Finland is Creating the First Computer Themed Playground
Helping children learn through play has been the mission of educators around the world. Now the city of Helsinki in Finland is creating the first computer themed playground to allow children to learn about computers through play.
The Ruoholahti computer playground
The city is renovating the Ruoholahti playground that was built in the 1990s, reported Daily Finland, to build a computer themed playground complete with special play equipment that was designed using the ideas of Linda Liukas, an author and illustrator. The ideas were developed by Liukas and the Näkymä Landscape Architects and Linda Liukas.
The playground will have seven computer themed play equipment pieces and all of the park furnishings and surface materials will be part of the design. There will be a two-part tower that illustrates a computer processor and there will also be computer themed swings and a sandbox that looks like a game controller. Danish play equipment manufacturer Monstrum will construct the unusual play equipment.
One of the goals of the playground is that it will be used as an educational tool by teachers and pupils. Although the playground was designed to be used by children from preschool age to sixth graders, older children were also considered in the design, according to Good News Finland.
The playground is expected to open in September 2024 and is the pilot project of a series of themed playgrounds that the city is planning to build. Ruoholahti was specifically picked to be the location of the computer park because the surrounding neighborhood is home to many international IT companies.
Themed playgrounds in the US
There are a host of uniquely themed playgrounds in the US according to the Early Education Zone. The Dodge Town play area in Merriam, Kansas transports kids to the days of the Wild West complete with a miniature main street. Another children’s play ground with a wild west theme is located in Medora , North Dakota.
If your children love Peter Pan, take a trip to the playground in Westminster Center Park in Colorado. This Neverland themed playground recreates the classic story of Peter Pan including ship themed equipment at the pirate cove area and a Neverwood forest with tunnels and slides built into artificial boulders.
There is a musical playground in Moab, Utah that was designed for children of different backgrounds to interact with each other through music. Children can cooperate with each other on large scale musical instruments including xylophones, chimes, and drums. The sounds of the instruments were designed to blend together in a soothing symphony.
