Playgrounds Through History

Why were playgrounds first built in the U.S.?

• To provide a safe place for kids to play

• To make money for the city

• To attract tourists

• To create jobs for play leaders

What did kids in crowded cities do for playtime before playgrounds existed?

• Played baseball in alleys

• Shot marbles on the street

• Played tag in empty lots

• All of the above

What did Dr. Marie Zakrzewska see in Germany that inspired her to bring sand gardens to America?

• Kids playing in giant piles of sand

• Kids playing on swings and seesaws

• Kids playing with junk and tools

• Kids playing in nature

What was the first playground equipment added to the sand gardens in Boston?

• Swings

• Ladders

• Seesaws

• Merry-go-rounds

What made playgrounds in the early 1900s more dangerous?

• Sharp corners on equipment

• Hard ground below the equipment

• Both A and B

• None of the above

What is the purpose of playgrounds according to Tina Stanton-Chapman?

• To keep kids healthy

• To teach kids important skills

• To provide a safe place for kids to play

• All of the above

What do experts say will be the focus of future playgrounds?

• Inclusivity for kids with disabilities

• More natural elements

• Both A and B

• None of the above

What motivated Lucas Fritsche to create an inclusive playground?

• Seeing his friend unable to play on the existing playground

• Wanting a tree house in his backyard

• Raising money for his school

• All of the above