Let’s Play When When you hear the word playground what do you think of Do you picture slides and swings Do you think of climbing walls and tunnels Or do you picture pirate ships and space to run A playground can be many kinds Some playgrounds have lots of equipment Others have open space and places to use your imagination Over the years playgrounds have changed in many ways But they have always been a place where children can enjoy themselves and learn important lessons about getting along with others Let’s go back and look at how playgrounds came to be and how they have changed over the years 4
No Place to Play Long Long ago children did not need playgrounds Most people lived in rural areas Even big cities had open spaces Children had plenty of room to run and play During the 1800s more people moved to cities to work in new factories there Living conditions were very crowded Soon there were no open places where children could play Instead they played in the street But the streets were not safe places to play 6
In 1848 a man named Henry Barnard drew the first known picture of a playground His drawing showed a large area with toys and swings Adults watched the children play However the first playground was not built until 1859 That playground was in a park in the city of Manchester England 7
