Hello.!

In this post, I’d like to take a closer look at Maple Leaf Playground No. 3, which opened on April 18, and

children’s right to play.

- Children’s Right to Play?

Quite literally, the right of children to play refers to children’s right to enjoy rest and leisure

and to participate in cultural and artistic activities.

In other words, it means children should be guaranteed the freedom to engage in the many kinds of activity that can be called “play.”

At first glance, some people may wonder whether play really needs to be protected as a right.

But in fact, the word “play” is not always a comfortable one in the public imagination.

Because it can suggest something unproductive, idle, or slack,

it often brings with it a sense of pressure, making people self-conscious and anxious about the future.

Especially in childhood, the moment someone said they were going out to play, there were always familiar remarks close behind, such as

“You’d be better off spending that time reading or studying.” “Once you’re an adult, you can play as much as you want.”

and so on.. little afterthoughts that seemed to restrain the very act of play.

People speak as though play is somehow improper, or as though it is something to be postponed until later in life..

But we already know the truth.

That once you become an adult, you play even less..

That your stamina no longer keeps up..

That there are things only possible in childhood..

Of course, childhood is a time when much must be learned through study and education,

but there are also positive things to be learned through playing, feeling, and acting,

so play should not be treated as something to reject outright, but as something that ought to be protected.

By gathering in the same space with friends, running about, and working up a sweat,

or by trying playground equipment and joyfully encountering something new,

children can see more, feel more, and grow in healthier ways.

Children should be allowed to be children. Children should be able to play freely.

Just as time spent sitting at a desk with a pencil in hand is guaranteed, time spent running around with friends and chasing one another in play should be guaranteed as well.

- Maple Leaf Playground Opens for the Right to Play!

If children’s right to play is to be meaningfully protected, then there must first be spaces where they can actually play.

With that concern in mind, a new Maple Leaf Playground has opened.

At present, there are three Maple Leaf Playgrounds.

Maple Leaf Playground No. 1, located in Seongnam-dong, Jungwon-gu, Seongnam-si.

Maple Leaf Playground No. 2, located in Singok-dong, Uijeongbu.

And this time, in Children’s Grand Park, Neung-dong, Gwangjin-gu,

Maple Leaf Playground No. 3 has opened.

The fact that a third location has already opened makes it clear that, in the effort to promote children’s right to play and provide a pleasant play environment,

this is a meaningful project that stands out for the care it shows toward children.

- Visiting Maple Leaf Playground No. 3

After quite a long trip, I finally made my way to Maple Leaf Playground No. 3.

Until now, I had only encountered news of it indirectly through articles, but this time I had the chance, so setting my age aside for a moment I went to see it for myself.

For a while, the weather had been unpleasant because of fine dust in the air,

but this time the sky was wonderfully clear, which made it an ideal day to head out and play. (Actually, it was a bit hot.)

This is the map of Seoul Children’s Grand Park posted beside the main gate.

If you look closely, you can see that No. 39, Maple Leaf Playground No. 3 is marked on it, and

if you continue straight along the flat path from the central plaza where the Music Fountain (No. 42) is located,

you can get there without much difficulty.

The Maple Leaf Playground seems to welcome visitors as if to say they have arrived in the right place.

Even here, I could already see young children stopping to take photos.

The overall guide map looks like this.

I was surprised first by how spacious it was, surprised again by how varied the playground equipment was,

and surprised a third time by the emphasis placed on the passed safety inspection certificate and on the fact that the site is being well maintained for children’s safety.

There is something quietly moving about the creation of such a large playground, a place where so many children can run and play freely.

Now, let’s take a look at the playground equipment.

- Pink Bean World

Pink Bean World is organized around a main combination play structure, with various supporting play facilities arranged around it,

and it also features the playground’s essential centerpiece, the slide.

At the top, a Pink Bean with an adorable expression greets visitors.

It was one of those moments that immediately made me feel glad I had come.

A warning sign is posted next to the spiraling slide, reminding visitors not to climb up it.

When I was young, I sometimes behaved like a salmon and tried to scramble back up the wrong way,

but that is genuinely dangerous, so it is best avoided.

It is taller than it first appears, so it may look a little risky at a glance, but

each stepping platform is enclosed with railings, so children can enjoy it safely.

Part of me really wanted to ride the slide down,

but I’m an adult.. so I came back down without doing so.

- Maple Leaf Rest Area

Next is the Maple Leaf Rest Area, located at the center of the playground.

A large canopy that blocks the sunlight, along with that ever-familiar element of any playground, sand, welcomes visitors here.

These days, sand becomes dirty easily for various reasons, and because of concerns about upkeep and the possibility of injury,

there has been a growing trend of replacing it with rubber flooring, so it had been a little disappointing to see sand play gradually fading for quite some time, but

at Maple Leaf Playground, they created a separate space specifically for sand play,

which suggests a design that is easier to maintain while still allowing children to enjoy it safely.

Seeing so many young children gathered in the center and happily playing with the sand

also brought back memories of the old days, when we used to build little sand cities ourselves.

Also, because the Maple Leaf Rest Area is located in the center of the playground, the play equipment is visible from virtually any angle, so it also allows guardians to rest comfortably while the children run around and play.

Adults may spend enjoyable time running around with children, showing them how to use the equipment and taking photos together,

but in the heat, and given the simple limits of stamina, there are inevitably moments when a short rest is needed,

and in that sense this is a thoughtfully designed space where one can sit in the shelter, enjoy a gentle breeze, and keep watch over the children.

- Rock Spirit World

Next is Rock Spirit World, where several hills reminiscent of the Rock Spirit appear

alongside the flower of any playground, the swings.

Since swings are the kind of popular equipment everyone wants a turn on, there are four in total,

so children can soar high, almost as if they might touch the sky, and feel the refreshing breeze.

And true to the name Rock Spirit World, you can spot stone-spirit-like mounds here and there,

which creates a space that can be imagined and enjoyed in many different ways.

Even if the structures appear simple at first glance, once children’s imagination is added, they can become almost anything.

- Orange Mushroom World

Lastly, Orange Mushroom World features stepping stones that let children move along by stepping across the heads of Orange Mushrooms,

and a trampoline where they can bounce as though they themselves had become a lively mushroom.

The trampoline, with its excellent springy feel, is installed directly in the ground,

making this a cheerful space where laughter naturally spills out the moment children step onto it.

In the past, these often took the form of tightly woven, thin netting, which felt a little unsafe,

but the trampoline in Orange Mushroom World has a somewhat different structure, so it seems likely that accidents involving getting caught may be less common.

Even so, because it is the kind of equipment on which children can easily fall or get hurt, it still seems to require a guardian’s help.

- Visit Review

It was immediately clear that this is a playground designed with consideration for both children and their guardians.

The sight of children climbing onto different play structures, laughing and running about,

together with the sight of adults beside them helping and encouraging them to join in more confidently,

came together into a single scene that made even me, watching from a distance, feel happy along with them.

Not only are MapleStory’s distinctive elements woven throughout the playground,

but with MapleStory’s own gentle BGM playing as well,

it became a small pleasure to go around noticing, one by one, the details that could otherwise only be encountered inside the game.

There are also several supporting play spaces that are no less engaging than the main equipment,

so I especially appreciated the thoughtfulness of creating a place where, no matter which area children use, they are unlikely to grow bored and can play freely without being bound by rigid rules.

With May approaching, and with a day for children soon returning,

I hope you will consider visiting Maple Leaf Playground No. 3,

a place that helps children play freely and in a variety of ways,

while also giving adults a chance to revisit the innocence of childhood.!