Adventure Playgrounds

An adventure playground is a nonasphalted, fenced-off area containing a play hut for indoor recreation and natural areas for the construction of play structures, which might include rope swings, slides, water play, and dens. The requirements for an adventure playground include provision of tools (e.g., hammers, spades, saws, chisels, screwdrivers, and axes) and materials (wood, nails, rope, bricks, and other building material) children can use to explore new play opportunities or change their activities. Two features distinguish the adventure playground from other types of playgrounds. First, adventure playgrounds employ paid, trained play workers who facilitate children's free play. Second, the workers are instrumental in guiding the construction of self-build playground structures in consultation with children rather than buying-in manufactured fixed play equipment.

The adventure playground was described as a location where children could experiment in their play through being free to dig in the earth, build dens from wood and other waste materials, make fires to cook outside, garden, engage in arts and craft activities, or participate in other freely chosen creative or recreational activities. The age range of children and young people who may use the playground varies according to local agreements established by the managing agency and the level of facilities available on-site. The widest documented age range of children who could access the provision was from 2 to 18 years. However, the generally accepted age range today is from 5 to 15 years.

There is no agreement on the size of an adventure playground site. Many of the early playgrounds used space left over after planning or sites awaiting development. Shier suggested that, bearing in mind issues of safety and the nature of the site, a playground could vary from 0.2 to 0.8 acres. The size, situation, and terrain of the site will dictate the types of activities that can take place. For example, some playgrounds might accommodate “kickabout” areas for team games, whereas others in built-up areas may not have sufficient space to include such a resource. An adventure playground's opening hours vary according to the season. In general, in the United Kingdom (UK), these playgrounds function as after-school provision (3:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. in the summer or 3:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. in the winter) and are open all day Saturday.

During school vacations, they may operate between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Adventure playgrounds may also run a regulated after-school care facility, but usually children are free to come and go as they wish. The atmosphere of the playground should be a “pro-child” and nonrestrictive one where children are not forced to participate in structured play activities.

The adventure playground has largely thrived in Western European countries, although there is a burgeoning movement in this type of play in lapan.