructured, outdoor play fosters developmental benefits, including physical, emotional, social and cognitive skills.
Self-Confidence and Taking Risks Playground equipment like climbers and overhead upper-body devices provides a physical challenge, encouraging
this Summer
children to take developmental risks in their play. When a child takes a calculated risk and overcomes the challenge, she develops a great sense of accomplishment, which can lead to feeling self-confident. When risk is involved, kids also learn about consequences, which helps them in decision-making as they grow up. Children learn and practice many of the skills they will need as adults through free play. Just think about the skills you have now as an adult. For example, resolving conflicts at work. You may just have developed that skill simply by playing on the playground many years ago!
Experimenting with Emotions Playing pretend allows kids to use their imaginations to break out of the day-to-day, which allows them to fully express themselves without anything holding back. Here are some ways to encourage your child in his pretend play:
8 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SUMMER 2018
• Transform a built playground environment “magically” into something else! Think: A castle, car, house or airplane. Equipment like tunnels or enclosed spaces fosters experimentation, and kids use their imagination and pretend play to experience different feelings and outcomes. • Take turns acting out what you want to be when you grow up. Maybe that means a firefighter, doctor, mayor or construction worker. • Ask your kids to put on a performance with friends at the playground and see what their creative minds come up with! This also provides a healthy break for parents to watch and participate.
Free play also has proven to be therapeutic for children who are emotionally distressed by traumatic events. Studies show that when playing, children can release emotions and “play out” their traumas so they can share feelings freely. www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
Cognitive Benefits There is tremendous research on play being essential for a child’s brain development. Studies show that free play affects neurological development and determines how the neural circuits of the brain are wired. According to a 2014 NPR education report citing Sergio Pellis, a researcher at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada, changes in the prefrontal cortex during childhood help wire up the brain's executive control center, which has a critical role in regulating emotions, making plans and solving problems. Per Pellis, play is what prepares a young brain for life, love, schoolwork and professional career.
The Physical Benefits of Nature Children today spend much more time indoors due to technology and even fear, enabling screen time to compete with nature and physical play. Limiting a child’s screen time can set an example of a healthy, active lifestyle that includes plenty of play, as getting outside allows children to be involved in physical activity. This can not only limit stress, but also build stronger muscles and improve bone density, improve heart and lung function, and prevent obesity, diabetes and high cholesterol. www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
School’s Out, But Recess Shouldn’t Be Forgotten Earlier this year, IPEMA conducted a survey of 500 U.S. elementary school teachers with the goal of uncovering a first-hand view of the benefits of adequate recess time for kids of varying ages. Even though it’s summer and most schools are closed for the season, it’s still important to keep recess on the top of your mind and look ahead to the next school year, so play can still be a priority. Especially because some schools have limited recess in recent years. According to 2016 Shape of the Nation Report, only 16 percent of states required elementary schools to provide daily recess. But recess is just as important as ever as each teacher surveyed – 100 percent – said that recess is essential for young students’ mental and physical development. Other key findings included: • 97 percent said that recess improved the conduct in students who tend to behave badly. • 95 said that their students’ social interactions improved when they played together outside. • After recess, 81 percent of teachers said that kids’ behaviors change positively. These changes include more positive moods, longer attention spans, fewer behavior issues, increased participation in class, more eagerness to learn, and improved
academic performance. • 78 percent noted their students are focused and ready for their next lesson when they return from recess. Kids love the playground and look forward to playing since it gives them a chance to visit with friends outside of school, meet new peers and play fun and imaginary games that they might not be able to play at home. Kids learn such valuable, everyday life lessons about interacting with others, social norms and independence, all while gaining important relationship-building skills. So get out on the playground and in nature, and get playing this summer!
About IPEMA and the Voice of Play The International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association is a nonprofit, membership, trade association that represents and promotes an open market for manufacturers of playground equipment and surfacing. IPEMA’s Voice of Play initiative promotes the benefits of children’s play and playgrounds by providing information and resources to encourage the quality and quantity of children’s play and the use of playgrounds. Visit http://voiceofplay.org to learn more about IPEMA’s Voice of Play initiative and to view the 2018 recess survey.
SUMMER 2018 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 9
My Father The man who inspired people to play by Pat Rumbaugh
Charles Joseph Abramski Jr.
CHARLES JOSEPH ABRAMSKI JR. was our father. We are his children: Marian, Patty, Chuck, and Carolyn. He loved us, he loved life and he loved to encourage people to play. He passed away May 12, 2018. He had suffered from Alzheimer’s for over a decade. It was tough to see the decline of this man
10 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SUMMER 2018
who had been an inspiration to so many. A good friend of mine sent me a card with words that meant the world to me; “A good life leaves behind seeds that keep on growing.” I plan on doing my best to keep those seeds growing. Dad was called Coach by everyone who knew him. He coached high school football for over thirty-five years, mostly www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
Structured Play vs. Free Play
Structured Play
in western Pennsylvania. He also taught physical education. During his teaching and coaching profession, Dad brought out the best in people. He pushed people to do their best and he expected them to give their best. One of his more gifted players was former NFL star, Joe Montana. Dad was one of my first play mentors and had the biggest influence on me besides our mother. Both parents recognized early on that I was a tomboy. I wanted to be outside and play as early as I can remember. Like my dad, I went on to become a physical education teacher and coach over a thirty-year period (19812011) at the Washington International School in Washington, DC. During this time I started to see a decline in fun free play. I began researching the subject of free self-chosen play and found out that since the 1980’s children have lost eight to ten hours of free playtime a week. www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
When I think of structured play I think of a team with tryouts or sign-ups to play a sport or an activity. This type of play is adult-led with structure. There are agreed upon rules and obligations for participation in structured play. Dad absolutely loved coaching football although he had his rules. At the same time, almost everyone adored him and wanted to play for him. One of the earliest and most memorable rules he had was if you came out for football and did what was asked of you, not only did you make the team, but you would see playing time at some point during the season. He coached primarily high school football, but also coached college football for a couple of years. My point here is that Dad wanted to give opportunities to everyone and that stuck with me throughout my own teaching and coaching career. As a former coach of over sixty teams, I was a paid coach for two-thirds of the teams and was a volunteer coach onethird. I coached both my children until Alex, at the age of nine, explained to me that you don’t call all the players to the pitcher’s mound when you want to talk to the pitcher. I never wanted to leave anyone out, just like Dad. I coached Sarah on several soccer and basketball teams. Alex, now 32, plays baseball and football and coaches baseball. Sarah still enjoys soccer but has started playing in United States Tennis Association league. It was a joy and pleasure to coach both of my children. I also loved coaching other children. While I coached first- and second-graders in basketball I found most of them not ready to play a structured sport, so I strived to make the experience as much fun as possible. Most of my coaching career was with high school and middle school students and three seasons of college tennis while finishing up my masters in Sports Psychology. I specialized in motivation and positive talk. Being positive has many great benefits for players of all ages. Helping players believe they can do it encourages them and can bring out the best in the players. I am not a big fan of children under six being on a structured team, unless they are showing interest. If a child
wants to try a structured activity then let them give it a try, but parents should be willing to be flexible. As children get older I think it is important for parents to know and understand their child’s play personality.
Structured vs. Unstructured Play and Why?
There are times when I like to ask the experts like Dr. Marcy Priess-Guddemi whom I highly admire. According to Dr. Guddemi, “the preschool child does not need structured play nor can he comprehend and remember the rules necessary for 'games with rules' such as pee wee baseball, soccer, or football and such. Taking turns (they want every turn to be theirs), running the bases (some children run straight to second base or all around the field if they can hit the ball), and 'You’re out!' (how sad! How does the child comprehend that?). Duck, Duck, Goose can provide another example of why structured play does not work at this age either. A large group of children sit in a circle and wait while two children get to participate. Often times the teacher is the one who is the goose or other times someone is never chosen. Waiting is not good for this age group; they should all be running and playing. Some will argue that children need to learn how to wait, but this is not how children learn to wait. Unstructured free play is one way children develop self-regulation and executive functioning, which will subsequently enable a child to wait her turn. Mature socio-dramatic play is the highest form of preschool play. In mature socio-dramatic play, children are playing roles and interacting with each other on their terms. For example, the children have turned a corner of the room into a veterinary office. One child is the receptionist. A customer comes in with a stuffed kitten saying her kitty is very sick and she needs to see the doctor. The receptionist tells her to sit over there and wait her turn. A dialog continues between the two children—'My kitty is so sick, I can’t wait.' 'You have to wait; the doctor is busy.' They are learning turn-taking not only by waiting for the doctor but also by waiting to hear the next sentences so each will know
SUMMER 2018 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 11
an email to tons of people at once and all of that saves me time and energy. But I can also spend too much time on these devices and then say to myself: “Where did the time go?”
Play Choices
how to respond to the speaker. Both the dialog and learning the rules of a social situation are the foundation of playing games with rules later. After the age of seven, most children are ready for games with rules. Under the age of seven, adult-directed play should be limited or non-existent. The child will need to learn the game of school when they are five and six. The best way to do this is with unstructured free play so children can develop self-regulation, flexibility, and working memory—the components of executive functioning.” When I was kid most girls didn’t get a chance to play until high school and even then structured play opportunities were minimal. Today children are being put in multiple structured activities as early as two or three years of age. I am sorry to say, I am not a big fan of children that young going from one structured activity to another.
Free Play
As many of you readers know I am the co-founder of the nonprofit Let’s Play America. On our website www.letsplayamerica.org you can read articles and watch videos on free and fun play. You will see that we are striving to not only give children choices of what to play but to give adults the same opportunities. When a child and/or an adult chooses to play an activity just because it feels good, it is not usually adult-led. It can be a child playing in a sandbox alone or with other children. It can be adults and kids choosing to go to Games Night for
the sheer joy of playing board games and cards, just for the fun of it. Dad enjoyed playing tennis and racquetball. He clearly had a competitive spirit and enjoyed playing games and striving to do his best. Whenever I played tennis with him, singles or doubles, he always had to add some coaching advice. One time when Dad was around the age of 60 and I was around the age of 34 I beat him in tennis. He was not a happy camper. He did not speak to me for a while until my mother suggested I tell him the only reason I got so good in tennis was due to him. We made up and continued to play for years. I miss those times on the court with him. To those of you who are reading this column, I hope you will play with the children in your life. Invite them to play what you enjoy, but also ask them what they enjoy playing and join them as often as you can. Try new activities together; go outside to play as often as possible. In my view, it is most important to give young children free unstructured play daily. Let them be off in a playground exploring, trying to climb the monkey bars, swing as high as they can go and let them have time to be children. Adults do not need to be constantly playing with their children. Can you recall a time in your life, maybe at a family reunion or neighborhood block party kids of all ages just got up and started playing together? The electronics available to us today are a blessing and a curse. I am typing on a laptop as I write this column. I can send
12 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SUMMER 2018
Dr. Stuart Brown, CEO and President of the National Institute for Play (www. nifplay.org) shares his thoughts. “Play is a universal instinct and we all play differently. Pat Rumbaugh captures this reality by offering multiple options for play that span the lifetime. On close examination, we each exhibit spontaneous joyful engagement that reflects our own unique innate play personality. Pat’s Play Days spark what is there in all of us.” If you have not read Dr. Stuart Brown’s book, “Play, How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul,” I suggest you immediately order your own copy. This book has offered me so much guidance enabling me to pursue my lifetime dream of encouraging others to play.
Get Dr. Brown's book on Amazon
We need to be good role models as adults and get off our phones and computers and play. We all need to take time to play daily. If we have children in our lives, they are watching us and they want to do what we do. If you are on the computer, on your phone or watching TV for hours, the children in your life will copycat you. What were the play opportunities when I was a child? I grew up in a time when my siblings and I went outside for hours and hours to play. We rode our bikes around the neighborhood, we played with kids of all ages. We did not have play dates, but we did play with friends. Recently I went back to a town called www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
California, Pennsylvania. My family lived there from when I was nine till I was twelve. I used to play touch football in the street; kickball and basketball in my friend Robin’s driveway where she had a hoop on her garage. Unfortunately, the houses are no longer there; they have been replaced by a parking garage. I have many fond memories of freely playing in the street, riding my bike around town and just having fun and freedom as a kid. Times have definitely changed, some for the better and others, I am not so sure. My Dad got to go outside and play freely, as I did and so did my children, but in today’s world things are different. What can we adults do so that children do not have to go to structured play activities at such a young age so that they can safely play? Follow your playful heart, invite other children and adults to go outside to play, close your street to play. Be creative in your community, consider planning a play day, bring play to an already organized event and bring back the games and activities you played as a child. See www.letsplayamerica.org for more ideas. There are pluses to both structured and free play. Dad and I helped many young people play by coaching them, giving them confidence and believing in them. At the same time, life can be challenging and children and adults need time to relax and freely choose what they wish to play. Make play a priority in your life. I know Dad did and I know I strive to do that as well. It is not always easy with life’s demands, but when you put your mind to it and when you realize how good you feel, you can take an hour or two out of your day to just go play. Dad, I want to thank you for playing and encouraging others to play. I know the joy it brought you. I know it fulfilled you when you helped others play. Rest in peace and keep on playing. I know I will. Love, Patty
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Hurray for play! - Pat, The Play Lady
T H I N K I N G T O DAY
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SUMMER 2018 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 13
OUTDOOR FITNESS PARKS Helping your community reach its health and wellness goals
14 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SUMMER 2018
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
AS THE WEATHER WARMS, there’s a natural draw to be outside. The demand for outdoor exercise options continues to grow, and parks and recreation departments are following this trend closely in an effort to provide better health and wellness opportunities to people of all ages, abilities and socioeconomic status. Outdoor fitness parks remove barriers, giving everyone a chance to exercise and be happy. In a study conducted by Time Magazine, one of the key reasons adults don’t get enough physical activity is a lack of resources or funds to join a gym. However, an outdoor fitness park removes socioeconomic barriers to give everyone an opportunity to better their health. Many U.S. Parks and Recreation Departments support community health and wellness by providing green spaces for adults and families to enjoy outdoor recwww.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
reation; some provide amenities such as walking paths or outdoor exercise areas for individual or group fitness classes. As demand grows, fitness parks are popping up in cities of all sizes and are an excellent resource to help communities reach health and wellness goals.
Here are some of the of the numerous benefits of embracing the outdoors when it comes to fitness. It’s good for your health.
Not only is it fun, but exercising outdoors can improve psychological and physiological health, promote disease prevention, improve adherence to regu-
lar exercise, decrease tension and depression, increase energy, and increase satisfaction levels.
Develops good habits.
The presence of an Adult Fitness Park is a catalyst to encourage non-exercising adults to be more active. Research shows that people who exercise outdoors are more likely to repeat the behavior, and for longer periods, than people who exercise indoors.
Sets a good example.
The healthy behavior of exercising is passed down to kids, too! When located within sight lines of a playground, an Adult Fitness Park promotes active behavior in adult family members, increases the time spent at the playground, and helps promote the importance of lifelong
SUMMER 2018 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 15
fitness in children.
Embraces nature’s natural benefits.
Provides exposure to fresh air, nature, and sunlight, which increases levels of vitamin D.
Multigenerational activity
Parents can enjoy a full body workout while their children are playing on the playground. GameTime designs the outdoor fitness area with clear sight lines to the playground equipment so parents and children can easily see one another. There are also plenty of opportunities to get families playing together, like Challenge Course. Challenge Course combines exciting obstacle course activities with precision timing systems to create a unique recreation experience for children, adults, and families. It is an outdoor fitness destination that opens the door to fun, physical activity for people of all generations and fitness levels.
Great for all levels of athletes.
Outdoor fitness is accessible to all fitness levels, from walkers up to elite athletes. GameTime has created endurance equipment that offers low-impact aerobic workouts, strength equipment that utilizes your own body weight for resistance, and cross-training options that provide a challenge to take your workout to the next level. One of the groups leading the charge using outdoor fitness equipment, like Challenge Course, is Obstacle Course
Racing (OCR) athletes. OCR is one of the fastest growing sports and outdoor fitness parks are a great fit to train for these types of events. Challenge Course Pro for ages 13+ is a great fit for parks, high schools and universities to encourage a fun, social and competitive fitness experience. Challenge Course Youth offers the same obstacles as the Pro series at a smaller scale. It takes school recess to the next level and creates an exciting play and fitness experience for children at your local park. There are also fun addons like a 40-yard dash, sound systems, photo booths and more. Challenge Course also lets you take the competition nationwide with the Challenge Course app. You can time yourself and compete against other athletes in your area or around the country. If you’re considering an outdoor obstacle course, now is a great time. Challenge Course is on sale through August 17 at gametime.com/challenge.
Benefits your parks and recreation department.
An Adult Fitness Park can offer Parks and Recreation Departments opportunities for revenue generation through program agreements with certified personal trainers. There is also the potential to qualify for increased grant funding related to obesity prevention/reduction.
Good for the community.
Adding an Adult Fitness Park can help promote pride within the neighborhood
16 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SUMMER 2018
where it is located. It may also spark interest in related community services such as nutrition education and health screenings.
Requires little space.
As community green space becomes more scarce, and the popularity of outdoor fitness areas has grown, there is a need for outdoor equipment to address these challenges. In some cases, fitness parks require more space than communities have available. In 2017, GameTime responded to this need with THRIVE. THRIVE is the culmination of thirty years of researching, designing, and creating outdoor fitness equipment. It encourages adults of all fitness levels to be more active outdoors, aligns with outdoor fitness research, incorporates programming for individual and/or group training, and combines all of these benefits into a system that can be installed in as little as 250-square feet. This makes it a great option for communities with limited space. THRIVE comes configured in 250 sq. ft., 450 sq. ft and 900 square feet and features elements like multiple step-up platforms, pull-up stations, ladders, variable monkey bars, a swedish ladder and more depending on the size you choose. In addition to the system, THRIVE provides: • Multigenerational fitness activities so everyone in the family can exercise together • Adaptive training options for all ability levels (beginner, intermediate www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
and advanced) • Trainer-designed programs that focus on core, aerobic and muscle strength, as well as whole body flexibility • High-quality, all-weather materials that withstand environmental elements and high volume usage • Essential indoor gym product packages (resistance bands, med balls, etc) with every THRIVE purchase
Provides a high-quality workout.
Through thoughtful planning, design, and execution, fitness parks provide communities with resources needed to improve health and overall wellness, particularly when they address the four elements of a well-rounded fitness program: aerobic, muscle and core strength, and balance and flexibility. GameTime worked with Yancy Culp, elite OCR athlete and ACE-certified fitness trainer to develop fitness programs for use with THRIVE. The multi-user configuration and programming make THRIVE a great option for outdoor group training or boot camp-style fitness classes. Outdoor fitness parks are an excellent way to bring communities together and have more fun outdoors. The demand for outdoor fitness is on a steady incline and equipment is being thoughtfully designed to provide an excellent workout outdoors. By adding an outdoor fitness park in your community, you can bring people together around a common goal of better health and wellness. To learn more about the benefits of outdoor fitness parks and how they can help promote outdoor physical activity for families, go to gametime.com/fitness.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Maintaining your parks and playgrounds just got a lot easier.
Rob Wilson is a Sales and Marketing Manager with Dominica Recreation Products. He has sixteen years experience in the indoor fitness industry and currently works with parks departments and recreation centers to plan outdoor fitness experiences.
877.984.0418
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
SUMMER 2018 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 17
www.playgroundguardian.com info@playgroundguardian.com
Exciting, challenging and fun, the Wall Clinger is a favorite amongst users of all ages and abilities.
A New Way To View Exercise For The Whole Community by Sarah Lisiecki (SL), Brian Johnson (BJ), and Leigh Walden (LW)
What was the inspiration behind the development of the ELEVATE fitness courses?
Recently, playground equipment manufacturer Burke launched ELEVATE Fitness Courses, an outdoor obstacle course with eleven unique events that challenge a user’s whole body. Sarah Lisiecki and Brian Johnson of Burke and Leigh Walden of fun abounds, the exclusive representative for Burke in southern Texas, spoke recently about launching a commercial fitness course.
SL: Believe it or not, Burke modeled ELEVATE after the fast-growing trend and popularity of obstacle course fitness as seen with American Ninja Warrior, Spartan Races, and Warrior Dash. These races have attracted a population that may not typically participate in standard racing. A recent report from the Running USA trade organization estimated that there were four million participants in alternative types of running-related events in 2013, while another report
18 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SUMMER 2018
from Active.com showed that 53% of those types of events were mud runs or obstacle course races. And it’s not just in the US—it’s a worldwide phenomenon with an estimated 5,000 events and as many as 10 million participants in more than 30 countries in 2014. Who are the target users for ELEVATE, and what are the challenges with engaging this group in physical activity? BJ: We saw an opportunity with ELEVATE – an opportunity to bring adolescents into the outdoors and engaging with teammates, family, friends and their www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
The ELEVATE Fitness Course engages the entire community in outdoor fitness and promotes healthy lifestyles for kids ages 5-12 and everyone 13+.
community! Research shows that youth between the ages of eight and 18 devote an average of seven hours and 38 minutes to using entertainment media across a typical day or more than 53 hours a week. Our focus was competing with media and getting kids outside by making ELEVATE engaging and relevant to them – making it something they wanted to do. SL: What we are finding since launching ELEVATE is that not only is our target age group loving the obstacle course, but we are also encouraged by how much everyone is using ELEVATE. Adults of all ages have taken an interest in ELEVATE, and they love using the events to get and stay fit and set goals for themselves. Often entire families and communities are using this to spend time together participating in a free and healthy activity. www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
Can you let us know more about the types of events in each ELEVATE course? Which is the most challenging? BJ: Our website has excellent pictures and instructional videos of users on the ELEVATE course and we have an app that demonstrates the three different fitness levels on each obstacle. Some of the activities that those familiar with obstacle courses would recognize are Lava Leap, Summit Bridge, Over Under, Block Up, Jungle Pipeline, Twinkle Toes, and Doorknob Jam. The names of the events are designed to be edgy and fun as well as describe the obstacle. SL: The Wall Clinger event is the one that I would say requires the most effort. It tests your fitness at so many different levels. Your legs, core and upper body are all thoroughly worked on this event, and
I would say it is the most exciting and engaging. How accessible is ELEVATE for individuals of varying fitness levels? SL: That is one of the aspects that, as we designed ELEVATE, was top of mind. Whether you are active now or working towards a more active lifestyle, the course is designed to grow with you as your strength, balance, agility and overall fitness levels improve. Each event comes with specific use instructions depending on your current level of fitness and people of all levels can get the workout they seek within the same space. In what ways can ELEVATE help middle and high school with physical education and sports training?
SUMMER 2018 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 19
The Door Knob Jam challenges your upper body and core.
SL: Taking adolescents and getting them outside is part of the Burke mission this new product line supports. We see there is a great opportunity for schools to provide youth with an activity that supports team sports training. Moreover, physical education classes can incorporate ELEVATE into their curriculum and track student improvement throughout the school year. BJ: To build on what Sarah just said is that ELEVATE is a creative, out-of-thebox tool to help solve the issue of childhood obesity. Youth ages 12 to 19 have the highest obesity rate of all children at 20.5%. ELEVATE Fitness Courses connect with this age group in a way that is fresh and approachable. LW: As the southern Texas Burke Representative, I hear all the time that schools are looking for new ways to approach physical education and work with students to help them develop lifelong fitness habits. ELEVATE is the answer to this and provides the experience, curriculum, and fun they are looking for.
Which types of park and recreation equipment buyers are most apt to choose ELEVATE as their next project? LW: I am excited about the possibility of introducing ELEVATE to public and private schools in our area, but I certainly would not want to limit ELEVATE to this group. City and county park and recreation directors have been very positive about ELEVATE and excited to bring it into their communities! Neighborhoods and community associations also indicated that an obstacle course would be an attractive feature to residents. They could see how events centered around ELEVATE would be a unique and exciting way to build community engagement. What types of health and community engagement benefits do you all foresee as a result of greater adoption of ELEVATE Fitness Courses? SL: More than anything, we at Burke want to see our mission of getting youth outdoors exercising with friends and family fulfilled. We would also love to
20 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SUMMER 2018
hear about events and programming centered on or including ELEVATE in communities and schools. This is already happening and we foresee more in the future. Is there any type of grant funding available for ELEVATE Fitness Courses? BJ: Burke is offering a $25,000 inkind grant on the largest, most robust fitness course available, the FIT-2628. Any group or organization interested in applying is encouraged to visit www.bciburke.com/fitnessgrants. How can I find an ELEVATE Fitness Course near me or find out where new courses are being built? SL: Inquiries into ELEVATE come in daily at Burke, and it is best to connect with the Burke representative for your area to see if an ELEVATE course is nearby or if new projects are planned. Visit: www.bciburke.com/connect/findyour-representative www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
BRIAN JOHNSON
Brian Johnson serves as the Chief Marketing Officer for BCI Burke playground company, having joined the firm in 2007. Here he shares his passion for play for all abilities and ages with the teams he oversees, including Product Development, Design and Marketing. Prior to joining the company, Brian has held several senior sales and marketing leadership positions. Brian holds a B.S. in Business Management and Accounting from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside and an M.B.A. in Marketing from the Keller Graduate School of Management.
30 Years of Technical Excellence! GOLADRD
STAND
PROVLETNS RESU
SARAH LISIECKI
Sarah Lisiecki serves as a Marketing Communications Specialist with BCI Burke and combines a passion for play, the outdoors and movement with years of marketing and speaking experience. Sarah studied Communications and Political Science at the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire and has a variety of fitness certifications, including Indoor Cycling and Group Fitness Instruction.
LEIGH WALDEN
It all started with a … swingset. 12 years later fun abounds is still serving southern Texas’ park and rec needs, and owner, Leigh Walden, couldn’t be prouder of her company’s success. After Leigh’s husband experienced a layoff, she had no other choice but to help support her family. Emboldened by her daughter’s love of swinging tinged with necessity, Leigh started selling playgrounds. Almost instantly, what started as a necessity transformed into a passion for helping clients create playground memories filled with fun. As a Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI), Leigh also prioritizes safety and functionality in every project. www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
SUMMER 2018 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 21
Making Playground Surfacing Safe for Kids by Tim McNamara PLAYGROUND SAFETY is a top priority. Choosing the right playground surfacing can help you reduce the chance of injuries, bringing you one step closer toward creating a safer play environment. Choosing the best safety surfacing means looking at different factors, from budget to fall attenuation, accessibility and more. This safety surfacing overview is one tool you can use to determine what is right for your playground.
Surfacing Options
Poured-in-place surfacing offers safety plus a variety of shapes, colors, and designs. Ryan Gray Playground for All Children, Hillcrest Elementary, Lawrence, KS.
There are plenty of playground safety surfacing options to choose from; however, because ADA compliance is the law, this article only deals with ADA approved surfacing options – loose-fill and unitary. Loose-Fill Surfacing includes Engineered Wood Fiber (EWF) and rubber playground mulch. Why Use Loose Fill Surfacing • Provides excellent fall protection (shock absorption). • Typically, less expensive. • Easily and quickly installed. • EWF, similar in appearance to landscaping mulch, provides an attractive, natural look. • Shredded rubber playground mulch, typically from used tires, makes a great choice if using recycled products is a priority; it doesn’t decompose, is splinter-free, and extremely durable. Cons for Loose Fill Surfacing • The loose material makes it more difficult for a child with a mobility device to maneuver in. • Playground activity causes the loose surfacing to get displaced so it requires more frequent maintenance to meet guidelines. For instance, it may need to be “topped off ” to en-
22 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SUMMER 2018
sure the correct depth for compliance standards. • EWF mulch naturally decays, which requires it to be replenished over time. Unitary Surfaces include Poured-inPlace (PIP) rubber, Interlocking Rubber Tiles and Synthetic Grass with fall attenuation padding. Why Use Unitary Surfacing Smooth, seamless surface makes it easier for children with mobility devices to roll or walk over, making it a great solution for accessible playgrounds • Less maintenance required. • Playable in almost any weather. • No displacement of the surface means it won’t get “kicked out” from under equipment. • Provides the proper impact attenuation for playgrounds at a range of fall heights. • Poured-in-Place surfacing is available in a wide variety of colors, shapes and designs. • Synthetic Grass surfacing offers a natural appearance, with little maintenance and without the allergens associated with natural grass and its superior drainage means children can play sooner after a rain. • Unitary surfacing can last 10-15 years, which, along with lower maintenance costs, can offset the initial higher cost over the life of the product. • Easy to clean, non-skid surfaces. Cons for Unitary Surfacing • Typically, more infrastructure is needed, such as a concrete base. • More expensive initially due to infrastructure and materials.
Important Factors
A play equipment consultant can be a great resource for helping you insure that all critical fall heights and required safety www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
• Standing water can compromise impact attenuation (i.e., loose fill materials constantly under water may lose their fall-height rating). • Too much slope can cause loose fill surfacing materials to migrate to the lower end of a play area. • If the soil doesn’t allow water to pass through easily, a drainage system may be needed. • Freezing and thawing of standing water may lift and deform unitary materials causing them to lose resiliency and compliance. • Water-logged areas can turn loose fill surfacing into a ‘block’ of ice.
Planning for Playground Safety Surfacing
Kids can safely romp and roll around on soft synthetic grass. Security Benefit child care facility, Topeka, KS.
surfacing use zones are correct. Your consultant should also be able to help you with ADA compliance and required ADA access to the playground. • ADA Accessibility Legal Requirements The ADA establishes standards that require public facilities – which includes newly constructed and updated playgrounds – be readily accessible to, and usable by, individuals with disabilities. This means: • You must provide an accessible path to the playground, such as ramps and/or barrier-free travel routes that includes an accessible protective surfacing to each structure intended to be used by children with disabilities. • The playground must meet the ADA compliant ratios of accessible ground level and elevated play events. • Critical Fall Heights / Impact Attenuation According to the CPSC, falls to the playground surface account for nearly 70 percent of all injuries. A fall onto a hard surface, such as concrete, blacktop, or packed earth can cause serious injuries, so the surfacing under and around playground equipment is an extremely important safety measure. Head injuries, the most serious type of playground injury, can be reduced by using the proper shock-absorbing playground safety surface under and around play equipment. www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
Within the play area, safety surfacing must comply with ASTM regulations for impact attenuation. Safety surfacing manufacturers can provide fall attenuation data to enable you to make an informed decision about the depth needed for your surfacing material. Terms to know include: Fall height: defined as, “The vertical distance between a designated play surface and the playground surface beneath it.” Critical height: defined as, “The fall height below which a life-threatening head injury would not be expected to occur.” • Use Zones When surfacing a playground, there are compliance standards that must be met, which includes ensuring appropriate use zones around the playground equipment. A use zone is essential under and around equipment where a child might fall or be expected to land. This area should be free of other equipment and obstacles onto which a child might fall. For instance, the use zone in front and back of a swing should extend out a minimum distance of twice the height of the swing as measured from the top of the safety surfacing to the bottom of the top rail where the swings attach. For 8-foot swings, this means having 16 feet on either side, for a total of 32 ft. width. • Drainage and Topography Good drainage is a critical part of keeping the playground surfacing safe and usable. Other issues to keep in mind include:
When planning a new playground or playground renovation, know what ages and abilities your playground needs to accommodate. Then conduct an on-site review of the surfaces underneath and around the playground equipment, asking questions such as: • What is the highest deck height or highest upper body play piece of the equipment? • What is the depth needed for surfacing? • Where should the surfacing be placed? • Does it meet American Society for Testing & Materials (ASTM) standards and CPSC guidelines? • Does it have a proven track record in similar climates? • Is it readily available? • What are the playground’s drainage needs? • What is the impact attenuation (i.e., shock absorbing properties) or CFH of the playground surfacing?
TIM MCNAMARA
Tim McNamara is a Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI) and a design consultant for ABcreative, a company focused on creating the perfect park and playground for your school and community. Visit ABcreative. net for more playground solutions.
SUMMER 2018 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 23
Rethinking The Environmental Safety of Recycled Rubber Tire Mulch on Playgrounds Once lauded as an environmentally friendly cushioning solution, advocates are urging schools and parks to consider safer alternatives to recycled rubber tire mulch by Cathie Ericson and Nic Campesi ASK KIDS their favorite part of school, and chances are good they are going to say “Recess.” And that’s fantastic…after all the type of physical activity that kids get during recess1 has been proven to boost concentration and academic function, while, of course, improving physical health at a time when childhood obesity is at an all-time high2. However, while playgrounds now boast “safer” fall surfaces from the concrete and grass of old, new questions are being raised about the safety of a popular cushioning material—recycled rubber tire mulch. Once hailed as an excellent choice for its ability to cushion falls, as well as its environmentally friendly qualities, many data scientists, playground experts, and parents are taking a second look at the practice of recycling tires for kids’ play spaces. And they are not liking what they see.
Health Risks of Recycled Rubber Tire Mulch Surface
That’s because mulch made from used tires is increasingly being viewed as a potential environmental hazard. The problem doesn’t stem from the rubber itself, but rather the fact that these tires racking up highway miles in their former life were in constant contact with multitudes of pollutants, including petrochemicals, lead contaminants from roadway paint,
heavy metals, and oils, to name a few. The recycling process doesn’t remove the pollutants; it just grinds them up, which means they are making their way into our kids’ playgrounds. In fact, in a study commissioned by the non-profit group Environment and Human Health, Inc. in conjunction with Yale University 3, 96 chemicals were found in the rubber tire mulch used in playgrounds. Most of them sound more like something that should be encountered in an advanced chemistry class than on a playground, from dimethylanthracene, a respiratory irritant linked to asthma; to phthalimide, a skin, eye and lung irritant. Most worrisome, a substance called “carbon black,” used as a reinforcing filler and estimated to make up to 20 to 30 percent of every tire, is listed as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). As children play in this recycled rubber tire mulch, these toxins collect on their clothes and shoes and can find their way into mouths via hands that aren’t scrubbed as carefully as they should be.
Alternative Play Mulch Solutions Alleviate Safety Concerns—And Offer Other Benefits
These toxins are released into the air, particularly as temperatures rise, and the heat generated by rubber tire mulch can
24 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SUMMER 2018
be a serious problem on playgrounds, says Kenny Parker, the maintenance foreman at Ascension Parish Schools in Gonzales, Louisiana. The safety aspects of rubber tire mulch aside, Parker says that his department never cared for the product because of the heat it generated. “My guys had trouble staying in the play area without getting overheated,” he says, a problem that can be eliminated with other playground surfaces like Jelly Bean, a preconsumer virgin rubber mulch product that is made up of colorful pieces that don’t absorb the heat like recycled black tire rubber does. Parker recently changed out the playgrounds in the 16 primary schools he oversees. As the parent of three kids, ages 1, 8 and 10, Parker is laser focused on safety, and knew that if he had a concern then surely other parents would, too. “All it took was for us to replace the rubber tire mulch at the first playground, and word spread. We couldn't do the rest fast enough,” he says. John Monroe, the maintenance supervisor at Dyer County Schools in Dyersburg, Tennessee, has replaced the rubber tire mulch at eight playgrounds he oversees with Jelly Bean play mulch, with the final one scheduled for the near future. Because of numerous complaints he had received about the rubber tire mulch, he was researching alternatives and was sent a sample of Jelly Bean, which is sterile and latex-free and contains none of the toxins or harmful VOCs that can be found in tire mulch. He decided to try it at one school—it was so immediately popular with the families that it became their surface of choice. “It’s all we use now,” he says. In addition to feeling that it’s a safer product overall, Monroe is delighted that it solves another issue that had been a major grievance—the mess made by the carbon black from the tires. “The parents are so happy with this new play surface because they are no longer dealing with the black that would mark up the kids’ clothes, or the pieces that would find their way into the laundry via pockets.” In addition, the cleaning service at the schools have praised the change, noting www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
the benefits of no longer having to deal with the black rubber marks that would end up on floors and walls. But mostly, Monroe appreciates that Jelly Bean offers a safer alternative environmentally while retaining the “good fall” qualities playgrounds need. “It wasn’t healthy for the kids to be breathing those contaminants that would be floating in the air while they were playing.”
Money Matters
Of course, schools today grapple with tight budgets, so cost is always a factor. The good news is that Jelly Bean play mulch has proven to be extremely costeffective, given that it doesn’t have to be replaced as frequently, Monroe says. It also saves on labor, Parker adds. “The trucks deliver this mulch to the school in one-ton bags, compared to the rubber that came in pallets of individual 40-pound bags.” Monroe agrees that it is virtually maintenance free. “The kids kick it out a little, but we just take a rake to smooth it back down every now and then.” While he said the initial cost might be a little higher than recycled black tire rubber, he’s found the Jelly Bean play mulch to be more cost-effective in the long run, as it lasts longer and doesn’t need to be reconditioned.
A Growing Trend
Across the country, schools are heeding the worries about recycled rubber tire mulch and seeking alternatives. And they aren’t just making news in their school email update – they are making headlines as families bring attention to the danger of this common playground cover. Last year, Minneapolis Public Schools removed the tire mulch from its 47 playgrounds, citing environmental hazards, and prior to that elementary schools in Vermont4 made the change. From New York 5 and Connecticut 6 on the east coast to California 7 and Oregon 8 on the west, concerned parents are encouraging their school districts to make their playgrounds safer. One church in Englewood, N.J., has even brought suit against the manufacturer of the recycled rubber mulch covering that cushions its play structure. As more and more schools and parents become aware of the potential dangers of www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
The completed job at Ascension Parish Schools in Gonzales, LA. The surface had been rubber tire mulch, was removed, and replaced with non-toxic Jelly Bean rubber mulch.
recycled rubber tire mulch, expect new surface alternatives to be as popular as fidget spinners on playgrounds nationwide. Footnotes 1. https://www.theatlantic.com/amp/article/505850/ 2. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/obesity/ facts.htm
NIC CAMPESI
Nic Campesi is the CEO and Founder of Jelly Bean Rubber Mulch. Playground surface Jelly Bean is a 100 percent wire-free pre-consumer virgin rubber mulch product.
3. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/obesity/ facts.htm 4. http://kstp.com/news/minneapolis-publicschools-plans-removal-tire-mulch-crumb-rubber-school-playgrounds-/4471324/ 5. https://www.northwordnews.com/expert-recommends-that-rubber-mulch-on-school-districtplaygrounds-be-removed.html 6. https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Bill-banning-rubber-mulch-advances-11041907.php 7. https://benitolink.com/rubber-tire-mulchremoval-playgrounds-school-board-agenda 8. http://www.siskiyoudaily.com/news/20170510/ svusd-board-votes-to-replace-rubber-mulch-onplaygrounds
CATHIE ERICSON
Cathie Ericson is a freelance writer covering business and consumer topics. She creates branded content for Fortune 500 companies, and her work has appeared in LearnVest, Costco Magazine, Forbes, TheGlassHammer.com and IDEA Fitness. Follow her @cathieericson.
SUMMER 2018 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 25
A History of Play Provision in the Uk 26 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SUMMER 2018
by Ray Wills illustrations Dawn Jeanette Grant Harrison THE HISTORY OF PLAY PROVISION in the UK is short. It wasn't until the early 20th century that it really began. Prior to then, there were few attempts to provide children with any leisure activities apart from those led by the MacMillian sisters and church groups. Charles Wicksteed www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
What an extraordinary adventure We built those big adventure playgrounds in those pioneering days we used the best of timber constructed great walkways the kids came from the neighbourhood from two to twenty one they swung upon those Tarzan swings oh boy did they have fun The streets were full of laughter in those bye gone days when the kids did all gather there to while their days away there were tiny tots and punks with bikes skinheads and greasers too little kids in fancy dress and kids with just one shoe They built their wooden dens there and painted them real cool there were tall beams with commando nets with ramps and slides a few The games they played were roustabout run out and give chase there was laughter on the playgrounds then with smiles upon each face we used big tools and hammers with saws to cut and prime There were hordes of children playing there all having a special time the leaders all wore long hair and the kids were satisfied no health and safety limits then just common sense and rhymes. Ray Wills
built unsupervised playgrounds in his factory after watching children playing with some pipes left outside the gates of his factory, whilst the Danish architect Sorenson had a dream of children's playgrounds which came to fruition with his Emdrupt junk playground in 1943. The National Playing Fields Association (NFPA), established under royal charter in 1926, was led by Drummond Abernethy and his team of retired military officers. By 1960, NPFA had established www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
a play leadership department at their playfield house headquarters in London. Until then the NPFA had in the main promoted over 700 recreational playing fields throughout the UK and set national play provision standards for unsupervised playgrounds in close proximity to housing. Lady Marjorie Allen, whilst on one of her UNICEF excursions, visited the Emdrupt junk playground shortly after the war. She was extremely impressed with
what she saw there and returned to the UK leading a campaign to promote such sites in the UK. In the blitz and after, children were playing on the bombed sites of the cities creating their own playgrounds out of the rubble around them. There was great public concern during the war years as to their safety. Busy roads with heavy traffic and rising juvenile delinquency were concerns after the war. Marjorie, with the support of Drum-
SUMMER 2018 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 27
mond Abernethy and the NPFA, set up 17 trial junk playgrounds in the cities led by playworkers such as Harry Killick at Lollard Street adventure playground London. Following their success, others soon followed. Adventure playgrounds were places where children were able to do many things which they were not able to do elsewhere. They used tools to build dens out of waste materials and duckboards, lit fires, cooked, slid down aerial zip runways, created gardens, etc. These playgrounds were provided with free access, open to children of all ages most evenings, weekends, and during school holidays. These were established and managed by committees such as at Pat Smithes' Notting Hill, London and Gene Pecks' adventure playground at Sparkbrook in Birmingham. In the early days, most had just one paid full-time playworker whose role was as an enabler, friend, and supervisor. Initially, the leaders were called Wardens but soon gained the name Play Leader then finally, Playworker. The playgrounds category name had been changed from that of junk playgrounds to adventure playgrounds fol-
lowing meetings between Marjorie Allen, Drummond Abernethy and others. Until then, in the ’50s there were few schemes for children apart from games in the parks led by park wardens. Pat Turner set up adventure playgrounds in London and had great success with 1 o'clock clubs for mothers of infants in the London parks. Others like Joe Benjamin also had great success establishing successful adventure playgrounds. The growth of such schemes expanded throughout the 1960s with the success of Ed Burman's InterAction in Camden, London. Venture schemes by the YMCA at London and Romford and local councils play leadership schemes during school holidays such as 12 at Redditch were also successful. There was a huge growth in the early ’70s of both adventure playgrounds and play schemes nationally managed by local community play association, local councils, development corporations and charities such as Barnardos. Many new bodies were formed to promote and encourage this provision, such as the Fair Play for children campaign led by the Rev Trevor Huddleston, Bishop of Stepney with the film Children
28 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SUMMER 2018
Waiting. The Adventure Playground Workers Association and London Adventure Playground Association, etc. led by Mike Buckley, Jim Jackson and Pat Smythe were paramount in campaigning for adventure playground acceptance and standards. In the mid-seventies, the new towns, such as Donne Buck's, Bandley Hill adventure playground at Stevenage led this campaign supported by Jack Lambert's Welwyn Garden City with his Penguin Book's Adventure Playgrounds. The NPFA now chose to abandon the military link appointing play workers as regional play officers nationally to promote and support community groups and local councils. A range of in-service training courses was established nationally for the training of play workers at colleges such as Stockport and Goldsmiths in London as well as an Institute of Playwork established with its own full-time diploma course managed by Colin Mayne. There were now concerns over the safety on children using the unsupervised playgrounds situated close to the housing with tragic stories of fatalities. A campaign was led by the NPFA, Donne Buck, and Rosemary Hamburger and www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
Play & Playground
Events
others to provide safety surfaces for these playgrounds involving others like MP Raul Rose and TV celebrity Esther Rantzen. With the political restraints that followed during the Thatcher government years and the austerity measures introduced in recent years, a great many adventure playgrounds were shelved by local councils with restrictions on financial support or else with cuts in opening hours and staffing. All of this had a disastrous effect on play provision right across the board nationally plus many play bodies and organizations which had evolved like Play Board were no longer able to function. Despite these concerns and the restraints imposed by the new health and safety standards legislations, many adventure playgrounds are still operating successfully. Places like the Wrexham Land Adventure Playground have adopted new schemes. A few which started up in the adventure playground heyday, such as at East Dulwich Dog Kennel Hill, London, and Fernheath Play Center, Bournemouth, are still functioning as originally designed.
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RAY WILLS
Ray Wills was himself a playworker in the early 1960s. He trained under the direction of Drummond Abernethy at NPFA s Playfield House then went on to establishing new adventure playgrounds at Birmingham, Stevenage, East Dulwich London, Rogerstone South Wales, Skelmersdale, and Bournemouth. He also worked on other adventure playgrounds in London at Camden, Kennington, Notting Hill, Hammersmith, and Battersea. Ray previously wrote handbooks on play topics for the NPFA (now Fields in Trust). Rays new book covers all those years in depth. Much of it is based on his own experiences with the children on these playgrounds and in campaigning for children's play generally.The book is available online and is titled VENTURES IN CHILD’S PLAY
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Get Ray's new book at www.lulu.com/shop/raymond-wills/ventures-in-childs-play/hardcover/ product-23569423.html SUMMER 2018 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 29
REEVE'S PEEVES AND OBSESSIONS
Bringing Basketball to the Art Museum
by Reeve Brenner Just imagine artists Paul Klee, Joan Miró and Wassily Kandinsky at a Bankshot Playcourt, with a basketball in their hands and seeing for the first time these striking geometries in a bold inviting display. Also imagine famous sculptors Alexander Calder and Marcel Duchamp being asked to shoot a ball at these structures, which they inspired with whim and fancy. They might witness and bear testimony for themselves the transformation of art into the playful world of sports. It would be what Frank Stella, an abstractionist artist, called "form” transforming into an inclusionary affordance he called “function." The functionality these sports structures present to children and adults, who have never heard of this art form, will perhaps only be seen as a sport’s challenge. But form, when Bankshot structures are viewed alongside Frank Stella’s work, is at once evident. Children of all ages, sizes, shapes, and diversity, including those with physical and cognitive challenges, participate together achieving real socialization and integration of the community within the world of art and play.
Bankshot's appearance provides a range of impetuously colored configurations, alternating with glowing abstract shapes and excursions relative to Picasso (when he was in his Cubist stage), Frank Stella's humongous-gigantic abstractionist structures (at the new Whitney Museum of American Art) and Alexander Calder’s Stabiles. All the while, participants are immersed in what Sports Illustrated, (in a 1991 article entitled the "Rabbi of Roundball"), referred to as an experience merging art with play: “With their odd shapes and bright colors, Brenner’s backboards have a surreal, futuristic look, like hoop saplings sprung from radioactive soil.” Although, for the most part, created at the Wingate Sports Institute outside of Netanya, the Israel National Museum in Jerusalem was the first international art museum, foreshadowing several others, to exhibit Bankshot as sports structures with the opportunity for play and participation. Available outdoor in the courtyard is a bin of basketballs in various sizes for visitors to choose from. Indoor, wall-hangings display Bankshot Bankboards merging art and play. Since then, the design department of The Museum of Modern Art in New York;
30 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE SUMMER 2018
the Boston children’s Museum and the Bridgeport Connecticut Science Museum have placed Bankshot on permanent display indoors in space for that purpose. The Children’s Museum of Memphis (CMOM) has a Bank-around-the-circle Bankshot play court. Bankshot simultaneously art and play constitute a kind of spiritual union formed within the surrounding post-modern space conceived as universal design and set aside for the socialization and the integration of a community. An important and novel aspect about Bankshot is its educational merit. The game offers an enriched play environment composed of a series of novel sports challenges that invigorate the brain with mind-nurturing play experiences. Bankshot's design is also intended to stimulate motor coordination in a dynamic kid-friendly, inclusionary game. Because of Bankshot's spatial relationships, particularly in geometrical composition and court design, the Bankshot court is part of a new genre in the art/ play/think world of wonder. It combines creative and scientific elements to produce an advanced participatory art form for today's young person. Bankshot is pure physics: an exercise in translating science into action. (Florida Park & Recreation Quarterly)
REEVE BRENNER See more from Rabbi Reeve Brenner at www.playgroundprofessionals. com/contributors/reeve-brenner
www.bankshot.com www.nareletsplayfair.com www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
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OUTDOOR-FITNESS, INC.
501-455-3342 15109 Elm St, Alexander AR 72002 (405) 721-3506 8501 Mantle Ave, Oklahoma City OK 73132
ADVANCED RECREATIONAL CONCEPTS
512-847-2473 1818 Flite Acres Rd, Wimberley TX 78676
508-222-4808 53 Wells Lane, Attleboro MA 02703
778-285-8060 1585 Broadway St #116, Coquitlam BC V3C 2M7 Canada (719) 488-3812 P.O. Box 1470, Monument CO 80132
FUN KIDS CORP.
PACIFIC PLAY SYSTEMS, INC.
BC6 BUILDERS
GENERAL RECREATION, INC
PARKFORMS INC.
BYO RECREATION
HEISLER LANDSCAPE GENERAL ENGINEERING, INC.
PENCHURA, LLC
866-957-2356 3125 Skyway Cir, Melbourne FL 32934 United States 701-590-0024 941 11th St E, Dickinson ND 58601 800-853-5316 101 E Town Pl, St Augustine FL 32092
CLS OUTDOOR SERVICES 901-428-8836 P.O.Box 790, Atoka TN 38004
CENTRAL COAST PLAYGROUNDS 805-934-1814 715 Pinal Ave, Orcutt CA 93455
COASTAL PARK & RECREATION (805) 441-2952 3075 Falda Rd, Atascadero CA 93422
COMMUNITY PLAYGROUNDS 800-559-8787 200 Commercial St, Vallejo CA 94589
CUSTOM PLAYGROUNDS, INC
815-708-8540 9957 North Alpine, Road #100 Machesney Park IL 61115
DG SERVICES, INC.
704-924-0200 Charlotte NC 28105
DAKOTA FENCE
701-852-6263 1915 20th Ave. SE, Minot ND 58702
DUNRITE PLAYGROUNDS
(888) 882-1929 11011 Clodine Rd, Richmond TX 77407
305-471-7776 7690 Nw 63th St, Miami FL 33166 800-726-4793 25 Reese Ave, Newtown Square PA 19073
714-633-4405 PO Box 2002, Orange CA 92859
INTERNATIONAL PLAY COMPANY
604-607-1111 27353 58 Crescent, #215 Langley BC V4W 3W7 Canada
LEA PARK & PLAY INC.
760-599-7355 3226 Grey Hawk Ct, Carlsbad CA 92010
407-242-0120 14 S. Main St, Winter Garden FL 34787 810-229-6245 889 S. Old US 23, Delaware, OH 43015
PLAY IT SAFE PLAYGROUNDS & PARK EQUIPMENT 480-347-8486 7931 E Pecos Rd, #160 Mesa AZ 85212
PLAY POLES PTY LTD
800-237-4739 1701 N Greenville Ave, Richardson TX 75081
61-7 5445 5259 33 Altona Avenue, Kunda Park QLD 4556 Australia
LEATHERS AND ASSOCIATES
PLAY SAFE WITH JESUS
1-877-564-6464 725 N. A1A, Unit E201 Jupiter FL 33477
LUCKYDOG RECREATION 800-388-2196 P.O. Box 603, Ashton ID 83420
MAY RECREATION PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT & WATERPARK DESIGN (281) 363-1908 3 Sunspree Pl, Spring TX 77382
NATIONAL PLAYGROUND CONSTRUCTION INC (866)345-6774 205 Garfield St, Carlisle IA 50047
NORTHWEST PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT
(425) 313-9161 345 NW Dogwood St, Issaquah WA 98027
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
(903) 596-9236 1505 Dennis Dr, Tyler TX 75701
PLAY SPACE SERVICES, INC. 888-653-7529 3125 Skyway Cir, Melbourne FL 32934
PLAYGROUNDS ETC.
432-687-6388 1410 W Texas Ave, Midland TX 79701
PLAYGROUNDS USA
305-471-0035 7680 Nw 63th St, Miami FL 33166
PLAYHARD PLAYGROUND INSTALLATION
480-990-8399 236 W Mahoney Ave, Mesa AZ 85210
Consult our list of playground installers taken from the PGP Spotlight Directory.
PLAYSITES + SURFACES, INC. 631-392-0960 103 Brightside Ave, Central Islip NY 11722
R.D. COLLINS & SONS
302-218-4200 19 Shellbark Drive, Bear DE 19701
REALE ASSOCIATES INC.
781-837-6136 PO Box 2316, Ocean Bluff MA 02065
RIVER VALLEY RECREATION 800-455-8666 1178 Nursery Rd, Wrightsville PA 17368
SIERRA WINDS
775.348.6113 592 California Ave, Reno NV 89509
SLIDE INNOVATIONS
(404) 304-9239 1995 Shedd Rd, Bremen, Bremen GA 30110
SOUTHEAST TURF LLC
(704) 622-9256 129 Live Oak Lane, Mooresville NC 28115
SUMMIT RECREATION
877-465-2286 883 Parfet Street, Unit I, Lakewood CO 80215
TAORMINA ENTERPRISES LLC
(757) 549-9267 1706 Vinton Cir, Chesapeake VA 23323
WALNUT GROVE PLAYGROUNDS (513) 923-4880 3627 Hanley Rd, Cincinnati OH 45247
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SUMMER 2018 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 31
The Authority on Play Structures, Amenities, and Industry Trends...
Take a look back on over 15 years of vital play and playground information with us.
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