Gone playin’

In the sweet, wild grass

Close to the salty shore

We’re gonna have a whale of a time

See you soon

Sand Wasps close down playgrounds in Montreal and Gatineau, Quebec

An infestation of sand wasps is responsible for closing close to 100 playgrounds in Gatineau and the Montreal area. CTV News story here

ScreenShot Mondays – Playground Ideas

A couple of Mondays per month, PlayGroundology screenshots a cyberspot that focuses on playgrounds, or play. I hope readers dive in and explore. Even if you’ve seen the selection before, take a moment and check to see what content has been added recently.

Playground Ideas

Think of this as a very slow stumble upon, an invitation to relish something new or to revisit an old friend. Some of the people and places may be household names in the world of play and playgrounds, others not so much. I hope all will pique your interest in what they have to offer and further your own possibilities for playfulness.

What I immediately enjoyed at Playground Ideas was the sense of resourcefulness that informs their approach to do-it-yourself playgrounds. There is hope here too and dreams – just look at the wonderful iconography of a child swinging from a shade bearing cloud. Playground Ideas works with a clientele that is far too populous.

We design and build great playspaces to improve the education, wellbeing, and safety of the world’s most disadvantaged children – and we support and train others to do the same.

Registering on the site provides access to more material such as the Playground Manual and the design section. It also enables readers to contribute content of their own. The registration process is quick and painless.

In addition to running small, sustainable projects in Asia, South America, Africa and Oceania, Playground Ideas has also promoted and managed an international design competition.
Photo credit – Playground Ideas

There’s a lot to see and take in here including photos, video, designs and an interesting collection of books.

It’s a great idea to do sustainable, small scale work with local communities to bring playgrounds to the kids.

More Popular Posts from the 1st Year

This is a grab bag of more popular posts from PlayGroundology’s year one. If you missed them first time around, here’s your chance to take a peek at what others have enjoyed.

Monster Mash – Conservation Wins the Day in San Gabriel, California – San Gabriel, California
So, you want to go play in a lagoon with monsters? Have I got the place for you. It’s not on the bayou, no endangered mangrove swamps at risk and no flora or fauna about to die off though the playground itself was threatened with extinction in the very recent past.

Chilean Miners Playground – Industrial Ingenuity – Chuquicamata, Chile
Otherworldly with a touch of the surreal describes some unique play structures that sit quietly in Chuquicamata, a former mining town in northern Chile. Located in the Atacama desert, the most arid on the planet, Chuqui is encircled by foothills of slag and tailings from nearly 100 years of mineral exploitation.

Playground Access for All Abilities
Research study, after research study has proven that children need to play. Children need to play because it makes them healthier and less likely to become obese. Children need to play because it makes them more focused in school. Children need to play because it teaches them social skills that are essential to becoming adept adults. Although play has been decreasing from our landscape, many children are still out there playing on playgrounds.

Going Philatelic in Singapore – Singapore
Singapore Post recently gave a hats off to playgrounds with a special issue of commemorative stamps. There are six playgrounds featured on the stamps which extol the virtues of play in developing social skills and physical coordination.

Where Have all the Children Gone Long Time Passing?
New Yorker, Lenore Skenazy is advocating a change in mindset around play, trust and responsibilty as it affects kids. There’s no mistaking her passion for what has become a favourite subject matter. You may have read about Lenore in the national press, or heard her getting interviewed on major television networks. She was responsible for the ‘Take Our Children to the Park… & Leave Them There Day’ campaign in May of 2010.

PlayGroundology is now doing a wee bit of tweetin’. Check us at @playgroundology