Game facilities in recreation areas for children are selected considering the possibility of offering individual or group involvement for children. They are not overly figurative in order not to customize or identify the game with specific messages. The elements are chosen so that they promote chidren's imaginative potential and to give personality and content to the game.

Games for all children —weather boys or girls— are promoted in order to integrate those who have difficulties. Special attention is taken to avoid those games which can promote somehow aggressiveness and violence. The dimensions and degree of difficulty of the games vary depending on the different age groups for which they are intended: up to 5 years, from 6 to 12 and over 12 years.

Up to 5 years old

Sandbpits are important elements in these areas, especially for the youngest ones. It is a place where children can quietly sit on the ground and play with the sand with a shovel, a bucket or just with their hands.

Besides, there are swings, slides, see-saws, board games and water games. There are also hiding places similar to small houses, shops and castles, whose design is not figurative and favours role-playing games.

From 6 to 12 years old

When the child is about 6 years old, he starts to be daring, so active games and climbing have a big role. As in the areas for younger children, here there are (much bigger) swings and slides too, as well as see-saws.

Alongside these classic game facilities, another elements for climbing or hanging from different heights are important too: mast pyramid net play structures for climbing or wooden structures with ropes for hanging from. In these areas, there are other games which include handling elements, such as drawing games in vertical panels and music games.

Cooperation

At this age it is important to begin to foster a sense of cooperation. Therefore, there are group games which promote the sense of team since each participant has to perform a role which complements the others in other to make the game work. Two good examples of these facilities are water games located in Nou Barris Central Park and Joan Brossa Park.

Over 12 years old

This is the age when children like risk and overcoming challenges. We need, therefore, game elements which respond to these interests and promote the spirit of improvement.

Games are more complex than in other age groups and require more strength, energy and balance. Thus, movement and height of game elements determines the activities in these play areas, where there are games which allow to develop physical abilities.

Accessibility and integration

These play areas have been designed to be shared by all children without exception. Their main characteristics are accessibiity, integration and socialisation and their facilities are attractive to all users regardless of their abilities. In these areaswhat is different becomes normal and enriching.

Accessible and integrationist play areas are ​​approximately 500 m2 and are located in particularly remote areas or areas protected from vehicle traffic. They are built on flat fields with very small slopes which have easy access ramps.

All these areas have seating areas with space for wheelchairs. Accessible public transport stops are nearby, as well as reserved parking areas which are completely accessible.

Games

Games are distributed taking into account the need to promote experimentation and relationship between children. Therefore, the selected games are the ones which offer more possibilities of use on the basis of different skills.

Some of the games are handling games, board games, those which involve sensory experiences and "multi-games", which work at different levels and adapt to the abilities and needs of each user.

D'altra banda, la necessitat d'introduir determinats elements per a infants discapacitats pot esdevenir un joc compartit. Així, la guia a terra en el recorregut de joc per als nens invidents esdevé un "joc de traça" per als nens sense aquesta discapacitat, i la presència del braille pot convertir-se en un joc de descobriment d'aquest llenguatge.

Quant als jocs més tradicionals, estan dotats d'elements que els fan accessibles, com és el cas dels gronxadors de cistella o els tobogans, que disposen d'una rampa per accedir-hi.

Maintaining recreation areas