The Remarkable Development of Playgrounds

The Parks & Recreation project received a great deal of support when it was proposed. "A play space right in Lea McKeighan Park designed to develop children's intuition and awaken their sense of adventure," described author Steve Casey.

After the park was neglected and became a public sports and exercise area for about a year, the local government began to see the need to renovate it quickly and with full effort. "One of the things most worth noting in this process is improving the environment by using surrounding resources creatively," for example using native plant species for landscaping. The site also needed to return to its original state. At the same time, it had to become more modern and attractive.

Author Casey observed: "Parks and Recreation received 1.9 million dollars in reconstruction funding from residents, who wanted a one-of-a-kind playground offering unique experiences. This playground will build the park's reputation, drawing attention from local residents and visitors to Lee's Summit, Missouri, United States."

The centerpiece of the Lea McKeighan playground is the Jupiter XXL play set, made especially for this site. It is a pyramid of steel and rope. The frame stands more than 9 meters high. The net is sturdy. Climbing is comfortable and safe. Children can go from the ground to the very top. Then they slide down a winding slide. They can also climb back down or cross a suspension bridge to reach a nearby net house. The playground also has a cable swing more than 21 meters long, a VIP swing and a Cloud 9 swing.

The playground aims for children's free play. It builds social skills too. Children learn to love adventure and discovery. The equipment installed here helps increase children's motor skills, such as endurance, flexibility and hand-eye coordination.

Author Casey concluded: "Climbing play equipment strikes directly at children's creativity and problem-solving skills: how to get from point A to point B without any preset path. Free play also encourages children to join a game many times without getting bored, because of the variety of ways to play. Regular visitors always enjoy the playground more after each visit. Every visit brings a new challenge and a new problem to solve."