What is a junk playground?
The concept of a “junk playground” was first idealized by Carl Theodor Sørensen (1951), a Danish landscape architect. Sørensen was inspired to create "junk playgrounds" after he discovered that children preferred to play in construction sites, garbage dumps, and junk yards rather than the playgrounds he had designed for them. Sørensen's concept was tested in Emdrup, Copenhagen during the German occupation of the Second World War. Sørensen designed an enclosed space, supplied it with building materials, discarded objects and tools, and allowed children to build their own environment. The notion that children would rather play with dirt, rocks, lumber, etc. started a revolution in the playground industry.
The concept of a "junk playgrounds" or "adventure playgrounds" hasn't changed much since the 1940's. Junk playgrounds include Earth, fire, water, and lots of creative loose materials. The owners of JunkPark share Sørensen's vision and aim to provide a space where children are free to take risks and manipulate their environment without pesky adult micromanagement. JunkPark believes that play requires a degree of participation, and that this sort of participation is related to agency, decision making and power that children crave.
At JunkPark, children are free to experiment with fire, hammers, saws, and paint. Children are encouraged to fail, and engage in destructive play as a means of navigating and knowing their physical world empirically. JunkPark provides loose parts (i.e. stones, stumps, sand, gravel, fabric, wood, pallets, boxes, logs, shells, crates, tires) that allow a lot of opportunities for children to shape and take ownership of their environment. Children control how JunkPark is built, altered and enhanced. At JunkPark, we invite children to play, build, destroy, and enhance the environment creatively.
Who should come?
JunkPark is designed for youth seven years old and older. Everyone needs to sign the walk-in waiver when you come in.
Are parents allowed?
At JunkPark, children are given the opportunity to build and destroy, to use tools without parental supervision. Parents are allowed to watch from a distance, but they can’t interfere. Parents can sit back and relax.
What is a playworker?
A playworker is the staff on the playground. Playworkers are present and aware of their surroundings and all of the activities happening within the playground. Playworkers manage the space by conducting constant assessment of hazards in the space. Our playworkers are trained in the philosophy of child-directed play or playwork. Playworkers create and maintain spaces for children to play. Playwork recognizes that childrens’ play must be freely chosen, personally driven, and intrinsically motivated.
Is there a fee?
You betcha! Youth seven years and older may stay (drop in) in the playground without their parent/guardian for up to three hours. A parent/guardian must fill out a registration form/waiver and pay a $10.00 fee. Please contact us if you plan on having a group of 5 or more.
What should everyone wear?
Everyone must wear sturdy shoes like tennis shoes, NOT flip flops, sandals, crocs or clogs. Stepping on a nail is a possibility and sturdy shoes protect feet. Wear clothes that can get dirty, wet, painted on and you may consider bringing a change of clothes for wet or muddy days.
Warning: Our playground paint is water based tempera (school paint) and some colors may not come out of clothing even with pre treating.
We are always looking for volunteers to help in the playground- must be 16 or older. Students can get community service hours helping on weekends.
Donations
We welcome donations that inspire creative play such as:
- Duct tape
- Fabric
- Bubble wrap
- Sand
- Old wooden furniture
- Tempura paint
- Plywood pieces
- Pallets
- Pianos
- Buckets
- Shovels
- Ropes
- Old playground equipment
Call first, if you are planning on dropping items off so we can let you know if we can use them, and help you unload. 651-216-6080