For Your Binder

Children's Places of Secrecy and Play: A Playworker's Guide to Dens and Forts

What are your childhood memories of dens and forts? Did you build them? Play in them? I was THRILLED when I found this resource online, especially when I saw that you can download the entire document, pictures and all!!! #playwork #dens #forts #adventureplaygrounds #playgrounds #outside #play 

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State of Play: How tot lots became places to build children’s brains
2010

The city has come to realize that it must provide for its children, that they have a right to play as well as to work. NYC Mayor Seth Low, 1903. 

So what happened?  #play #playgrounds #outside #movement #adventureplaygrounds #playwork  Of note, depending on how often you access articles in The New Yorker, you might need to sign up for this one.

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Visualizing Spaces of Childhood
2014

This article explores the connection between our image of the child and our understanding of children’s spaces. #playgrounds #play #panopticon

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How to play without toys? A playwork experimentation in Paris
2018

Loose parts were provided on playgrounds located in two housing structures in Paris. The researchers had questions:  How will children play with objects that are not toys? How do the objects affect children's play? #play #toys #playwork #adventureplaygrounds #recess #outside

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Playgrounds, kids and making trouble
2010

May your playground be filled with little troublemaking revolutionaries! #playgrounds #play #parenting #outside #panopticon

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Comparing Injury Rates on a Fixed Equipment Playground and an Adventure Playground
2018

Data was collected over a five year span.  Anyone wanna take any guesses? Yup! You guessed it! The adventure playground was statistically safer.  #adventureplaygrounds #playgrounds #play #risk #movement #recess #playwork #outside 

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The Return of Play
2017

From the author: "I felt like a birdwatcher that had spotted a rare species."  How refreshing!  #play #teaching #learning #adventureplaygrounds #outside #nature #playwork #playgrounds #risk

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Children's Outdoor Play & Learning Environments: Returning to Nature
1998

Limiting playgrounds to manufactured equipment short-changes children of rich, playful, outdoor experiences!  #play #outside #nature #movement

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Creating Inclusive Playgrounds: A Playbook of Considerations and Strategies
2022

Worth the cost of the ink to print out all 140 pages!  From page 11:

This playbook aims to give readers:

• insight into gaps and issues inherent in thinking about inclusive playground design and practice

• insight into how inclusive playgrounds and their surroundings are experienced together

• potential strategies that will contribute to project discussions, designs, budgets, and more

• a depth and breadth of ‘how to’ guidance for designing inclusive playgrounds

• ways to ensure that any inclusively designed playground and its surrounding environment are accessible and welcoming to children with disabilities and their families

#play #inclusion #accessibility #equity #environment #recess #playgrounds #DAP #movement #outside #teaching #learning

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Playground or panopticon?
2018

The history of the playground is a story of control.  Read more about it in this article and BONUS! There is an embedded link to their podcast episode (40 min) of the same title!  #play #panopticon #playgrounds #outside 

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Monkey Bars Are a Menace! They broke my daughter’s arm. Why are they still around?
2012

Short of cocooning our darlings in bubble wrap, nothing’s going to keep them completely safe. #play #outside #risk #movement #parenting #teaching #playgrounds

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The public playground paradox: "child's joy" or heterotopia of fear?
2019

Is the playground a community within a community? How do we familiarize children with their community while also making sure the community is familiar with children, their presence and their play?   #playgrounds #play #outside

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