Designing playgrounds for happier, healthier kids | Sarah Werner Konradi | TEDxMileHigh

Imagine a playground. You’re probably thinking of hard plastic and rubber, right? Modern playgrounds are boring and sterile and have so little to offer for child development. Landscape architect Sarah Werner Konradi has a better idea.
Sarah Konradi is a landscape architect working at the intersection of design, conservation, and health. As Program Director of the National Wildlife Federation's Early Childhood Health Outdoors program, Sarah works with underserved communities to re-envision outdoor spaces used by children and families, creating playgrounds that support child development and connection to the natural world. Sarah lives with her German husband, 9-year-old son, and a cat named Chuck Norris. She is an amateur meteorologist, obsessively following the weather forecast.
Videos Produced & Directed by
Chris Anthony / Entropy Workshop
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@jbaby007]

Yes! As a kid, I had a wooden playground at our school and we had so much fun on it. Then they tore it down and built one of those sterile plastic boring playgrounds and no one played on it. Nature is extremely important for growth at any age.

[@_R_R_R]

My favorite artificial playground ever was a pile of tires. My friends and I used to (and still do) walk right by the playground and into the woods. We crossed a log over a stream and built a fort. We worked on it every day, and even if it was a bad fort, it was our world. Its Ironic that we had more fun next to the playground than in it.

[@knutritter461]

You should check out German playgrounds…. we have a different attitude and they can even be fun for adults! ;-)

[@jukio02]

It's because there's no walkable playgrounds where they live. Suburbs are very isolating, you have to drive everywhere, there's no way to get to places without a car. So, mothers have to end up driving them to playgrounds most of the time. Kids can't just go outside and be at the park in less than 5 minutes, just not possible for most children who live in suburbs. If suburbs were designed more bicycle friendly, and places to put your bike at the park, then I think kids would be able to go to the park more often. I use to ride my bike all the time when I lived in the suburbs to get to the park, it was just way faster and easier than walking. The park itself needs to be fun, something worth going to, otherwise, there's no incentive for the kid to go there in the first place. Check out Getaway Discovery park in Orgeon, that's an interesting playground for kids. Also, check out, place to play park, luuwit view park.

[@sarahamorim4196]

when childhood was good.... I miss the best time of my life.

[@BobHerzog1962]

Take a look at German playgrounds. Messy, exiting alowing to take risks and no two are exactly alike (at least not those close to each other).

[@jenniferfreeman5294]

Such an important message. Thx!

[@gijsbertcoenen9530]

Dear Sarah, Great talk! Interesting topic! You say that research shows that kids spend less time at free play. Which research shows this? And by whom is this research done? Thanks for your clear vision on modern playgrounds!

[@leahgale6769]

I think she's saying children are spending less time outside - this is pretty much general knowledge, i feel. as children are spending more time on screens, parents jobs are more demanding today vs 20/30 years ago, residential areas are so crammed with lack of yard space and the playgrounds designed for kids today are horrible.... theres multiple factors contributing to this.

[@CubanGirl-oo4pg]

We see that everyday. You only need to be a parent to know that this is true. There is no need for a research

[@brighttooth3592]

Amazing, love it

[@CubanGirl-oo4pg]

I just love her. Thank you

[@Heavens-Humanaterian-Army]

Absolutley agree..love it.💙

[@huseynrehimli9630]

Perfect🌎😊

[@Kaisersozze]

I agree, the playgrounds where I live in Canada are awful and all a carbon copy more or less, even compared to some that I myself used when I lived in Europe 30 years ago which were better. Zero improvement in 30 years, if anything it got worse! It's mind boggling. Granted some of these suggested would only work in warmer months and living in Canada there is snow and ice a good 6-7months of the year.

[@sebastianderien5823]

Or maybe, just maybe it's the safety first approach, that makes those playgrounds unappealing. what Kid older than two is hyped for a 2 feet high slide or wants to "climb" 3 feet up on a "tower". As a kid i wanted to look how much I dare, climbing up 10 feet or going down that insane high slide.