The Safe Playground in Greece: What are we loosing?

Hello,

It’s been a while - Recently, I started reading a new blog that is very reflective and personal, and it got me thinking: maybe I should also start analyzing things more deeply, not just writing about what I’ve learned or found interesting. Ideas started coming to me—many of which I forgot quickly, but some stayed in my mind. One of them was writing about playgrounds in Greece.

We usually go to playgrounds with the kids once a week. It’s something all parents do, so I guess it’s a good thing. But to be honest, I don’t like playgrounds in Greece. I even started Googling playgrounds in other parts of Europe. That’s how I discovered something called “adventurous playgrounds” in England, and they looked amazingly fun.

So what happened in Greece? Why are our playgrounds so boring?

A few years ago, a poll conducted by diaNEOsis asked Greeks whether they would prefer a low-paying but secure job, or a more prestigious, better-paying job that comes with risks. The majority chose the first option. A generation of risk-avoiders.

I had completely forgotten about this poll until I was standing in a well-fenced, bland playground, devoid of nature, and the thought suddenly popped back into my mind. Why are we so obsessed with safety? And what do we lose by always choosing the safe option?

Let me try to answer the first question. Someone who constantly chases safety may be someone who has lacked it in their life. So when the chance to feel secure appears, they grab it without hesitation. I work in a school, and I often hear adults saying things like, “Look out!” or “Don’t do that!”—even when the children are doing things they’ve already mastered, like climbing stairs. And I ask myself: what exactly are we afraid of? And again—what are we losing?

Let’s look at this from the work perspective. When you choose the job that provides security, you gain the comfort of a regular paycheck and stability. But what do you lose? You might miss the chance to do something more intriguing or challenging. You lose the opportunity to grow, to learn, and perhaps to earn more. People feel happy when they evolve. And society? It loses out on bold ideas, innovation—and yes, money too.

Now let’s return to the playground example. What do we gain from a safe, restricted playground? Well, parents get to sip their coffee in peace and chat with friends. Honestly, that’s not bad—and I sometimes crave that too.

But what do kids lose? They lose the opportunity to take risks and learn from them. The opportunity to fail in order to succeed. You might think—Come on, we’re talking about a playground here! But think about a climbing structure where you need to crawl through a tunnel, climb up high, and jump to grab a rope. To do all that, you first need to try. In trying, you develop your skills. You’ll probably fall. And then you’ll have to try again—and again—until finally, you catch that rope and swing across like Tarzan (or Jane, if you’re not fond of heights). How do you feel about yourself after that? Do you trust your own strength more? Are you more confident to try new things?

Hundreds of kids in Greece grow up in environments that are “safe.” And when they turn 20 and are supposedly ready for life, they end up choosing very conservative paths. But if the young don’t take risks—who will?