Playgrounds

Playgrounds. The Innovation of Play. Do you know why there were no playgrounds in the first Minneapolis parks? Because the concept of a playground did not exist in 1883, when Horace Cleveland designed the first parks for the newly established Park Board. Parks were quiet places for strolling and taking in fresh air, not for play or active recreation. The first playgrounds were simple sand piles for children to play in, beginning in Berlin parks in 1850. The "Boston Sand Gardens" was the first example in the U.S., opening in 1886.

Early park commissioners wanted to keep up with the trend. Sandboxes and merry-go-rounds were added to a few Minneapolis parks in 1904. Charles Loring, first board president, advocated for "a small area for the exclusive use of little children... [with] piles of sand, swings, seesaws and other proper appliances of amusement and exercise..."

In 1906, equipment was added to several more parks. According to Superintendent Theodore Wirth, people initially disliked playgrounds. "[The] immediate reaction was... indignation because of the noise of the children... [people] demanded that the apparatus be removed..." As residents saw how much the children enjoyed the equipment, this attitude quickly changed. Today, the words park and playground are virtually synonymous.

Old is new again...
Playgrounds began with the idea of sand play as a healthy outdoor activity to encourage social development. Early play "apparatus" developed physical skills and strength. Though the 15-foot tall apparatus, with hard ground below, is no longer around, sandboxes from the 1930s WPA era can still be found in Minneapolis parks, not far from equipment of varying eras.

In the 1960s, the excitement over the space race produced rocket slides (the rocket at Linden Hills was removed, the one at Brackett Park has been transformed into a sculpture).

Modern geometric concrete climbers form the 1970s stood on sandy stages for imaginary play. Wood platform structures also arrived. Linked slides, tunnels and monkey bars are still a playground staple, challenging crowds of children.

Voluntary safety standards and accessibility guidelines developed in the 1980s brought soft landing surfaces, ramps and bridges into the fun.

In the 2000s freestanding climbers have returned. Tall equipment is also back with 20-foot cable climbers and three-story towers. Zip lines, twisting slides and dizzying spinners challenge balance. Climbing boulders and cable webs promote a connection to nature. Sand play and outdoor fitness equipment are new again too.