Nicholas Day looked at how playgrounds have changed over the years…and what the next big thing might be:

• After the 1970s Americans became more concerned about the safety of the playground and replaced things like merry-go rounds with the brightly coloured spongy hard plastic material you see at most playgrounds today.
• However this made playgrounds boring. And ultimately this is worse for the health of a child because this encourages them to stay inside at home, thus neglecting exercise and contributing to health issues.
• Efforts to make playgrounds more interesting since then have failed due to the fear of lawsuits.
• Enter the “Imagination Playground” which simply gives children giant blue blocks to move around, build structures with, and ultimately have fun with.
• At the Imagination Playground “play associates” – a common sight in the UK – oversee the fun to ensure that everybody is having a good time and no blocks go missing.

See photos of the Imagination Playground and read more about how it works over here.

Source: Slate