"It's All Child's Play"

A story from my memory notebook, about the grade school playground from when I was a kid. I might add that at a later point, there were also "swinging gates" and a hemisphere jungle gym. Enjoy, and see what you remember (first, a couple of drawings to perhaps jog your memory):





Ask any kid what their favorite subject is at school, and surely at least some of them are liable to say "lunch" or "recess." I think about any kid likes a playground, whether it be at a city park or at a school.

Old-time country schools were rather sparse on playground equipment, it seems. Of course back then, times were simpler, and playgrounds reflected that. There might be a merry-go-round or a swing. Games, and things using a kid's imagination, filled out playtime.

As a grade-schooler, I really enjoyed our playground there in C ___ . It had a large variety of stuff to play on. Including a really tall slide that safety rules eventually caused to be taken out. [Note: Same with the tall high-dive at the swimming pool!]

Injuries abounded - as seen in the drawings - such as skinned knees, bloody noses, and blisters from the monkey bars. I cracked my shin a good one on the edge of the flat merry-go-round. I still have the scar. [Note: My brother had it a little worse, he broke his arm falling from the jungle gym when he was a 5th grader.]

Playgrounds today seem to all have that "big toy" set-up for kids to climb over, which our boys have enjoyed. ("Ahem" - me too on occasion!) Thankfully, play is timeless. Kids of any time, and "kids" of any "age" can enjoy playing. Now, where are the bandaids?