Today we meet at Trafiklegepladsen, a playground that teaches young children about bike safety. Its design mirrors normal traffic patterns within the city. The playground features bike and bus lanes, roundabouts, traffic and pedestrian lights, and tall bushes which act as buildings. Trained staff assists in teaching children how to ride bikes. The biking culture makes children learn at a very young age. I even saw some toddlers on balance bikes (bikes without wheels). After trying out the course for ourselves, we learned about Copenhagens playground culture. There are 124 playgrounds and 26 staffed ones. The staff creates safe, inclusive, and supportive relationships between playground users. It is common for children to go to playgrounds without adults because the staff is there to watch. All ages are welcome at the playgrounds. Some of them even offer free amenities such as art supplies, toys, indoor areas, and sports courts. There are also themed playgrounds, which makes each one different and exciting. The themes teach children about different activities such as construction, cooking, gardening, and taking care of animals.

Next, we explored some of the nearby playgrounds. We started at Tårnlegepladsen, which was my favorite. This playground displays mini versions of the famous towers and architecture of Copenhagen. These include The Round Tower, The Marble Church, and the tower of Copenhagen City Hall. The playground also features a basketball court, a skate park, and a huge indoor space. This has couches, tables, and a wide variety of activities, which is perfect for rainy days (there are a lot here).

The next playground we explored was a fountain playground. It didn’t have any water in it at the moment, but I can imagine how refreshing and fun it would be on a hot day. It is huge and includes a few structures that look like people can climb. After that, we went to a skate park. There were a variety of ages and some people were even on roller skates and scooters. Fun and lively music was playing, which is one of the only times I’ve heard Danish music instead of American music. The skate park seems like a safe and supportive environment.

Next, we went to a smaller playground that has trampolines, a hammock, and balance activities. The playground structure itself looks very modern. This playground was much less crowded than the others. Shade covers the surrounding area, which is perfect for relaxing and supervising. If I lived here, I can easily imagine myself coming to this playground often.

The last playground we visited was the smallest one of the whole day. It has a few obstacles you can balance on, a swing, and a structure that resembles a melting couch. This one is in the middle of a park. Instead of a playground, it seems more like an area to stop for a moment before continuing on a walk. Even though each playground has different features, they all have a lot of green space, shade, and tables. I am shocked that there is no litter at any of the playgrounds, especially because they’re all in a populated and central urban space. After being in Copenhagen for almost a week now, it seems like the citizens respect the city and take a lot of pride in it. This is refreshing coming from a city where I see almost every street covered with litter. I am excited to continue exploring this city by bike and to see what a weekend in Copenhagen looks like.