Honoring Other Important Play Enthusiasts: Friedrich Froebel by Laura

I’m always surprised when educators, especially those of young children, are not familiar with the work of Friedrich Froebel. Froebel is the “father” of the kindergarten concept.

Froebel studied the natural sciences as well as architecture and had a profound understanding of the interconnectedness between the two disciplines. Under the direction of Anton Gruener, headmaster of thePestalozzianFrankfurtModelSchooland the teachings of Johann Henrich Pestalozzi, Froebel, became a teacher for young children. He was greatly influenced by Pestalozzi’s respect for young children and valued the way that Pestalozzi created an emotionally secure environment to cultivate a child’s learning.

In 1837, Froebel, created the first “garden of children” or “kindergarten” based upon the philosophy that children would learn and develop in their own way through self-guided activities and play. Froebel’s approach was to foster a child’s self actualization and awareness by facilitating the child to discover the relationships between geometric forms and shapes, architecture and even mathematics in the natural world around them.  Specifically he did this with a combination of organized block play (“Gift play”), arts and crafts with different types of materials (“Occupations”), free play, along with songs and stories.

Gift Play:

The Gifts (sets of blocks) were developed for children to play with and to experience the concept of many parts making a whole and visa versa. Each block set was made up of small blocks making up one large cube. This was conceptualized every time the child took out and put away the gift: the blocks were stored in a wooden box with a sliding lid; the children start by turning the box onto the table and carefully sliding the lid out and then lifting up the box. The child is left with the entire cube structure in tact. At that point he or she may take each block down and create something new. If the child wants to change or create a new structure then he or she must transform the previous structure and not just knock the old one down; they learn to be resourceful and to think creatively.

When it is time to put the blocks away the child rebuilds the cube with all of the pieces on top of the lid and then carefully covers the cube with the wooden box; he/she flips over the box and slides the lid back into place.

Gift 4: 8 oblong blocks.  Gift 4 follows gift 3 which is 8 cubes.

Turn over the box and slide out the lid.

The full cube is intact. The box and lid are usually stored under the seat until it is time to put the gift away.

This is an example of a child’s creation with the blocks.  The story, which she will share with the group, is about a girl walking through the forest which the blocks represent.

Time to put the blocks away; stack them onto the lid.

The box and/or hands may be used to ensure that the blocks are flush so that it is easy to place the box over top of them -this becomes especially important in the later gifts which comprise of many more blocks including triangular blocks in gift 5.

Slide the box over the blocks and turn over the box while holding on to the lid.

I am sure it was Froebel’s intent that the routine of taking out and putting back the blocks as described would instill a sense of responsibility and respect for the materials given to the child.  This respect and understanding of how to treat what has been given to them “the gifts”, shapes their view and the way they treat nature and others around them. This is also due in part to the way that the gifts are presented to the child as “a representation of the natural world around them”.  This is all so clear to me as an adult as I look upon my own experience as a child, when I attended a Froebel School, in Mississauga, ON, Canada, and played with the gifts on a regular basis.

In the next blog posts I will talk more about gift play and other type of play advocated by Friedrich Froebel. Stay tuned.

True Tree Houses

Over the years we have seen all kinds of play structure and some of the most creative and artistic have been found in Germany and throughout Europe.  I’d like to share some pictures of really unique tree houses.  I don’t foresee them on any North American public playgrounds any time soon but we can still admire them and be inspired by them.

 

We have followed and kept in touch with this tree house creator, Jürgen Bergmann, over the years and have enjoyed seeing what he brings to life.  Tree houses are just one of his specialties and we look forward to seeing more of his work in the future.

Why do Playgrounds Get Boring?

There was a park and a small playground behind the house that I grew up in.  It was a typical playground of the 60’s and 70’s:  Swings, see saws, and a free-standing slide.  I loved this playground; I spent endless hours swinging on the swings when the swings weren’t twisted around the top crosser (good thing I had an older brother who could shimmy up the posts and untangle the swing chains –I’m not kidding).   I never got sick of climbing the ladder of the slide, standing on the top to feel the height (at least 8′), and then sliding down to a pit of worn out gravel.  The pit seemed so inevitable at the time (now there are all kinds of ways retain adequate surfacing at the end of slides and under swings).

*See Saw picture from Wikipedia, from a park in Montreal.

I liked the see saw but very much disliked the bang I felt when my partner jumped off unsuspectingly (side note: I went on the Rodeo see saw a few weeks ago at a local park. My partner on the see saw was close to my weight, so that was a good start, and the bounce on the stopper below the seat was really soft and nice. No longer do I fear the bang of the sea saw).

Then one day a new play structure appeared -it could have grown out of the ground for all I knew about playgrounds, they just seemed to appear.  It looked like so much fun!  I remember it exactly: it was wooden with two slides (one short, 4′ high and one higher, 6′) with a bridge connecting the two slide platforms, a few different ways of climbing to and from the platforms and a tire swing attached to the side (which really dates this since swings/tire swings are not allowed to be attached to structures now).

After a few weeks of climbing the structure, my interest started to wane.  Mostly I used the platforms to pretend I was on a boat or in a house but initial excitement of climbing the static ladders or stairs to the platform was lost.  The tire swing, on the other hand, never got old.  Would I sit or lie in it? Maybe stand and swing it with the pushing of my legs.  I could spin, swing, spin and swing, use it by myself or with many others; it was endless. Looking back I realize why parts of the playground became so boring. There was no drive or interest in doing those things which I had accomplished a million times already; interest remains when there is movement or an additional challenge.

*I love this video because it really shows how children can use the equipment in different ways depending on their ability and comfort level (Please note: resilient surfacing is required in America; these videos were taken in Europe).

Equipment that can move is different from static play elements because it can be used and manipulated in countless ways.  When I pump my legs back and forth on a swing I’m trying to get higher or swing faster and it feels exhilarating. I can control the speed of a standing spinner by pulling in and pushing out my body. Every time I make something move I’m experimenting with the effect of my actions and challenging myself to the next level and it feels good. How could this experience, that feels continuously new and fresh, get boring?  It never did.  I would still like to jump on a wobbly bridge, slide down a long slide and sway on something like the Grass (the swings make me a little sea sick now).  One of the fun aspects of being human is experiencing how your body works and moves with and around other objects.

Would you like to experience the movement of the playground again? What is your go-to piece of playground equipment? Or is there some other physical activity that brings you joy and challenge?  I love to dance and to spin around the dance floor.  Rick loves to play squash.  And what about you?

P.S. I don’t want to downplay the importance of climbing structure,  I just want to remind us all of the importance of moving equipment on playgrounds. More can always be said but let’s leave that for another blog entry! 🙂

Playground pictures and blogs

As social media has become more popular so has sharing pictures and ideas about playground design and concepts. I was just adding some pictures to our flikr page and that got me to thinking about all of the other great playground pictures and blogs out there.  A couple came to mind right away. (By the way, click here to see uploaded pictures from today )

I headed over to the playgroundology blog and quickly realized that they had the exact same idea a few days ago!  So I figured I would just link to their lovely blog listing a variety local playground blogs. Take a look!

Probably one of the most popular playground design blogs is Playscapes.  They have lots of great pictures of playgrounds from all over the world and over the ages -I’ve reposted or tweeted some really fun ones.

And one more I just have to share from Playable10 “the annual global search for inspiring play”.  See the winners and honorable mentions as well as all kinds of amazing pictures and thoughtful blog posts.

My Confession, as an Aunt on the Playground

According to ASTM 1487 & the CPSC we have two age groups, 2-5 & 5-12, for playground equipment (and now a new standard for 6-23mo).  In short, the standards are based on anthropometric data (comparative sizes/measurements of children at age 2, 5 &12), empirical data of types of injuries on playgrounds and the developmentally appropriateness of the types of equipment.

For example, the CPSC says that horizontal ladders should not be used for 2 and 3 year olds; At age 4 children start to develop the physical ability to use upper body equipment such as horizontal overhead ladders, overhead rings & track rides (CPSC 5.2.4). I get it.  And as an onlooker I see parents put their children on equipment which is not developmentally appropriate  for them and I think “hey, they aren’t ready for that!” and the problem is that the children may think that they can use that same equipment when their parent isn’t there to help them.

But when I’m at the playground with my little nephews and nieces I put aside such guidelines and I encourage them to play on the equipment they feel most comfortable on. I know them and I know that they want to challenge themselves but that they also know their own limitations.  So when my 3-year-old nephew, Oliver, wants to go on the overhead bars I help him.  Yes, I said it, I help him.  Let me make this point though: As he started to climb the step ladder to get to the overhead ladder he told me he couldn’t do it and asked for help.  *The reason he couldn’t climb the step ladder is because the spacing of the bars is meant for the reach of a 5-12 year old. I felt comfortable helping him because he communicated to me that he couldn’t and wouldn’t do it without me.

Another day when I had my 6-year-old nephew, Benjamin and his 3-year-old sister, Claire at a playground with a cable net structure (appropriate for ages 5-12), I let them both climb.  Benjamin took off right away and figured out how to navigate the climbing and the spaces where he could comfortably reach.  I climbed right behind Claire and she wanted me there just as much as I wanted to be there.  She wasn’t interested in getting to the top like Benjamin; She was happy to climb up a few feet and then bounce on the slightly flexible cable.  I like the interactive approach to play.  Notice I didn’t say the hovering approach.

I recently had a call from a concerned parent who was at one of our playgrounds.  She asked me “what was the probability that her 5-year-old child would fall?”.  How does one answer that question?  The fact is that the piece of equipment that she was on, a cable net structure, according to standards, is appropriate for 5-12 year olds.  As with anything, a parent still has to use their judgment and knowledge of their children at the playground.  If you know that your child is the type to go beyond their limits and then freeze, you may want to climb with them and teach them how to navigate and determine their limits.  Sometimes we forget that children have been challenging and pushing all on their own since they were born, eager to communicate, to crawl and to walk (among many other things!).  Yes, they fall, they get bruises and scratches but they get back up again because they want to walk and be like those around them.

The standards for public playground were developed with the purpose to reduce life-threatening and debilitating injuries (ASTM 1487-07 Scope).  Of course that is of utmost importance to us as playground manufacturers, sales consultants and parents!  But it is equally important that children still have the chance for challenge and risk; they learn their abilities by trial and only when they continue to test and push themselves will they improve their strength, agility and an understanding for calculated risks.

So this is my confession as an aunt on the playground.  I am that person whom I used to tisk tisk for helping the child use equipment which they are, “technically speaking”, not ready for.