Playgrounds in Copenhagen (June 28)

There are 125 playgrounds in Copenhagen in addition to parks and other public spaces. 26 of the 125 playgrounds are called manned playgrounds. These are playgrounds with staff present to supervise and offer a variety of activities. Every playground is different and has its own unique characteristics, however some of the activities offered are gardening, sports, creative workshops, learning to ride a bike, outdoor cooking, and music.

Yesterday I went to five playgrounds including two manned playgrounds. The first manned playground was called Skydebanehaven in Vesterbro. You could not bike through the park or park your bike inside the playground. The park had a football court, basketball court, an area to bike around, a zip line, play structures, and a cafe. There was what looked like to a be a daycare or preschool, so I went up to the two women working there and asked if it was a school. They explained that it was a manned park and gave us a tour inside. There were books, crafts, and toys. I asked if parents leave their children because there is supervision and they immediately said no, parents stay with their children at the playground. I thought about what would happen if we brought the concept of manned parks to the United States. I feel like many parents would treat the playground as a daycare and leave their children. This is largely due to the culture of individualism, being overworked, and a lack of care in our society to provide social services. The women working there also mentioned that manned playgrounds don’t really exist anywhere outside of Denmark.

The second playground we went to was Saxoparken. This one was much smaller with one swing and things to climb on. I noticed a lot of sand. On the gate there was a QR code for people to scan to fill out a survey to share their experience at the playground. The third playground was another manned playground called Orstedsparken. It had fire pits, swings, lots of spinning activities, sand areas, picnic tables, and a football court. This playground had seating on the edges so parents could watch children play in the center.

The fourth playground was called Orstedparken as well because it was located in a different corner of the same park. This park had play structures and swings. It was adjacent to a cafe that looks down into the playground. The fifth and final playground that we went to was called Israels Plads located in Israel Square. It was all concrete with a skate park area and basketball and football courts. I was most impressed by the stairs as public seating that was the top of a parking structure.

In every playground and park I visited they felt intentional and organic. The playgrounds and parks in the Bay Area and San Luis Obispo that I have been to have felt like an afterthought or like someone needed to check a box and cut out land for a park. There is no beauty and tranquility in those parks. I admired that parents were at the playground with their kids, participated in activities, and went on swings. I saw a family of four on a spinning play structure laughing and smiling. I wonder how play with parents impacts child development? I also wonder what the difference is in American children vs Danish children in building healthy relationships with people in adulthood from having stronger parental support.