Playgrounds are not just fun places to play; they are also fantastic examples of science in action. When you slide down a slide, swing back and forth on the swings, or climb on a jungle gym, you are experiencing important scientific concepts like gravity, velocity, and geometry.
Gravity is the force that pulls everything toward Earth. It's what keeps us grounded and prevents us from floating away into space. When you go down a slide, gravity pulls you downward. The steeper the slide, the faster you go because gravity has a stronger effect on you.
If you were to measure how fast you go down a slide, you'd find that it changes depending on how tall the slide is. The higher the starting point, the more potential energy you have due to gravity. As you slide down, that potential energy turns into kinetic energy, the energy of motion, making you go faster.
Velocity is all about something's speed and direction. When you're swinging on a swing set, your velocity changes as you move back and forth. At the highest point of your swing, your speed is momentarily zero before you change direction and gravity pulls you back down again. If someone pushes you harder, adding more force, you'll swing higher and faster. Your speed can be measured in meters per second (m/s). And as you swing backward and forward, your velocity changes as your direction does: If your speed is 3 m/s, your velocity might be 3 m/s forward or 3 m/s backward.
Geometry is the study of shapes, sizes, patterns, and spaces. When we think about playgrounds, we can see many geometric shapes and concepts at play. Playground structures are made up of basic geometric shapes, such as circles, squares, rectangles, and triangles. For example, a ladder climber might be made of rectangles, while a jungle gym might be made of triangles and squares.
Friction is a force that makes it harder for two things to slide past each other. For example, when you slide down a slide at the playground, friction between your clothes and the slide can slow you down. When you play at the playground, friction is all around you. Friction between you and the air slows you down on the swings if you don't keep pumping your legs, and friction between a spinning merry-go-round, the central rod that it spins around, and the air slows it down until it stops.
A ramp, also called an inclined plane, is a sloped surface that connects two different heights. You can think of it like a slide or a hill. Ramps help things move up or down more easily. For instance, it takes less work to push a heavy box up a ramp than it does to carry it while climbing stairs. The most fun example of a ramp is a playground slide, but you'll also find ramps all over playgrounds that are there to help people with wheelchairs, walkers, or crutches get around more easily.
Ramps are a type of simple machine, a thing that helps people do work more easily. Another type of simple machine is a lever. A lever is a long stick or plank that sits on top of something in the middle, called a fulcrum. When you push down on one end of a lever, the other end goes up. Levers make it easier to lift things. For instance, a big rock might be too heavy if you just tried to pick it up with your hands, but if you stick one end of a lever under it, then push down on the other end, it's a lot easier to lift the rock. The most obvious example of a lever on a playground is a seesaw.
Weather is what happens in the surrounding atmosphere every day. It includes things like sunshine, rain, wind, and temperature. When we talk about weather, we are talking about how hot or cold it is, whether it's cloudy or clear, and if there's any precipitation, like rain or snow.
Playgrounds are places where kids go to have fun and play outside. But the weather can change how much fun we can have. For example, on sunny days, the playground is bright and warm. Kids can enjoy playing on swings, slides, and climbers without getting wet or cold. When it rains, playgrounds can become muddy and slippery. This makes it hard to play safely. The wind can be strong sometimes, and if it's too windy, it might not be safe to play with things like kites or balls because they could blow away. In the winter, when it's very cold or snowy, playing outside might not be comfortable. Kids need to wear warm clothes so they don't get too cold while playing.
The founder and CEO of https://www.aaastateofplay.com/, Nic Breedlove has made waves in the commercial playground equipment industry. Nic’s passion for playgrounds and commitment to excellence has helped to make AAA what it is today. He enjoys sharing his keen insights into the playground world in an effort to make play easier and more accessible to all kids.
