Reminiscing

They don't make them like they used to.
Playground toys. For Elementary schools.
Nowadays it's all plastic and such. Things that are 'durable.'

But, really, they're not as fun.

No, the best toy I experience at school was what we'd call 'The Big Toy'

It was this nice 'cobbled together' sort of toy made from wood, metal, and tires.
And it was totally Awesome!

A giant spider pit in the middle made from tires.
A metal slide on one side.
A chain link ladder/web to climb up on the other.
On a third side, two rows of chains.....
....I never really understood the purpose of those. It was like some sort of 'high wire' sorta thing...kinda pointless...maybe something else used to be part of that side before I came to school there.

But my favorite side?
Contained a row of hanging rings, and multiple rows of monkey bars.
So.
Much.
Fun!

Really, when I wasn't playing the various games of tag and hide and seek and capture the flag with my friends, I was on those bars. I was on those rings. Trying to cross them as quickly as possible. Learning to skip bars and not doing every one.

Really, the whole big toy was a wooden fort of awesomeness!!

That unfortunately.....was wooden.
Which meant....that over time....things started to break down.
Things became rickety.
Rotten.
Dangerous.

Not to mention all those nice burning hot metal things all over the place....

Basically, it no longer became 'safe' for children.

And with our school population on the rise, and things getting more crowded....
There definitely needed to be a change made....
>.< Unfortunately.

So in 5th or 6th grade...
They closed down the big toy.
Tore it down.
And built a not as nice plastic substitute in it's place.
Y_Y

Really, if I had been in charge.
I would have rebuilt it, exactly the same.
...Okay, not exactly, but there would still be wooden beams, monkey bars of metal, and swinging rings, the tire pit!
But other things....like those uncomfortably hot metal slides...would be replaced by plastic things. Some additions, like a rock wall, zip line slide, and other random fun things would come into play.

But really, I would have just created an exact mode, updated things for 'safety' and then. Walla! Same toy for future generations to enjoy!
Because really, that New Big Toy? Totally wasn't fun. Too crowded, no rings or enough monkey bars...

Bring back the Old! ^^;;

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi