Envision the wildest playground you've seen in the U.S.
That one with the highest slide and the craziest climbing thingy, the one your kids love but gives you heartburn? Multiply that by about 10.
That's the level of adventure kids get at most playgrounds here in the Auckland area. And man are these playgrounds cool.
We're talking giant slides that reach higher than most buildings. Intricate web-like climbers that put the traditional metal domes we played on as kids to shame.
Now THAT'S a climber.
And then there are the ziplines. I'm not talking about those little metal-track ones we have in the U.S. that roll from one raised platform to another. This is the full-on zip-line experience, at speeds way too fast for Mom's comfort.
Kids here know how to have fun. They're not at all intimidated by the heights, the speeds, the exertion these playgrounds require. In fact, they often amp up the fear factor, climbing up the outside of a three-story slide, for instance -- all while barefoot. (A lot of kids here don't wear shoes. Even in the winter. Even when it rains. Seems...pretty great to me. :)
But for our nice, safe, overprotected American kids (my fault, I'm a total helicopter; sorry Shane), it's been a bit of an adjustment.
Let me paint the picture.
We recently went to a playground about 5 minutes from our house. This playground is, like, the greatest playground I've ever seen.
It has tall wooden structures connected by rope bridges that lead to a slide probably 30 feet high. And that's just the main attraction. It also has a long zipline (called a "Flying Fox" here), a bunch of other climbers -- the likes of which we've definitely never seen in the U.S. -- and a cool swing that's popular here called a spider-web swing.
Everyone in the spider-web swing!
Our kids had a little trouble getting going on this playground, and it really highlighted the differences in the American and NZ childhood experiences.
As the Adorable Girl inched along one of the rope bridges, scared to put one foot in front of the other, local kids -- some younger than her --got tired of the delay. So instead of waiting, they just climbed outside the netting, and swung across the gap like little monkeys. It was...quite a sight. I was actually really impressed.
With some encouragement and tips from the nice local kids (kids here are thumbs-up), the Adorables picked up the pace and their confidence and figured out how to get around on most of the equipment. By the time we left, they were proud of themselves for being up to the challenge.
And I was proud too, even though I bit off most of my fingernails watching them climb and exhausted myself trying to hide my American anxiety from all the cucumber-cool NZ moms. (I'm sure I failed at that last part.)
(Oh, and the Adorable Boy and I went back to that playground later in the week, and he climbed just like a local -- one wearing shoes, that is. Made me so proud :)
For readers who may be planning a trip to Auckland with kids, here's a guide to some of the playgrounds we've checked out and a few we have on our bucket list:
Tui Glen Reserve: In nearby Henderson, a few minutes from our home, this playground has awesome teepee-like wooden towers and two huge covered slides. Beautiful walking trail and fields, too. One trail leads right to the West Wave Recreation Center, which has an amazing pool area.
Tahaki Reserve: At the base of Mount Eden, this park has a super-long Flying Fox, a little train and track, a bunch of spider-web swings and some great climbers. We did the hike up Mount Eden and then had a picnic lunch here while the kids played. Super fun.
Rocket Park: We haven't been here yet, but it's one we definitely plan to check out. The central feature is a towering rocket-shaped climbing structure. Blast off!
Snakes and Ladders Park: Just what it sounds like: a giant game of Snakes and Ladders. So clever. Maybe we'll hit it up this weekend
And for you American parents who might be seeing these pictures and thinking, "Eek! Why??" I'll give just a quick explanation for why * I think * playground culture is so different here.
New Zealand has a much different, probably much healthier approach to liability. Everyone in the country -- including tourists -- is granted Accident Compensation. That means, if you're injured in NZ, no matter how it happened or who was to blame, you get free medical care, a portion of your salary while you recover and additional compensation if appropriate. (Doesn't that blow your American mind??)
What you don't get, however, is the right to sue for damages. In this country, you cannot sue someone for causing you injury. So that infamous McDonald's hot coffee lawsuit? Yeah, that probably wouldn't have happened here.
And think about it: When you don't have to worry as much about getting sued, you can allow for more risky situations, leaving it up to the user to decide how to handle it. Makes a lot of sense, doesn't it?
Overall, I'm thrilled my kids will get to challenge themselves at these awesome playgrounds. But, when they fall down, watch out. The helicopter in me is always ready to take flight. :)
