Key:playground

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Public-images-osm logo.svg playground
Children playing on a modern playground.jpg
Description
Playground equipment. Show/edit corresponding data item.
Group: leisure
Used on these elements
may be used on nodesmay be used on waysmay be used on areas (and multipolygon relations)should not be used on relations (except multipolygon relations)
Documented values: 16
Useful combination
Status: approvedPage for proposal

The key playground=* describes devices and installations on a playground. It should be tagged to separate objects within the area of a playground leisure=playground.

If a play equipment takes up the whole space of the playground's area leisure=playground, then tag it on the playground area itself with this key.

This key may also be used for play equipment that is not part of a playground, for example a sandpit belonging to a café.

Values

Each item of play equipment is tagged as a node, way or area depending on its shape and size, using the playground key and one of the following values. Some other keys are available for special equipment.

Key Value Element Comment Photo

Classic stationary installations

playground slide node way area A smooth, sloped downward surface on which children can slide down.
Accessibleplay-Slide.jpg
playground seesaw node way area A long, narrow board supported by a single pivot point, most commonly located at the midpoint between both ends; as one end goes up, the other goes down. Also known as a teeter-totter or teeterboard.
Seesaw-aa.jpg
playground springy node A seat on a helical spring (spring rider, spring rocker, springy horse, springy cow, ...)
Springy horse.jpg
playground structure node way area relation Complex installation of connected playground devices comprising platforms, towers, bridges, to which further climbing/slide/swing devices can be attached to. Consider playground=structure as an outline containing other parts that together form the whole structure and can be mapped separately. See also the next section of this table for devices that are often part of structures.
SunwardCohousingPlayStructure2005.jpg

Parts of playground structures

playground bridge node way area An unspecified bridge, usually a transition between other parts of a structure. For wobbly bridges use playground=wobble_bridge. Bouncing rubber belt bridges (usually stand alone devices) can be mapped with playground=belt_bridge.
Playground in Muchall Park, Wolverhampton - geograph.org.uk - 2735437.jpg
playground wobble_bridge way area A simple suspension bridge whose deck or walking elements are suspended merely by cables or similar attached at the ends or top of the bridge and therefore wobbles or swings when moving on it.
Playground ropebridge Trusepark Berlin Neukölln.jpg
playground platform node area A platform, raised level or even a tower, often with railing elements, and often with other playing or climbing devices on the sides or connected bridges. Is often part of a playground=structure that can be mapped separately as an outline containing all parts that together form the structure.
Playground structure wood toddler.jpg
playground steps node way area A stairway to get onto a platform or structure. Note: This value is intended for steps that are part of the playground equipment/to reach playground structures and devices. They don't have a function for general traffic. Steps that are part of the regular way network should be mapped as usual.
Playground steps wood step count 7 handrail.jpg
playground ladder node A ladder to climb onto a platform or structure. Note: This value is intended for ladders that are part of the playground equipment/to reach playground structures and devices. They don't have a function for general traffic. Ladders that are part of the regular way network should be mapped as usual.
Playground ladder.jpg

Swing devices

playground swing node way area A swing or swing-set. For baby-friendly swings, e.g. bucket swings, use baby=yes/no
Accessibleplay-Swing.jpg
playground basketswing node way area Basketswing
Playground swing 03.jpg
playground rope_swing node way A swing element (usually a big rope) attached with chains or cables, on which usually several children can swing together at the same time. Hardly reminds of conventional swings due to the way it works, and therefore uses its own value.
Playground rope swing Zoologischer Garten Berlin.jpg

Balance devices

playground agility_trail node way A series of thoughtfully designed structures and challenges that encourage kids to climb, balance, jump, and swing their way through. A mix of balance beams, climbing walls, monkey bars or wobbly bridges — all strategically placed to create a fun and engaging adventure
Agility trail for kids.jpeg
playground balancebeam node way Balance beam in playground shape, often close to the ground
Playground Balance beam.jpg
playground rope_traverse node way A rope (or several tied together), tightrope or slackline to walk across while keeping balance. May also have rope(s) or similar to hold on to (use handrail=yes/no to specify this).
Playground balance rope handrail.jpg
playground stepping_stone node way Shifted stones or blocks with a distance between each other, for hopping or stepping from one to the next. See also fitness_station=stepping_stone, if the stepping stones are part of a leisure=fitness_station.
Marine Park td (2019-05-24) 062 - Lenape Playground.jpg
playground stepping_post node way Shifted posts or poles with stepping elements with a distance between each other, for hopping or stepping from one to the next.
Playground stepping poles Thomashöhe Berlin Neukölln.jpg

Climbing devices

playground climbingframe node way area Climbing frame, also known as jungle gym, also as rope spider.
DeimosXL1.jpg
playground climbingwall node way area Children's version of a climbingwall – for all ages see sport=climbing.
Playground climbingwall.jpg
playground climbing_slope node way A sloped climbing plane, often with handholds or tethers and often part of a structure to reach a higher level.
Playground rope ladder.jpg
playground climbing_pole node A pole to climb up or slide down. For climbing poles that are part of a leisure=fitness_station, see fitness_station=climbing_pole.
Playground climbing pole height 2.jpg
playground monkey_bars node way Horizontal bars or hoops above head height to hang from by one's hands and move over hand over hand. For monkey bars that are part of a leisure=fitness_station, see fitness_station=horizontal_ladder.
Playground monkey bars, hoops.jpg

Rotating devices

playground roundabout node area Roundabout, also known as merry-go-round
Manually powered carousel on a playground in Saint-Petersburg.JPG
playground basketrotator node A basket rotating around a pole (Basket Rotator, Basket Spinner).
Playground Basket-Rotator Berlin Germany.jpg
playground aerialrotator node Aerialrotator
Hanging roundabout.jpg
playground spinner node A rotating device that, in contrast to a playground=roundabout, is very small, mostly only a small footboard or seat on a stick for one child.
Playground equipment spinner Rollbergsiedlung Berlin-Neukölln.jpg
playground spinning_disc node area A simple rotating disc. In contrast to a playground=roundabout, there are no add-ons to sit or hold on to. The disc can also be slightly curved - but as soon as it takes a bowl-like shape so that you can find a hold on the sides and perform stronger spinning movements, choose playground=spinner_bowl.
Playground rotator Thomashöhe Berlin Neukölln.jpg
playground spinning_circle node Spinning circle – a non-electric version of a treadmill (a slanted ring for turning, running and balancing, suitable for several children)
Spinning circle.jpg
playground spinner_bowl node area A spinning, usually tilted bowl. Can be suitable for one or more people. In contrast to a playground=spinning_disc, there is a significant curvature, which allows stronger centrifugal forces and spinning movements.
Spinner bowl in Springfield park, Guiseley (side view).jpg

Sand play devices

playground sandpit node area Sandbox in some regions
Zandbakw.jpg
playground chute node way A sloped chute or tube, mostly to transport sand by gravity from a higher to a lower place.
Playground sand chute.jpg
playground sieve node area A sieve, allowing to separate fine-grained sand from gravel (in a playground setting typically not finer separated than that).
Playground sand sieve.jpg
playground sand_wheel node way A small wheel that turns when sand falls onto it. Often combined with a chute directly above.
Playground sand wheel.jpg
playground sand_seesaw node way A channel or board on a pivot that can either route sand in two different directions, or allows to dump all accumulated sand in a chute-like manner when pivoted (when initially horizontal).
Playground sand seesaw.jpg
playground sand_pulley node way A small bucket or similar device holding sand (also common are sections of tire) that can be moved to another place. Typically either horizontally or vertically; may be mounted on a swivel to give a little more movement range. Often part of structures where it then allows to transport sand to other sand play devices mounted on the structure.
Playground sand pulley Lichtenrader Straße Berlin Neukölln.jpg
playground excavator node way area A small play excavator, allowing to move sand (or that rounded fine gravel) around a bit. Always fixed in place. Usually unpowered as just a series of metal linkages controlling the excavator bucket. For bigger, usually fenced off excavators with a fee=yes consider using attraction=*.
Playground excavator, unpowered.jpg

Water devices

playground splash_pad node way area Area with ground nozzles or other water features that spray water upwards out of the splash pad's raindeck. Also known as "spray pool".
Urbeach-high-park-splashpad.jpg
playground pump node

A water source to play with. Often this is an actual pump with handle (consider also adding man_made=water_well + pump=manual), but may also have different forms, such as a water wheel lifting water from a reservoir, or a button that can be pressed for water to flow for a limited time. For water flowing continuously or without interaction, use water_sprayer instead.

Wasserspielplatz an der Schäferwiese 01.jpg
playground water_channel way An inclined channel for water to flow towards other devices. Typically raised so that multiple channels in series route water from a pump to ground level. For water channels in the ground, resembling natural streams, use water_stream instead.
Playground water channels Schillerpromenade Berlin Neukölln.jpg
playground water_stream way A meandering stream of water resembling a natural water stream and looking a tad less artificial. Often enclosed in an artificial bed of stones.
Playground water flow.jpg
playground water_seesaw node way A seesaw-like water channel for either diverting water to two different places, or for automatically tilting and emptying when full.
Playground water seesaw Thomashöhe Berlin Neukölln.jpg
playground water_basin node way area A pool where water gathers, inviting either to run around in or combine it with sand to mud (also known as "mud table"). May have exits to other channels or even a drain in the bottom (sometimes with a plug).
Playground water basin with drain and plug.jpg
playground water_barrier node A removable barrier for water that inhibits flow towards other devices, often via an adjacent channel.
Playground water barrier Berlin Neukoelln.jpg
playground archimedes_screw node way A screw-like device for lifting water from a lower to a higher elevation.
Norden Archimedische Schraube.jpg
playground water_wheel node way A wheel with small buckets or paddles that rotates when water flows into and over it.
Playground water wheel Ellricher Straße Berlin-Neukölln.jpg
playground water_cannon node A (usually movable) device that allows targeted spraying of water.
Playground water cannon.jpg
playground water_sprayer node way A (often continuously-running) jet of water, often directed upward. This value is intended to map the location of such a water source itself, especially if there are individual water jets or they are particularly significant. To map an entire water play area characterized by multiple water jets, see playground=splash_pad (if there is a large number of water jets within a splash pad, it is usually not necessary to map them individually).
Farm Playground td (2018-10-30) 28.jpg

Activity devices

playground horizontal_bar node way area Also known as high bar
Rekstok.JPG
playground parallel_bars way Two or more bars side by side intended to perform gymnastics-like moves. For parallel bars that are part of a distinct leisure=fitness_station, see fitness_station=parallel_bars. If the bars are inclined and therefore intended for sliding moves, use playground=bannister_bars. For vertical bars, playground=climbing_pole may be more appropriate.
Shun Lee Estate Playground, Gym Zone and Basketball Court.jpg
playground bannister_bars way Two or more inclined bars side by side intended to perform sliding moves. See also playground=parallel_bars for non-inclined bars.
Playground parallel bars Mahlower Straße Berlin Neukölln.jpg
playground hamster_wheel node way area A large spinning tube to go inside and twist arround, similar to a hamster's wheel.
Kaiserslautern Volkspark Hamsterrolle.jpg
playground activitypanel node way area Activity panel with various games, such as naughts and crosses (examples)
Szwedy - plac zabaw - kółko i krzyżyk.jpg
playground exercise node way area Outdoor gym. See alternate suggestion on Proposed features/exercise point and on leisure=fitness_station.
Outdoor gym in Parque de Bateria, Torremolinos.JPG

Other motion devices

playground zipwire way area See also the "big brother" aerialway=zip_line. Sometimes also called a flying fox
Ropeway play.jpg
playground trampoline node area Trampoline, see also: leisure=trampoline_park
Playground trampoline.jpg
playground cushion node way area Bouncy cushion (like a flat bouncy castle, without towers)
Hüpfkissen.jpg
playground belt_bridge node way area A tensioned, flat (mostly rubber) band to bounce on. Is very different in its function from classic "bridges" and therefore uses its own value.
Playground belt bridge.jpg
playground spring_board node way area A board or plane to stand on that is attached to the ground by springs and thus wobbles when standing/moving on it. Can sometimes also be equipped with holding bars to allow to "surf" on it.
Playground springs in Obermenzing 05.jpg

Other stationary devices

playground playhouse node area Small house or structure that can be entered. Wendyhouse in some regions. If it is more of a shelter (without walls on all sides), use playground=teenshelter.
Playhouse.jpg
playground teenshelter node area A small play shelter. If it is more of a house (with walls on all sides), use playground=playhouse.
Teen shelter near former coastguard lookout, Watchet - geograph.org.uk - 1714960.jpg
playground tunnel_tube node way area A tunnel for kids to crawl through
Example of tunnel tube on a playground.jpg
playground speaking_tube node way The kids stand at either end and can hear each other‘s voice through the sealed tube (typically tube runs underneath the ground)
Speaking Tube - Garden Exhibit - NCSM - Kolkata 2016-06-02 4046.JPG
playground hopscotch node way area A hopscotch court
Hinkelbaan tegels.jpg
playground funnel_ball node A funnel used to play funnel ball
Funnel ball.jpg
playground ball_pool node area A pool full of colored plastic balls. Common at indoor playgrounds. Also known as "ball pit".
At children's level.jpg
playground ride_on node A fixed installation to sit on.
Playground riding animal Thomashöhe Berlin Neukölln.jpg
playground track way A path on a playground that is intended and equipped as a race track for childrens scooter and bikes. It should have markings, obstacles or objects such as "petrol stations".
Playground track Buschkrugallee-Havermannstraße Berlin Britz.jpg
playground marble_run node way A rolling ball sculpture where a ball (often a marble) moves through a predefined course just by gravity.
Rachau Wipfelwanderweg 75.jpg
playground map node way area Map (often a colorful political map) painted on a paved surface to teach geography
Playground Map, Washington Elementary.jpg
playground blackboard node A board to draw on with chalk or something similar.
Playground chalk board.jpg
playground musical_instrument node way area A musical instrument or device for making music and sounds. musical_instrument=* could be used to further specify the type of instrument.
Play xylophone in a playground.jpeg
playground table node area A table or board to play on or sit at. May include seats/benches or sand toys such as a sieve. Typically not sized for adults. For picnic tables on playgrounds that are also suitable for adults see leisure=picnic_table.
Playground table Herrfurthstraße Berlin Neukölln.jpg
playground seat node A single seat or bench for children. Typically not sized for adults to sit at. Often part of play houses or similar.
Playground seat Hattenheimer Straße Berlin Tempelhof.jpg
playground hammock node way area A hammock, i.e. a spanned/tensioned surface to lie on. For public hammocks in general that are not part of playgrounds resp. intended for this specific target group, there is leisure=hammock in use.
Playground hammock.jpg
playground sledding node Small playground hill only – see also sport=toboggan.
Prangli lapsed kelgutamas.jpg
playground youth_bench node way A special kind of bench for youth on playground – often with seating at different, age-appropriate seat heights (or for sitting higher with another beam or a bar to put your feet down).
See also bench:type=stand_up.
Youth bench.jpg

Youth bench with two brown logs 2022-09-30.jpg

Topographical devices

playground mound node way area Artificial hills, elevations, waves etc. intentionally designed for play. Sometimes devices like slides or tunnel tubes are placed on or in them.
Hunters Point South Pk td (2019-06-10) 069 - Playground.jpg
playground dome node area A half-sphere to climb and slide on.
Playground dome metal.jpg

Fallback values for devices, that clearly fit into one equipment category, but do not fit well any of the existing subcategories

playground balance node way area An unspecified device to balance on.
playground climbing node way area An unspecified device to climb on.
playground rotator node way area An unspecified rotating device.
playground water node way area An unspecified water device.
playground sand node way area An unspecified sand play device.

Other devices that are not in the list

playground user defined node way area Playground equipment comes in almost every imaginable shape, design and function. So maybe this list will never be "complete". However, in order to keep it manageable and applicable, this values should not be too specific. On the other hand, even minor changes in the shape of a device can lead to a completely different way of using it. If you come across equipment that you think deserves its own value, you should document it on the playground talk page to share or discuss it with other mappers. So in the future it might be possible to add further discussed values to the list.

See also the TagInfo list of all commonly used values.

This table is a wiki template with a default description in English. Editable here.

Additional playground equipment is being proposed at Proposed features/Extended playground equipment

Other attractions

Some playground facilities (that might require a fee to enter) offer small attractions like carousels and similar. Those features are described here: attraction=*.

Also, facilities designed for an older public (e.g., giant chess boards) are usually described with leisure=pitch combined with sport=* (e.g., sport=chess).

Useful additional tags

Physical properties

  • material=*, e.g., wood, steel, plastic, etc.
  • height=*, to specify the height of devices and structures
  • incline=*, especially to record the inclination of slides and other sloped devices
  • capacity=*, to indicate the number of children who can use a device at the same time
  • name=*, if the device has its own specific and commonly known name

Age specifications

  • baby=yes/no if the equipment is primarily designed for babies. There is also provided_for:infant=yes in use to say the same.
  • provided_for:toddler=yes if the equipment is primarily designed for toddlers approximately between 1 and 3 years of age.
  • min_age=* - Minimum age of the user in years
  • max_age=* - Maximum age of the user in years

Accessibility

Others

  • sensory=* to indicate which particular sensory qualities a device addresses; e.g. visual, tactile, audible or smell.

Relation between playground equipment and the playground area

To associate the playground area with the playground equipment, simply draw the playground as area and add the equipment as independent objects (nodes, ways or polygons) inside.

Examples

General examples for devices and useful additional tags

Examples for tagging the accessibility of playground equipment

Themes

Playgrounds, their structures and individual devices are often themed, mimicking ships, castles, cars or animals.

playground:theme=* can be used to describe them. Keep the theme to a major category, and any specifics to description=* or name=*, see examples:

Theme Image Tagging
Ship play structure Stroomi playground - ship.jpg playground:theme=ship

playground=structure
description=Sailing ship

Octopus play structure

(popular in Japan)

PikiWiki Israel 11690 octopus slide in menachem begin park in bat-yam.jpg playground:theme=octopus

playground=structure

Castle play structure Jamie Bell 2012 Playground Castle 1.jpg playground:theme=castle

playground=structure
material=wood

Rocket play structure Rocket Slide in Edmundson Park, Oskaloosa, Iowa.jpg playground:theme=rocket

playground=structure
material=metal

Springy horse Springy horse.jpg playground:theme=horse

playground=springy

Springy cow Cow spring.jpg playground:theme=cow

playground=springy

Spiderweb climbing Climbing frame playground.jpg playground:theme=spiderweb

playground=climbingframe
material=rope

Dragon slide Ernst-Thälmann-Park Spielplatz 3.jpg playground:theme=dragon

playground=slide

Mapping all objects on one node

Only when the position of the individual objects cannot be mapped yet, the tag in theory can be added to the playground node. Note that this data would not be helpful for mappers improving it and any improvements of this data would require full resurvey. This type of mapping is not popular (1.6% of playground=* keys as of 2017).