Playgrounds!!
The playgrounds in Copenhagen are so unique and well thought out. It seems like every space that was once empty or unused has been made into a playground. Copenhagen is the first city I have visited that is truly made for everyone, with a direct focus on children and families. This week we received an assignment to visit 5 parks in Copenhagen.
Diverse Playground
This striped park opened in 2012 with the intention to create a diverse experience in the most diverse area of Copenhagen. The vision was to create a park that acted as a world exhibition, filled with interesting components from around the world, which would bring people together. Pictures above you can see fountains from Morocco and a black octopus slide from Japan. There are also swings from Iraq and benches from Brazil within the playground. The artistic lines draw attention and are often used for creative games by kids. The playground is regularly listed as one of the best sights in the city and has won multiple global design and architecture awards.
Superkilen | Public square in Nørrebro, Copenhagen
Traffic Playground
We also had the amazing opportunity to visit a traffic playground this week. This visit has been one of the highlights of my time in Copenhagen. The theme and purpose of this playground are to promote the understanding of traffic and road safety for children on bikes. While playing at this playground, kids also gain the traffic practice and skills that they need to act and behave safely while biking on the streets of Copenhagen.
The traffic playground is one of 25 staffed playgrounds throughout the city. It is visited by thousands of residents and tourists throughout the year. This playground offers a stimulating experience for children and adults that reflects an environment similar to the streets of Copenhagen. The staffed playground offers cycling training for adults, children, and kids with special needs. There are bikes available to borrow, as well as helmets and any other gear that may be needed. The playground contains traffic lights, a roundabout, yield, and stop signs, and other infrastructure that represents real biking infrastructure.
Here is a playground themed under the sea, with giant starfish structures to play on and muscles to play and hide in.
Diverse Playground
This striped park opened in 2012 with the intention to create a diverse experience in the most diverse area of Copenhagen. The vision was to create a park that acted as a world exhibition, filled with interesting components from around the world, which would bring people together. Pictures above you can see fountains from Morocco and a black octopus slide from Japan. There are also swings from Iraq and benches from Brazil within the playground. The artistic lines draw attention and are often used for creative games by kids. The playground is regularly listed as one of the best sights in the city and has won multiple global design and architecture awards.
Superkilen | Public square in Nørrebro, Copenhagen
Traffic Playground
We also had the amazing opportunity to visit a traffic playground this week. This visit has been one of the highlights of my time in Copenhagen. The theme and purpose of this playground are to promote the understanding of traffic and road safety for children on bikes. While playing at this playground, kids also gain the traffic practice and skills that they need to act and behave safely while biking on the streets of Copenhagen.
The traffic playground is one of 25 staffed playgrounds throughout the city. It is visited by thousands of residents and tourists throughout the year. This playground offers a stimulating experience for children and adults that reflects an environment similar to the streets of Copenhagen. The staffed playground offers cycling training for adults, children, and kids with special needs. There are bikes available to borrow, as well as helmets and any other gear that may be needed. The playground contains traffic lights, a roundabout, yield, and stop signs, and other infrastructure that represents real biking infrastructure.
Here is a playground themed under the sea, with giant starfish structures to play on and muscles to play and hide in.
This playground was once a water park, but due to the drought the water is dry and not being used, but the park is still heavily used as a fun, outdoor structure.
A small soccer field meant just for kids is located right next to a park with a small pond, fountain, and dog park. Throughout Copenhagen, space is used very efficiently, often with separate spaces for kids and their parents, and in this case dogs.
This picture shows another area of the divers playground, red with bench swings, elephant slides, and other fun infrastructure.
This playground is themed around the Bermuda Triangle, with shipwrecks and crashed airplanes. There are lots of sandboxes and areas for kids to ‘hide out’, as well as un-themed aspects like garden boxes and swings.
The number of playgrounds throughout the city, along with the safety of them and the ability for children to ride bikes safely throughout Copenhagen allows for children to gain independence as they grow up, being about to explore their community with and without their parents as they get older. I also think the playgrounds represent the focus that Denmark has on their people from when they are born. After all, a city built for kids is a city built for everyone.
This picture shows a simple snake playground. My favorite part about the playgrounds in Copenhagen was that, while there were a lot of really cool ones, many playgrounds were very simple. Playgrounds were so easy to find, it felt like there is one on every block, which I am sure assists in Denmark's title of being the happiest country in the world.
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