What kind of play equipment can you find at your local playground? You probably know the basics like slides and swings—but what else is out there? In this post, you’ll learn useful vocabulary that’s especially helpful for parents and caregivers. Don’t forget to try the exercises at the end to put your new words into practice!
An Adventure at the Playground
As the sun shines down on the playground, children scatter in every direction, eager to explore all the fun. A group of kids rushes towards the swings (1), their feet pushing off the ground as they soar higher and higher, laughing with delight. Nearby, some brave adventurers climb the ropes of the climbing structure (2), pulling themselves up step by step, testing their strength and balance. A little further, the slide (3) beckons, smooth and shiny, as kids take turns climbing the ladder to race down with gleeful screams.
On the soft grass, a couple of children take turns on the seesaw (4), giggling as they go up and down, their laughter echoing across the playground. Not far from there, a group of friends gathers around the merry-go-round (5), pushing it with all their might so they can spin round and round, feeling the wind rush through their hair.
At the side of the playground, the sandbox (6) offers a quiet escape, where kids dig trenches, build castles, and let their imagination run wild. A few little ones hop onto the spring rider (7), bouncing up and down on the colorful creatures that rock back and forth. Meanwhile, some are hanging upside down on the monkey bars (8), showing off their strength and agility as they swing across from bar to bar.
Each piece of playground equipment offers a new way to play, explore, and discover, and it’s clear that there’s no shortage of fun for everyone.
| Word | Picture | Common Collocations |
| 1. a swing (a seat that hangs from ropes or chains and that moves back and forth)* |  | play on a swing, push a swing, sit on a swing, ride a swing, fall off a swing, jump off a swing |
| 2. a climbing structure (a piece of playground equipment designed for children to climb on, over, through, or around) |  | play on, fall from, climb a climbing structure; safe, metal, outdoor/indoor, age-appropriate climbing structure |
| 3. a slide (a smooth, sloping surface or chute that children sit on at the top and slide down for fun) |  | go down a slide, slip down the slide, climb up to the slide, play on the slide, wait your turn for the slide, push someone down a slide, fall off a slide; curved, straight, spiral, tall.short, double slide (two lanes side by side) slide |
| 4. a seesaw (a long, narrow board balanced on a central pivot point) |  | ride, play on a seesaw, go up and down on a seesaw, get off a seesaw, take turns on a seesaw |
| 5. a merry-go-round (a circular, rotating platform that children can sit or stand on while it spins) |  | ride, play on, spin, push, hold on to, fall off a merry-go-round; manual, fast-moving merry-go-round |
| 6. a sandbox (a shallow, contained area filled with sand) |  | play in, dig in, build in, sit in a sandbox, share a sandbox, indoor/outdoor, portable, shaded sandbox |
| 7. a spring rider (a playground toy mounted on a large, sturdy spring that allows children to rock back and forth or side to side) |  | ride, bounce on, sit on a spring rider, push, fall off a spring rider; animal-shaped, single-seat, durable spring rider |
| 8. monkey bars (a playground structure made up of horizontal bars, typically arranged in a ladder-like or grid pattern, that children swing across using their hands) |  | hang from, swing on, play on monkey bars, fall off monkey bars, reach monkey bars; low/tall monkey bars, free standing monkey bars (the type that stands on its own, not connected to any other structures like a climbing structure, jungle gym, or swing set) |
*Note that the structure with multiple swings attached to it that you commonly find at playgrounds is called a swing set (see the slideshow below).
🛝 See more playground equipment in the slideshow above: a swing set, a climber (a general term for any structure designed for children to climb on), a jungle gym (a type of playground structure that combines various elements for climbing, hanging, and exploring; a jungle gym is a type of climbing structure, but not all climbing structures are jungle gyms as a jungle gym is a specific type of climbing structure that typically consists of a network of interconnected bars or grids (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) that children climb, hang, or swing on), a play house, a trampoline.
Practice
Exercise 1. Click the link here and match the pictures to the words.
Exercise 2. Click the link here and choose the right words to complete the sentences.
Do you feel playful already? Next time you’re at the playground, take a good look around and try to remember the words from this article. Also, try to describe what the kids are doing—this is where the collocations from the table and the exercises above will come in handy. Want more content like this? Be sure to subscribe to the blog so you never miss a post.
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