JEREMY SELWYN
What makes a truly great playground? Imagination, variety, nature and, yes, a proper dose of real old-fashioned risk. Common sense tells us that if you take all the challenge out of kids’ play, it stifles their development, kyboshes their ability to make proper judgements and leaves them with only one place to go wild – the internet.
Insurance companies may be doing their utmost to make life difficult for adventure play, but these three venues stand proud...
1. The Magic Garden
David Hedges
The new magical garden at Hampton Court Palace. March 13 2016.
Wilderness Cottage, Molesey, East Molesey KT8 9AU
The stats say it all: when Hampton Court opened its Tudor-themed playground visitor numbers went up a whopping 34%. With its colourful helter-skelter towers, accessed by aerial walkways, and a seriously high fireman’s pole – not to mention a 25ft sleeping dragon that wakes every hour to breathe smoke (steam, actually) – it’s still the most spectacular and imaginative playground at any historic building in the land.
The Magic Garden reopens March 30; adults £8, children £6, free admission included in entry to the Palace. Suitable for 2-13 years; hrp.org.uk
2. Tumbling Bay
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Stratford, E20 2ST
In play terms, the Olympic legacy park is best known for the Arcelor Mittal Orbit, the world’s tallest and longest tunnel slide – you must be 1.3m tall and eight years old to attempt it (adults £16.50, child £10.50).
However, the real standout attraction is free: Tumbling Bay, a spacious adventure playground built into the park’s natural landscape with rock pools, sandpits, exceedingly tall treehouses and wobbly bridges. And you can round off your visit to the Park at the Waterworks fountain – a labyrinth of computer-controlled jets of water that light up with a neon glow at night.
queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk; open daily; all ages; free
3. Diana Princess of Wales’ Memorial Playground
Kensington Gardens, London, W2 2UH
A fully-rigged, three-tiered, handcrafted wooden galleon is the majestic centrepiece of this Peter Pan themed gem. Kids can try to refloat the beached vessel by sifting sand out of the hull or climb the rigging and walk the plank. Pirate play aside, there are teepees, a giant tyre swing, a musical garden, water play and plenty of space to run around.
royalparks.org.uk; free, up to 12 yrs; adult entry with a child only; 10 am – 5.45pm (March), with later opening in the summer