Maple Leaf Playground No. 3 Opens to Support Children’s R...

On Saturday, April 18, Maple Leaf Playground No. 3 opened at Seoul Children's Grand Park.

Maple Leaf Playground is a public playground renovation project run by MapleStory to support children's right to play.

This is the third location, following Maple Leaf Playground No. 1 in Seongnam and Maple Leaf Playground No. 2 in Uijeongbu.

Why is MapleStory taking on this work?

Why Children Need to Play

Currently, children in South Korea spend an average of 1 hour and 32 minutes a day playing, well below the OECD average of 2 hours and 30 minutes. That puts the country among the lowest in the OECD.

Children are made to accept the idea that "playing is being lazy". In particular, the fear that "you will fall behind if you do not study" has driven children into private academies, leading to a dramatic increase in the number of these institutions.

The number of playgrounds, however, has declined.

Nadeuri Children's Playground in Seongnam before renovation

Even where playgrounds exist, access can be a problem.

Of the roughly 80,000 playgrounds in South Korea, 52% are inside apartment complexes and are off-limits to non-residents, creating what is known as inequality in access to play.

Maple Leaf Playground No. 3

Leaf Playground No. 1 after renovation

In response, MapleStory signed a memorandum of understanding to develop public playgrounds and began renovating aging playground facilities.

As part of the process, children took part in workshops where they shared ideas that were incorporated into the designs.

Mamkkeot Playground at Seoul Children's Grand Park before renovation. Visit to see the renovated space for yourself.

The result is Maple Leaf Playground No. 3, built on a much larger scale than the previous locations.

The signature maple leaf motif decorates the entrance, while MapleStory background music plays inside. The playground is divided into four main areas.

The first is Pink Bean World.

It features a Pink Bean play structure, a double slide, rings to climb through, and a net resting area. Designed for children with as much energy as Pink Bean, it gives them space to run and play freely. The chance to climb up high and ride the winding slide down looks especially exciting.

The second is Rock Spirit World.

With a maze of play mounds and swings, this area is designed to feel as though Rock Spirits might be hiding around every corner. It is an ideal space for children who enjoy searching for hidden treasure or a hideout of their own.

The third is Orange Mushroom World.

It features trampolines, Orange Mushroom stepping stones, and a photo spot. Children can bounce to their hearts' content in the trampoline area, just like Orange Mushrooms. Once commonly called "bang-bang" in Korea, the trampolines here are compact enough for individual use.

The fourth and final area is the Maple Leaf Rest Area.

Designed for parents visiting with their children, this space includes shade canopies and a maple leaf sand play area. Adults can sit near the canopies and watch their children, while those who prefer quieter play can enjoy the sand.

Closing Thoughts

My childhood neighborhood had few places to play. I remember kicking a ball or roller-skating in parking lots as cars drove through. Looking back, it was extremely dangerous, but it probably reflects just how much I wanted to play.

Children today are no different. No child should be injured while playing in dangerous parking lots or alleyways, or on aging playground equipment.

Out of tens of thousands of playgrounds, this is only the third to be renovated through the project. Still, if it encourages more people to support children's right to play, that alone is meaningful.