Have You Seen an Adult Outdoor Playground?

The concept is already old news in China, but here in the US a new idea is taking root in public health — adult playgrounds. Similar to their younger counterparts in the sense that they are outdoor, free and often located in a city park, adult playgrounds are a positive trend being spotted around urban areas.

New York City unveiled its first adult playground in Macombs Dam Park in the Bronx two years ago. The New York Times reports that park officials are discussing building 24 more playgrounds in neighborhoods across five boroughs in the next 18 months.

Many public parks already feature small workout stations spread throughout the grounds. These adult playgrounds are innovative by consisting of concentrated areas of many machines and pieces of equipment. They are often built by the same manufacturers as children’s playgrounds, but are constructed to work more like the equipment of an indoor fitness club.

These adult jungle gyms include machines that serve as ellipticals, as well as classic gym standards such as the Roman chair, elastic bands and benches. Painted brightly colored, they resemble children’s equipment but are very much made with older users in mind.

NBC News reports that these adult playgrounds are reflective of public health trends aimed at altering unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as eliminating smoking, minimizing trans fats and banning soda. These playgrounds encourage daily fitness by making it more accessible to everyone.

The main benefit of these outdoor gyms is that they are free and open to the public, giving everyone access to equipment that some might not otherwise be able to afford.

Europe adopted this trend many years ago. Some adult playgrounds overseas feature rock-climbing walls, mazes of dense shrubbery, teeter-totters and table tennis.

What do you think of this trend? Would you try out an adult playground?