A Few Kind Words

Photo source – freepik

Over the nearly 10 years of writing PlayGroundology, I’ve had the pleasure to correspond, speak with and meet a farflung group of people who help improve the world of play for kids. I am fortunate that through a series of accidental circumstances play found me. Many thanks to those who offer encouragement such as the people below and others I have not been able to include here.

A few kind words can go a long, long way….

 

Another nice one, Alex! Whoever designed this and installed it should get an award. There are only a few practical dynamic sculptures that are also interactive and illuminated. Brilliant

Donne Buck – 2019 (UK). Donne was a playleader and campaigner for children’s right to play since the 1950s and is a benefactor of the V & A Museum of Childhood’s Donne Buck Archive of Play and Playgrounds.

 

Since you inspired us to start an initiative in Serbia, it is my pleasure to share with you our page (PlayGroundology Srbija) which seeks to gather like-minded people and initiatives on a mission of creating a wider range of play opportunities for kids in public spaces here in Serbia, starting from our capital city Belgrade. 

Marija Brave – 2019 (Serbia)

 

…thank you for your considered approach to the documentary.  These shows are deceptively simplistic.  They actually require a huge deal of thought and planning.  It is affirming to have someone like you give it some serious attention. It was a pleasure to read your post. 

Christine McLean – Director,  The Power of Play – 2019 (Canada).

 

Hi Alex and thanks for this timely, energising and acute overview and call to action. I so agree that the tide is turning on risk in play. I am especially grateful for the following wind you are giving to my report. It aims to influence municipal decision-makers, for sure – but it will only do this if play advocates around the world take a leaf out of your book, step up to the plate and make the case in City Hall. Good luck with all your efforts, in Nova Scotia and far beyond.

Tim Gill – Rethinking Childhood – 2018 (UK)

 

Alex Smith, an advocate and aficionado for all-things “playground” stopped by our St. James park playground with his daughter Nellie-Rose on a recent trip to Toronto from Halifax.  Alex is the creator and author of the world-renowned Playgroundology blog which documents the past, present and future of playgrounds around the world.  He is a huge advocate of play in all shapes and forms and curates really interesting content about nature play and risky play.

We were honoured to have him stop by our St. James playground construction site to get a sneak peak of what kids in downtown Toronto have in store for them!

Earthscape – 2018 (Canada)

 

Thank you for this! I just visited Copenhagen and bumped into these structures and was completely in love with them. Didn’t know who created them until I found your article!

Jenny – 2018

 

I enjoyed this article. I am a Girl Guide leader in Pickering, Ontario and have taken our girls camping several times over the last 21 years. This kind of experience is extremely valuable to both the kids and their leaders but the venues are dwindling. We are loosing almost all of our Girl Guide camp locations in Ontario and now are scrambling to find privately owned alternatives. Sadly Camp Samac is gone, too.

Gail O’Donnell – Girl Guide leader – 2018 (Canada)

 

I was one of those kids in point St Charles in 70’s and remember all the fun it was really at great experience it was like Lord of the flies in a good way we decided what got built no helicopter mom’s back then thank you all who took part in the adventure it truly was great.

Betsy – 2017 (Canada)

 

Brilliant work! What we have been attempting to promote, with some successes and many frustrations. We are trying to show the public the merits of old-fashioned play by means of our Childhood Memories Project that had its start in Australia some 25 years ago. Please have a look at our developing website, Childhoodmemories.com. Congratulations to all who have had the courage and creativity to return childhood to children in so many way.

Dr. Gary Pennington, Professor Emeritus, UBC – 2017 (Canada)

 

Founder Alex Smith has been advocating for a, “wider range of play opportunities for kids in public spaces,” since early 2010. Since then, his blog has grown to encompass every aspect of playgrounds, and how they are advancing worldwide along with a greater appreciation on the impact and benefits of play itself. The site’s blog posts often feature wonderful photos of both natural playscapes and imaginatively designed playgrounds. Thousands of people visit Alex’s blog and enjoy his perspective and advocacy every single day. We encourage you to become one of them.

Goric Playgrounds – 2016 (US)

 

Love this post. The contrast between the kids playing in the dirt and the emptiness of the lovely, city-approved playground. You totally captured it!

The late Bernie DeKoven – 2016 (US)

 

It’s not your classical baby, toddler and parenting website, but we decided to include it in our list because it’s a very useful and inspiring resource for anyone who’s responsible for raising a child.

Smart Baby HQ – 2015 (UK)

 

So excited to discover your website this morning! We are about to build our playground in the Project Somos Children’s Village here in Guatemala. We value play for the well-being and healing of kids and are thoughtfully thinking about all facets and details of the playground.

Heather Alicia – Project Somos – 2013 (Guatemala)

 

I recently joined some new educator community groups with a keen interest on play and play research and your input is going to be so interesting and of value to them!

Sarah Wong – writer and play advocate – 2012 (Singapore)

 

…it’s safe to say that his site stands out as one of the most informative sites on play on the Internet. It deepens readers’ understanding of the social, artistic, creative implications that playground design can have on the individual and on the community.

Megan Rosker – writer and play advocate in Huffington Post – 2012 (US)

 

I think you’ve done an excellent job on this, and I know it will be really useful as part of the literature for this project. AYEKOO! (Well Done:  ah-yee-koh) as we say in Ghana. Thanks again, Alex, for helping to revive this important book at an opportune moment.

Amowi Phillipps – Mmofra Foundation, Playtime in Africa – 2012 (US and Ghana)

 

Your blog is fun just to look at and think about – the groovy playgrounds around the world, kids laughing, and sunny outdoors.  It makes you think, “If we only had more of this – fewer psych meds.”

Stanton Peele, psychologist, lecturer on addiction, author and contributor to Psychology Today – 2011 (US)

 

hi alex! happy b-day to playgroundology! up next appears to be something invovling  tv. i hope it’s fun — we have yet to start making the show, but it will promote the ideas you and i are always pushing: less hovering, more free time, more free play, more fun and self reliance. and how about you?

Lenore Skenazy – Free Range Kids – 2011 (US)

 

Our bill is just a signature away from being Law. This is probably the greatest of all our accomplishments. We hope this can be the beginning of a discussion you have been waiting for on your blog. Preservation of playgrounds, as resources of art, play, culture.

Eloy Zarate – Friends of La Laguna – 2010 (San Gabriel, California)

 

Thanks for joining us on the journey…