Today's young ones have too many distractions, from video games to PlayStation consoles, vying for their time and attention in their growing up days. Whereas my own childhood was marked by playtime on simple swings, see-saws and monkey bars. Just like Housing Board estates (HDB) in Singapore have morphed over the years, their communal facilities like playgrounds have also kept pace with changing lifestyle trends. A playground is provided for every 600 to 800 HDB flats in Singapore. Bouncy rubber mats, sophisticated and shiny exercise equipment and new designs now create the fun factor in playgrounds. But about 30 years ago, HDB playgrounds started off as simple, concrete structures in sandy pits. In play then were geometric- and animal-shaped structures in such forms as pelicans and dragons. In the 1980s, thematic designs emerged, such as dinosaurs and Alice In Wonderland. There is still one such animal-shaped structured playground exists at Toa Payoh area (old Kim Keat View). It is named as a 'Dinosaur Playground' as there is a big dinosaur model there. Besides, the playground is quite old and a lot of people like to go there as there is plenty of space of exercise. It was a new playground paradigm, providing children and families with a richer play experience in terms of both imaginative and physical play. When was the last time you took your kids to the park and wished that you were still able to monkey around on the playground equipment without pulling out your back? While your days of playground romping may be a thing of the past, kids nowadays are lucky to have some awesome play structures at their disposal. The structures are shaped after two tyrannosaurus and a stegosaurus. Daring kids can attempt to climb up the back of the mother tyrannosaurus. Unlike other “normal” playgrounds, there are no swings or monkey bars in this playground which sits quietly at the site. This jaw-dropping dinosaur playground really makes me wish that i am a kid again. It is certainly amusing to see statues of dinosaurs in a HDB neighbourhood. Personally, i was getting swashed with a wave of nostalgia as such playgrounds brought back so many pleasant memories of my childhood. I hope that such older playgrounds can always remain in play.
Please feel free to browse a recent March photography shoot at another nearby nostalgic Toa Payoh Dragon Playground, one of the last few remaining heritage and sand-pit playgrounds from the 1980s: http://www.jenniferteophotography.com/1/post/2013/03/relive-your-own-childhood-withnostalgia-at-singapore-heritage-playground-toa-payoh-dragon-sand-pit-playground.html
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