Take away too much of the excitement and risk and the kids will find ways of creating excitment.
For example: when we lived in apartments and the kids had nothing to do but play on the grass with no equipment, there were problems with the kids breaking into other apartments (even the 8 yr old neighbor boy had this idea on his own), pushing around the little kids, turning on the water spigots and leaving them run until the parking lot was one large puddle, digging holes in the yard that tripped the little kids, and getting into fights regularly.
This is asking for more trouble. I'm all for using wood chips instead of macadam under the swings and equipment. I recall more than once getting flattened on the macadam of my old playground and one kid getting thrown from a swing to land on his face - didn't see him for a month after that. But that was on a paved surface. Make the surface they fall onto safe. I can see avoiding the sharp corners, like the one on my old metal slide that ripped a gash on the inside of my forearm. I still have that scar.
But completely removing swings? climbing, tunnels, slides? no way. Kids need the challenge to physically develop their bodies. They need to run to strengthen their muscles, heart and lungs.
I can see this as a growing tread to avoid excercise and physical exertion. We're gonna end up with such a crowd of fat, weak, lazy slobs who are afraid to do anything that requires a little risk. No wonder our country is not as strong educationally or physically as other countries.
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"Always learn the rules so that you can break them properly." Dalai Lama
My Karma just ran over your Dogma.
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