31 Jan 2008 Pushing the boundaries of play In order to meet the challenge of getting children to play harder and longer it is important that that the play industry continues its move away from the monkey bar-and-swings approach to playground design. Traditional playgrounds hold limited interest for older children especially in today's climate, where concerns over safety can dominate design and limit risk-taking features. In countries such as Canada, innovation in playground design is successful because the latest generation of equipment tempts children’s brains as much as their bodies. Impact absorbing safety surfacing such as Safety and Play Mattas are designed to international safety standards and protect a child from a fall of up to 2.9m thus significantly reducing the risk associated with play. This means that playground providers can afford to be more imaginative when designing play areas. The ideal playground challenges children and helps improve co-ordination, agility, problem-solving skills, spatial awareness, strength and social interaction. There are some excellent examples of playgrounds achieving this ideal in the UK which should be viewed as blueprints for all play providers. By continuing this trend and considering how best to provide stimulating and beneficial environments for children of all ages engaging in outdoor play, the UK can step up to the challenge of developing a generation of healthier, happier children. Victoria Davies Matta Products UK Photograph: www.istock.com / Aldo Murillo back