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kottke.org posts about play

Taking all the fun out of the playground

Children’s playground equipment has gotten safer but less fun.

When litigation piled up in the early 1980s, the industry responded by raising insurance premiums and adhering closely to safety standards set up by the Consumer Products Safety Commission. Unsurprisingly, few creative ideas made it through these standards, lest any innovations be dangerous and result in more injury. God forbid a child jam his finger or scrape her knee.

But what the new, safe equipment is missing, of course, is the stuff that, according to Moore, makes play fun and crucial to early-childhood development: variety, complexity, challenge, risk, flexibility, and adaptability.

One of the most difficult aspects of Ollie’s newfound mobility is balancing his need to explore freely and his safety.


The Come Out and Play Festival looks

The Come Out and Play Festival looks awesome. “Come Out & Play is a festival dedicated to street games. It is three days of play, talks, and celebration, all focused on new types of games and play.” Takes place in NYC, Septmeber 22-24.


“At elementary schools, kindergartens, and preschools all

“At elementary schools, kindergartens, and preschools all across Japan, kids are losing themselves making hikaru dorodango, or balls of mud that shine.” I really want to make one of these. (via rodcorp)


Interview with Ludicorp’s Stewart Butterfield about Game

Interview with Ludicorp’s Stewart Butterfield about Game Neverending, Flickr’s MMORPG older brother.