World’s Strangest

Everyone wants dibs (such as “I’ve got dibs on that last piece of pizza!”) but do we know what they are or why we call them? Chances are you first started calling dibs back when you were a kid on the playground. Coincidentally, the playground is exactly where the phrase is believed to have [...]

This looks like an ultra-modern playground, but it’s actually an astronomical observatory in Jaipur, India. It was built on orders from Maharajah Jai Singh II in the early 1700s. Jantar Mantar, which means calculation instrument, is the largest of five observatories the Maharajah had built to explore and measure the heavens. Read more about it [...]

Unless you had crazy parents who locked you up inside all day, all of us have enjoyed the freedom and wonder that make playgrounds magical. But it goes without saying that some playgrounds are far more spectacular and imaginative than others. Here are a few of the coolest playgrounds you’re ever likely to enjoy. Clemyjontri Park, [...]

Remember when you used to be king and/or queen of the playground, conquering the monkey bars like you’re part simian or hitting the slide so fast you flew off the end of the chute like a rocket ship? Well, those days are over, you’re all grown up now, so stop messing around or the playground will [...]

When I was a kiddo, my favorite playground activities were climbing to the top of the monkey bars and spinning way too fast on the merry-go-round. Since then, playgrounds have become increasingly more safe, and according to the New York Times, less mentally stimulating. The article argues that these changes have resulted in kids being [...]

Old tires are used for backyard swings and shredded for playground mulch, but that’s only the beginning of ways to use tires that are no longer road-worthy. This garden house was covered with tire treads to make it weatherproof. See more imaginative ways to reuse rubber at Killer Web Directory. Link (Image source: Millegomme)

School officials in Raytown, Missouri have battled flocks of geese for years. The problem is the bird droppings in the playgrounds and ballparks. Young children were even forced to stay inside during recess. The school grounds crew was prohibited from poisoning or shooting the geese, but last month, they came up with a new idea. They’re [...]

Artist Casey Weldon, among other subjects, paints adorable four-eyed kittens. They’ll be on display at the Minumental exhibition at the Trifecta Gallery in Las Vegas starting Dec. 2. Link via Nerdcore | Exhibit Website Previously by Casey Weldon: AT AT the Playground

Playgrounds have come a long way since the early days of hot, steel slides and open-backed infant swings. Safety is a big issue on today’s playgrounds, but so is imagination and ingenuity. Take a look at some of the many unusually cool designs popping up around the world. And if you have a favorite we [...]