And, if you took a tumble, there were no soft landings, just 110-degree asphalt (and sometimes a little blood, pain, and tears). The stakes were high, so you had to learn how not to fall.

But, that is not the playground of my children. My kids play on elaborately interconnected wonderlands of fun, climbing apparatuses with multiple levels and enough space for everyone to play together.

In that way, current playgrounds are a lot like the modern Internet.