Parks. Whether you are young or old, parks play a major role in our lives that you may not even realize. From social events at a city park or whether you had a park nearby in your city, parks have made an impact one way or another. They even identify your city. I’m sure you can visualize what the park looked like or even the name of it or the town it was in. Perhaps you can remember the smells of the place too. Regardless a lot of us have collected memories when we were children, and even as adults when we are with our kids or pets.

But what’s even bigger though is when you use a park setting for things, you leave behind not only fond memories but the perception of the park and what the people were like too. The fondest of memories that you have with that place will forever be tied to the town or city that supported the place.

Parks have played even larger roles than that though. Take for example Central Park in New York City, N.Y... There they had movie sets placed within those boundaries and it makes sense you could do that. This park boasts a lot. It’s got a carousel, a tennis court, monkey bars, and more! You can even catch a free Simon and Garfunkle concert if you’re lucky.

There’s also the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, California where they have a field of bison, a spectacular arboretum and even a pond where you can use a model boat and race others.

Of course, that’s on a grand scale. Most parks exist mostly in small towns and are more meant for the locals. That being said, despite their sizes and what they have in them, parks, big or small, have the same functions and give you the same emotions. They are meant to serve the public as a safe haven. It’s a place where kids can play, and adults can relax, but also for them to make fond memories and maybe even learn a thing or two.

Parks can satisfy a number of needs as even the small ones allow you to do a number of things. You could run your dog, ride a bike, play Frisbee or some other sports, go for a run. Parks can facilitate all of that and more. They are truly places where you can make great experiences. A Park is a place where you can hear kids giggling and laughing, and adults smiling warmly. But more importantly, you can feel the excitement from youth and also the freedom to play around.

The best thing about parks though is that this is only the surface. What is also an important aspect of having great experiences is the playgrounds that are within them. They are pint-sized adventures for kids that teach a variety of things. In fact, a lot of us seem to overlook that. Beyond the rush of air from swinging on the swings is a lightness of being up in the air and experiencing something that we can cherish forever. There is also the triumph of descending from the highest slide, climbing a tough jungle gym. Those experiences alone can teach us that there will be tough challenges to come and the only way to surpass them is to work through them.

Parks at their core provide us with our first sense of discovery. The world can open up to us with what we can do. We learn here how to play, but also negotiate and interact with other kids. We can learn the value of having teammates, that at times we need to rely on others, and also patience too. From playgrounds and parks alike we experience a lot of laughter and joy to the point that it’s difficult to duplicate it in other settings.

Furthermore, you might think that only children get to tap into this great experience, but that’s not true. Adults too learn something. Mainly in the form of a shift in perspective. Even if it’s for an hour or so, use of a park can help adults unwind through a variety of means. Whether it’s sitting at a bench or you are hanging upside-down on the monkey bars, there is an experience to be had. It’s during this time where adults get to peer into both the fascinating and incredible world of children. Watching children play around and laugh gives adults a deep appreciate for the independence, camaraderie, agility, interdependence, and most importantly, the sense of accomplishment. These feelings could easily slip between the fingers of adults, but children embrace those things so freely.

Big or small, great playgrounds and parks can create and leave you with incredible experiences. These experiences tie us to the areas that maintain them: cities, schools, workers, people, and more. Parks are so powerful that people will often go out of their way to pay a visit to their favorite park, or even a park they grew up around. Whether it’s across the street, or several miles away, people deep down feel a sense of eagerness to chase their youth, or let their kids experience what it was like to go to a park. In the end, playgrounds are places that define the park you visited as a kid; but it’s the park itself that defines your town!