As a society, we have become increasingly focused on the needs of the youngest members of our society. This hasn’t always been the case. It is startling to note that the history of the children’s recreational playground only goes back a 150 years, whereas adult recreational spaces such as spas/hammams/gymnasiums go back hundreds of years.
Play has also been elevated past its original recreational purpose to an educational one. The national curriculum for children between the ages of 0-5, the Early Years Learning Framework, has a strong emphasis on play-based learning. This educational bent towards play has taken some fun out of the exercise, pun intended. The increased scrutiny of playground environments and helicopter parenting has meant that modern playgrounds can often be sterile expanses of rubberized play-surfaces and a sea of brightly coloured plastic play equipment.