Yesterday, we went the Traffic Garden park to learn about staffed playgrounds. At certain locations around Copenhagen, there are playgrounds that are monitored by 2-4 staff members at a time. These adults help kids solve conflicts though communication, lead activities, keep the playground safe, and more. Staffed playgrounds give families a sense of security and peace of mind as they relax and their kids play. These playgrounds often have a theme and make an effort to teach kids skills as they play. The Traffic Garden is of particular interest to our group because it is a miniature road network for kids complete with crosswalks, traffic circles, cycletracks, and fully functional intersections lights. It is aimed at teaching kids the rules of the road and it is completely kid-sized. Other staffed playgrounds in Copenhagen have themes like construction, animals (here, kids can get an anima and they learn to take care of it but it stays at the park), Bermuda Triangle, etc.
It was very interesting to learn about Danish culture in regards to family life. Since the staffed playgrounds are only located in Copenhagen, they say a lot about the folk that live here. Even in safe areas, staffed playgrounds put a priority on children’s well being. I was familiar with what a traffic garden was before I got there, but nothing could have prepared me for how cute it actually was. There is an effort to build one in Eugene and I hope we can make it as charming as this one.
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