Children's need of a good environment of playing
outdoor at schoolyards is, both from a perspective
of commonly public's health and from the children
themselves, indisputable. Children who have a
good and varying playground develop physically,
psychologically and socially. As an instrument of
pedagogic a playground also is valuable for example
in teaching the round, periodical successions
and understanding of democratic processes. The
conception playground means here in my work the
environment outdoor for children at schools up to
about twelve years old.
What is a good playground then? How is it
possible for a landscape architect to contribute
improvements? The purpose of my work has
been to enlarge my knowledge about playgrounds,
understand more of the profession as a landscape
architect and apply a perspective of children in the
planning.
To sum up, the shaping of playgrounds has great
importance for the activities of the children and if
the teachers make use of it, the teaching.
A good playground gives the delight, the excitement
and the curiosity free spaces and stimulates new
challenges. There are places where the children are
free to play as they want. Natural environments with
its variableness and rich content of loose parts have
a certain importance in playing. And as these places
are not beforehand decided for specified activities
the children are free to create their own spaces and
that is a central meaning of how children experience
their outdoor environment. A broad offer of places
is important but to create a landscape of playing
you also need to find something which will keep
the different functions together. Stones, water, sand
and soil are elements which give many different
use as well as vegetation and differences of height.
Other important aspects of a good playground are
accessible entrance and freedom from traffic of
vehicles.
At the same time as I have studied literature,
consulted the staff of the school, administrators
and those who are responsible of looking after the
playgrounds, I have drawn sketches to show how to
revitalize three different playgrounds. These projects
have also been realized while I have been doing
this work and that has also given me knowledge
about the whole process of creating and changing
playgrounds in to the better. I have also got practical
experiences how to create such environment of
outdoor playing I speak for.
The evaluation of the revitalized playgrounds in
my projects shows that the outdoor activities of
the children have increased booth in quality and
quantity. The consultations have taken time and
ought to take time. To get the best result all involved
parts ought to put their influence at the shaping of
a playground. Construction firms cost a lot but are
necessary as it needs extensive work of the ground
which the school doesn't manage itself.
Children wish exciting environments where they
can put their own influence upon while adults often
put the safety, the possibilities to overview and the
look of a tidy playground in the first room. The need
of a stimulating environment of playing is the same
as the need of safety and regu...
