[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Typical New York. Growing up in the 70s, I played on playgrounds that were missing screws, was deteriorating, on top of solid concrete and yet I've never had a broken bone or even a scar.

[Huntress]

On a visit to my parents recently, I drove by my old elementary school. All the playground equipment I remember from the 1970s—12 foot high monkey bars, the metal merry-go-round, the tall swings and slides—was gone, replaced by something safer, but more suited to 3 year olds. The gravel and concrete underneath had been replaced by wood chips. Once again, I felt glad that I am no longer a kid.

[b4its2late]

I played on playgrounds that were missing screws, was deteriorating, on top of solid concrete and yet I've never had a broken bone or even a scar.

And some things never change..... NY playgrounds are one of those things.

[LongElegantLegs]

[PAR35]

Around here, they use wood chips or pea gravel. I’d look to see if any money from the vendor of the mats flowed back to any city employees.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

Kids are supposed to play in DIRT, and SAND. When they come home from school their little socks are supposed to be so damned dirty that bleach is required. Every so often, kids have little arguments, and inflict nose bleeds upon each other.
Hell, first damned rattlesnake I ever killed only happened because the dumb snake struck at the spokes of my Schwinn, but I rode around town with that snake around my neck, just like it was a lion I’d killed with a spear. Next snake I went after was on purpose!
Kids are the reason we go on, best raise them to survive after you are gone.
Reality is!