In every child's heart, the playground is a kingdom of joy filled with laughter and joy. Have you noticed that as society pays more attention to and improves the children's play environment, some of the once popular amusement facilities have now quietly disappeared from the playground and become banned. Below, let's take a look at the ten most crazy amusement equipment that have been banned!
Why Some Playground Equipment Is Banned
In the early days, some amusement equipment had inherent safety hazards due to limited technical level or insufficient consideration of safety factors during design and manufacturing. For example, the track joints of some old roller coasters were not smooth enough, which caused the train to bump violently during operation, which easily injured passengers. Some amusement equipment has been aging due to long-term and frequent use, and parts have rusted and broken wires, which is very likely to cause safety accidents.
Now with the development of society and the advancement of science and technology, new technologies are constantly emerging. Some old equipment is backward in safety, comfort and fun. The management level and safety system are imperfect, and many other factors have caused those old amusement equipment to be gradually eliminated.
1.Metal Jungle Gyms
Early Metal Jungle Gyms in playgrounds were prone to falling accidents. The climbing frame was high, and once a child fell during climbing, it was easy to cause fractures, craniocerebral injuries and other serious injuries.It is made of metal, and the edges and corners on the surface are sharp. Children are easily scratched during play. At the same time, metal parts are prone to rust and corrosion. Some Metal Jungle Gyms were not fully considered for structural stability during design and manufacturing. As the use time increases, it is easy to cause the entire climbing frame to shake, tilt and other unstable phenomena, increasing safety risks.
2.Animal Swings
Animal swings are equipment designed in the shape of various animals, such as tigers, ducks, lions, etc. In order to pursue realistic shapes, its center of gravity is not designed reasonably. When children sit on it, the center of gravity is easily shifted, increasing the risk of falling from the swing. At the same time, early Animal Swings may have used some harder materials to make animal shapes, such as metal, hard plastic, etc. At the same time, there are also defects in design and manufacturing. The size and shape of the seat design do not fully consider the comfort of children's play, and long-term use of swings that do not conform to ergonomics.
3.Shiny Silver Metal Slides
The Shiny Silver Metal Slides in early playgrounds were made of metal. In the hot summer, the metal surface would absorb a lot of heat, and children's skin would be easily burned when playing. Metal slides are usually hard and lack a buffer design, which would increase the risk of collision when children slide down. The design of early metal slides may not fully consider the body size and physiological characteristics of children, causing children to feel uncomfortable when sliding down or easily slip off the slide.
4.Swinging Gates
Early swinging gates were designed without sufficient consideration for stability. During long-term use or when many children use them at the same time, the gates may shake, tilt, or even collapse, posing a great safety hazard to children. Such gates usually have gaps and moving parts, and children are likely to get their fingers caught while playing. Now, with the development of society and the improvement of people's safety awareness, the safety standards of modern playgrounds are becoming more and more stringent. Today, swinging devices that are not as dangerous have replaced swinging gates.
5.Trapeze Bars
Trapeze Bars are usually set at a certain height, and children need to hang or swing their bodies to use them. If a child drops them during use, they may suffer serious falls. If multiple children use Trapeze Bars at the same time, they may collide with each other and get hurt due to inconsistent swinging rhythms or improper control. Early Trapeze Bar designs did not fully consider the classification of children of different ages and physical conditions. For example, the diameter, length, and spacing of the hanging bars may not be suitable for children to grasp, and there are not enough safety protection devices around them, which increases the risk of playing, causing it to be gradually eliminated from playgrounds.
6.Witch’s Hat
The Witch’s Hat is usually a conical pendulum balanced on a central pole, which can cause children to be thrown out of the ride due to the high speed and amplitude of the swing. Early versions of the mechanism were not enclosed, and children’s clothing, fingers, etc. could be caught in the mechanical parts, causing pinching or strangulation. For a combination of reasons, the Witch’s Hat was gradually phased out of amusement parks in the mid-1980s. However, some improved versions have since reappeared in some parks, using advanced engineering technology to make them safer.
7.Barrel-of-Fun
The Barrel-of-Fun is a large rotating barrel-shaped facility with limited internal space. When the Barrel-of-Fun rotates, it generates centrifugal force, making it difficult for children to stand firmly in the barrel, which can easily cause children to fall and collide. Early playgrounds were not equipped with complete safety protection devices, making it very dangerous for children to play. At the same time, the Barrel-of-Fun has many rotating parts, such as motors, bearings, gears, etc. These parts are prone to wear, rust or breakage due to frequent use and long-term operation, and the maintenance cost is high.
8.Tire Swings with Real Tires
Real tires are heavy, and when children push hard on a tire swing, it may swing too high and too fast, causing the child sitting on it to be thrown out due to centrifugal force and fall. Real tires are usually made of black rubber with a textured surface, which easily absorbs dust, dirt and various debris. In outdoor environments, tires will also accumulate rainwater, become a breeding ground for mosquitoes, spread diseases, and threaten children's health. In order to create a more beautiful and comfortable playground environment, current playgrounds will choose more design-oriented and ornamental amusement facilities to replace tire swings.
9.Racer Slides
Racer Slides usually have multiple slides set up side by side. When children slide down from a high place at a high speed, they are likely to collide with children on adjacent slides, causing physical injuries such as abrasions, bruises, and even fractures. Early racer slides may not be scientifically designed in terms of slope and curvature, or the curve design of the slide is unreasonable, so children may easily deviate from the slide when turning and fall. At the same time, the structure of racer slides is relatively complex, and some hidden parts such as the interior of the slide and the connection points of the supporting structure are not easy to be fully inspected, which also increases the possibility of accidents.
10.Teeter Ladder
Early Teeter Ladders may have deficiencies in design and manufacturing, resulting in an unstable overall structure. When children at both ends of the Teeter Ladder move uncoordinatedly, the ladder may tilt or shake suddenly, causing the child to collide with the ladder itself, surrounding facilities or other children, resulting in physical injury. At the same time, it is difficult to inspect components such as bracket parts buried deep underground and complex connection nodes, which increases the risk of accidents.
In short, early playground equipment was banned for a variety of reasons, mainly focusing on safety issues, design and manufacturing defects, high maintenance costs, and failure to meet modern safety standards. Today, with the development of society and people's increased awareness of safety, modern playgrounds are equipped with safer and more innovative equipment, which not only provide children with rich entertainment projects, but also consider the healthy development of children and the safety of play.
