Swingsnand slides…monkey bars and merry-go-rounds…play structures of allnkinds! What would childhood be without playgrounds?
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nToday’snbirthday boy, born on this date in 1862, is considered the “fathernof the playground movement.” n
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nJosephnLee was a wealthy man who trained to be a lawyer but never ended upnpracticing law. Instead, he tried to make things better for American society.nOne thing he thought would help communities and families that livednin them was having playgrounds where children could play. n
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nLeendidn’t just think up good ideas, he wrote about them. And he didn’tnjust write about them, he acted. Of course, it’s easier to act onnyour good ideas when you are wealthy—but plenty of people spendntheir wealth on their own pleasure. Joseph Lee used much of his moneynto help others.
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nLeenhimself had had lots of recreational activities while growing up in anwealthy family. After he earned his Harvard degrees, he studied crowded poor neighborhoods in his hometownnof Boston, Massachusetts, and he saw that there were no safe places tonplay, much less the sorts of play equipment he had enjoyed as anchild. Lee was particularly shocked to see young boys being arrestednfor playing in the only place they could play: the streets.
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nSonLee bought a plot of land and cleared it. And there he put gamenequipment that the children could use.
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nLeendidn’t just walk away from his “do-good” project and hope for thenbest. Instead, he stuck around and studied how the play equipment wasnused. And it turned out that the kids who came to his fledglingnpublic park, unsupervised, didn’t play with the stuff very much atnall. Instead, they fought over it.
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nSonhe worked harder on his concept. Lee paid for two recreation leadersnto supervise the playground, and eventually Lee’s public parknincluded a special area for small children, a boys’ play area,nindividual garden spaces, a sports field, and a building fornbasketball and club meetings.
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nObviously,nwith all those great resources, the playground and park were a huge success!
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nLeentraveled about speaking at events and conferences, motivating othersnto start playgrounds in their towns and cities. He also wrote anguidebook with specific instructions on creating playgrounds, baths,ngymnasiums, athletic centers, and even skating rinks!
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Leenwas a real hero. Here is what he said about children’s need for play:
Leenwas a real hero. Here is what he said about children’s need for play:n
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n“Therenmust be creation, song, wonder, inquiry, and adventure. If these arenslighted we shall have committed once again the ancient crime againstnchildhood, of which practically all education has been guilty – thencrime of not letting the child live as well as learn.”
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nCheck out these awesome playgrounds!
nCheck out these awesome playgrounds!
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nHere are some more. Don’t miss the Gulliver Park!
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nCelebrate Lee by going to your favorite local playground!
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nIf you live in a town with lots of public parks, you could grab your camera and a notebook and explore all the playgrounds in the area. How about creating an online guide to the parks in your town or city? Maybe even with ratings you give each park for cleanliness and fun equipment and so forth.
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nCelebrate Lee by going to your favorite local playground!
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nIf you live in a town with lots of public parks, you could grab your camera and a notebook and explore all the playgrounds in the area. How about creating an online guide to the parks in your town or city? Maybe even with ratings you give each park for cleanliness and fun equipment and so forth.
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nAlsonon this date:
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nInternationalnWomen’s Day
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nPiratenAnne Bonny’s birthday
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