Create Craft
7 Playground Photos That Will Strike Fear in the Heart of ’80s Teachers.
Today’s schoolyards are typically jovial, colorful, and plastic-heavy wonderlands. Falling objects are cushioned by wood chips or repurposed rubber, and playground boundaries are clearly marked so that teachers can keep a close check on their kids.
And while children from the 1970s and 1980s may look back with nostalgia and disparage modern playgrounds as being “soft,” everyone who taught in those years is aware that changes had to be made since old playgrounds essentially served as invitations to the emergency room. Veteran educators, look at these pictures and keep in mind that we made it through.
1. Mary-Goes-Down (aka Merry-Go-Round)
Ideally: One child trotted lazily beside to spin as a couple of children jumped on. The kids voluntarily rotated, giving the pusher plenty of opportunity to move.
In reality, the whole class climbed aboard. The pusher ran so hard that he slipped off the Mary-go-down eventually and was pulled by it, only stopping when he released go or ran into one of the other 50 kids who had fallen off.
2. Third-Degree-Burner (aka Metal Slide)
Ideally: Because kids are great at taking turns, they lined up single file, waited until the previous slider had enjoyed her turn and evacuated the slide area. Then they climbed the ladder to enjoy a smooth journey back down to earth.
In real life: Your entire class hopped on. It was actually hard to distinguish between individual children in the steady stream of screamers tumbling over each other at the bottom of the slide. And let’s not forget the real and painful danger of a metal slide on a hot summer day.
3. See Jane Whiplash (aka Seesaw)
Ideal: Two kids of around the same size bounced up and down on their legs.
In reality, the whole class climbed aboard. And indeed, if by “equal” we mean seven children to one. And there was ALWAYS the jerk who would jump off abruptly, causing their unaware partner to crash with a thud that rattled their brain stem.
4. The Skin Scraper (aka Asphalt)
In an ideal world, students would have used this challenging area to play basketball, bounce balls, or draw with chalk.
In actuality: The entire class climbed aboard. Hops catchers and four squarer’s collided as the chalk drawers spilled onto the basketball floor. Altercations. So many disagreements. And when did the children fall? You could still expect bloody hand and knee scrapes even if your asphalt wasn’t cracked and uneven.
5. Arm Breaker (aka Jungle Gym)
As a few kids used their arms and legs to climb all over the gym and across the monkey bars, they stretched and developed their muscles.
In reality, the whole class climbed aboard. As a result, the youngster who fell from the top might at least be cushioned by a child at the bottom. And while the metal variety has largely vanished (#metalburns), colorful, cheerful, and plastic-like monkey bars are still in use. Despite being around half the size.
6. Look Out! (aka Tether Ball)
In a perfect world, two kids, the right number, would have gathered around the tetherball, organised a game, and behaved admirably.
In reality, only 5% of your class knew the true rules, which prevented the remaining 99% from joining in. The others were left sobbing, either because they had been excluded or because they had gotten too close and been hit in the head. And rope causes finger burns? Each time.
7. The I Believe I Can Fly (aka Swings)
Ideal: One youngster sat in the swing and pumped with her legs. She didn’t swing all the way around, just high enough to feel the dip in her stomach.
In reality, the whole class climbed aboard. Literally. like ten children swinging on one. They then tried to jump out and land without tripping over another kid or twisting an ankle. Additionally, even while swings are still in use today, the chains are now frequently covered in vinyl to prevent the dreaded metal pinch.
