Get teenagers out and play!

The old stereotype is about a teenager who sits inside and plays video games or watches TV, with his parents complaining “go out and play”. There might be a true reason behind this action, as the studies have shown that obesity in teen ages brings the same risks as heavy smoking.

Some playground manufacturers like Lappset have realized this need and designed their own playground equipments for teenagers (playground in Finnish leikkialue). Their series of playground equipments for teenagers include rougher looking climbing nets and frames, that are made from hot-dip galvanised thin-walled tubes and steel, and no bright color are used like in kids’ park.

This is actually following the first rule of teenager playground design. As being the teenager is rebelling against being a child, this has to be taken into account when designing playground areas for teens. The playground must set them apart from the younger ones in order to please this target group.

The nature of play changes also when growing to teenager years. Playgrounds for teenagers should focus more on exercise. As for younger children playing is learning, for these more adult ones playing is more physical and competitive by its nature.

The ideal playground offers the possibilities for sport and socializing, and it should nurture the need of adventure and physical challenge. The area offering wide choice of play different kind of games and do various exercises would be ideal: from football to basketball, climbing areas to just places to hang around and socialize. And the more plentiful the assortment of the games is, more likely there are more teens to gather there!

Play for teenagers is not anymore their work, as it is for younger ones. Play in teenager years is closely linked with the areas of social growth. Playing might provide the way to handle issues that cannot necessarily be put into words, and understand changes in the body through the physical exercises.

Teenager playgrounds are great way to direct the unchangeable energy to in more practical framework. Facilities like this can reduce anti-social behavior and help to prevent teenager crimes.