Benefit-Risk Assessment Is Being Misused in Playground Design

Why councils must rethink how they manage evolving play environments Across parks, reserves, and public spaces, informal play is rapidly emerging. Rope swings tied to trees. Mud kitchens built from reclaimed materials. Hut-building zones evolving organically in bush edges. This is not a negative trend. In fact, it reflects something highly positive—community engagement, creativity, and a return to meaningful, exploratory play. But it also introduces a critical governance ques

Tree climbing is something many of us remember fondly from our own childhoods. It’s active, challenging, confidence-building—and still very much part of free play in many New Zealand schools today. During playground inspections, we regularly observe trees that are clearly being used by students for climbing. In many cases, schools are comfortable with a managed version of this activity and actively support it as part of a balanced play environment. That approach is entirely r

Introducing the New Operational Nature Play Guidelines – A Proud Collaboration Playsafe is incredibly proud to announce the release of the new Operational Nature Play Guidelines, developed in close collaboration with Gisborne District Council (GDC). This landmark document marks a major step forward in supporting councils, landscape professionals, and community stakeholders across Aotearoa in delivering safe, creative, and inclusive nature play environments. Nature Play, which