Playgrounds

We have a goal, these summer holidays, to explore the playgrounds (spielplatzes) of Berlin. We went on a mini tour last holidays, but we have about six times as much time to explore this time and we intend to make the most of it! My mini challenge within this is to explore the Top Ten Berlin Spielplatzes, having recently discovered that there was such a thing.

Jill was absolutely thrilled when she found 'the elephant park' in the list, the listed picture online being the larger elephant multi-level part of the park. We trundled out of the house with our bikes and a picnic lunch and went to see the Zirkus Aladin spielplatz.


It turns out she named the park well. There are two elephants at the park: this is the smaller of the two.


The second elephant has about three levels, accessible by ladders, with a huge metal slide as a trunk. It's brilliant.


It also has a wee circus wagon. Isn't that delightful?

The circus park of course includes dozens of the carvings that are found in so many of the lovely Berlin spielplatzes, as well as rope ladders, climbing ropes, two spinning toys, and the obligatory ping pong table. I have no idea if the carvings are a German thing or just a Berlin thing, but I do have to wonder how they come about. Is there one guy out there who supplies fabulous, carved animals for parks? Is it an industry? I can't say I ever wondered about where playgrounds in Australia came from--they were just there and generally resembled each other, with differences mostly in layout and size, etc. The parks here are such a wonderful enigma, with their metal slides and wooden structures, with the carvings, statues, and ping pong tables instead of swings. I love them, but I also digress. The seating was more than adequate, with a lovely little round seating area decorated with carved animals. Then there was the water toy!


The kids spent a solid hour pumping water and constructing a 'river' until I made them get out of the sun. It was 29 degrees Celsius today, so I didn't fancy them in full sun even with 50+ sunscreen, but rather than having to go home the multi-level structures provided more than enough shade for them to play without getting burned.