In contrast to the modern trend of helicopter parenting and safety-first playgrounds, one school in New Zealand has decided to completely do away with rules during recess playtime to great effect. They aren't alone in this reversal, some of which can be justified by a study showing that children who injured themselves by falling from heights grow up to be less fearful of heights than those who weren't hurt.
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 13 2014, @12:19PM
> if they survived
If you read the second article, they address that. Turns out that despite ratcheting up all the safety designs and rules over over the last couple of decades, the rate of the playground deaths have barely changed. Like about 10 less per year. The difference is basically statistical noise.
So, the kids aren't significantly safer but they are significantly less prepared for adult life.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Snow on Friday June 13 2014, @07:08PM
I think it's more a sign that kids like danger. If you make the playground too safe, then the kids will use the equipment in ways that was not intended, making it more fun, but also more dangerous. Kids need some level of risk.
There are no more flying foxes. Swings are now only 10ish feet high. It's rare to see a slide more than 5 feet long. Play equipment is low to the ground. Everything is plastic and easily sanitized. Gravel ground is being replaced with rubber. Tire swings are becoming extinct.
Playgrounds are ordered as kits, so every paygound is more or less the same. Being a kid has never been more safe^H^H^H^Hboring.