The End of 40 Playgrounds the Sequel

Thomas and Anna have successfully completed their second playground quest and have visited 8 new playgrounds in 10 days, including identifying and playing in an unknown playground spotted from a recent Hot Air Balloon trip over Bristol and one in Guernsey!

Our 2012 Quest is raising money for Unicef - if you would like to give please visit:

http://fundraise.unicef.org.uk/MyPage/The-Holland-Playground-Quest2

 

Thank you!

Playground 8 - Saumarez Park Guernsey

Our final playground of this playground quest, to visit at least 7 new playgrounds in 10 days, was at Saumarez Park in Guernsey, on Sunday 26 August. This playground was recommended to us as one of the best on the Island. It was a good playground with a zip wire, climing frame and firemans pole, one of the big climbing rope pyramid things like those on the mainland and more. The Park itself looked lovely too.

More Playground 7 - Lockleaze Adventure Playground

The Best Zip wire Thomas has ever been on. Really high!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An interesting swing thing.

Playground 7 - Lockleaze Adventure Playground

Thomas and Anna give this playground 9.5 out of 10. Simon took them today so I haven't seen it. According to the kids there were lots of nets/hammocks (typical for Bristol Adventure Playgrounds) but also a fantastic zipwire (the best Thomas has ever been on) and an outdoor drop slide, that is open at set times. Plus some other interesting play equipment. I think this is one we will be returning to.

Playground 6 Gainsborough Square

Gainsborough square playground had a swinging seat, a large climbing frame and a basket swing. I made an obstacle course. This is the plaground that mum saw from a hot air balloon recently.     

By Thomas (9)                       

Playground 5 - Southmead Adventure Playground 

 



At the sand and water area it is quite suitable for children 1 to 8 I think.

In the fort in lots of parts there is loads of firemans poles. By Anna (6)

 

Southmead Adventure Playground was quite different to other Adventure Playgrounds. There are 2 main areas, the sand and water area (very good) and the fort - 3 levels of stairs and poles, good for hide-and-seek etc. There is also a room with table tennis, pool and TVs/consoles. There are craft activities at certain times. The tuck shop is good value and there is also a football area. Thomas and Anna gave this playground 7 out of 10. Thank you to our friends Diane, Alex and Emily for joining us at this playground!

 

More Playground 4 - By Thomas

St Pauls adventure playground had lots of climbing nets and ropes. There is also a tree house and a secret den with a swinging bench and hidden ladders. It has a water area and another small playground with a turntable and a horizontal rope which you can swing on.

I give this playground 10 out of 10 because all of the play equipment was really good plus the den and the treehouse was a bit of an extra.

More Playground 4 - St Paul's Adventure Playground

    

                                                                             We loved the treehouse!

Day 4 - St Pauls Adventure Playground

We knew St Paul's Adventure Playground would be good as we went to the Easton one 2 years ago on our original playground quest. But we were so impressed with this playground. Adventure playgrounds are less about traditional playground equipment and more about the imagination. There were loads of nets, ropes and climbing things, and much of the playground is built among some trees giving it a lovely peaceful character and lots of welcome shade on a sunny August day. There was a lovely treehouse reached by several ladders/steps. Thomas and Anna's favourite part was a den area hidden away under one of the wooden walkways, they spent ages playing in there and I actually got to enjoy a book (I had played with them for 45 mins by that point). There is a lovely sand and water area and the Adventure Playground also leads onto a cute traditional playground which had a rope seesaw swing thing like the one we found at Horfield Common last week, but bigger. The tuck shop opened now and again and prices were good - 10p for an ice pop, 20p for basic lollies, 30p for crisps, 40p for juice, chocolate or tea/coffee. The kids were reluctant to come away after over 2.5 hours, but are pleased we plan to visit another Adventure Playground tomorrow.

Day 3 - Brandon Hill

Playground 3 - Brandon Hill

Simon took the kids for their first visit to Brandon Hill playground yesterday and it looks like they had a fab time. I particularly like the look of the structure in the background of this picture. This playground has a lot going for it as it's close to Central Bristol and very close to the lovely Cabot Tower, which has stunning views over Bristol for those able to climb 110 steps. The playground also has swings and one of those slide things that is a couple of sloping poles that can be used to slide down in various ways, perfect for older children.

Thomas gives this playground 7.5 out of 10, as it's good but a bit small.



Day 2 by Anna

I am in sort of a dome and you can climb on lots of stuff. There are two slides as well.
In the sand and water area you can make a mini stream.

The playground is really good because it has loads of stuff that children would like. I think it's great!

Anna (6)

Day 2 - Hengrove Play Park

Amazingly today was the first visit the Holland family have made to Hengrove Play Park, despite it's wonderful reputation. It certainly lived up to it's reputation and apparently it's the largest free playground in the South of England. What a claim to fame for Bristol. A fabulous park for all ages.
Thomas gives Hengrove 9.5 out of 10. The dome was the best thing but would be better if it had some really good play equipment in it.

Day One by Thomas

Hofield playground had some different play equipment to what we had seen before. This piece of play equipment is similar to a swing. It's made of chains attatched to a large rope to stand or sit on. There was also a trampoline set into the ground and a spinning pole with five different places to stand, sit or hang on. I would give this playground 8 or 9 out of 10. It was a good start to our playground quest. It was quite busy.

Thomas                                                                                                 

40 Playgrounds the Sequel has begun!

40 Playgrounds the Sequel has begun! We are raising money for Unicef again, this year our challenge is to visit 7 playgrounds we've never been to before, including one I recently spotted from a Hot Air Balloon trip over Bristol and one in Guernsey. Due to the variable weather we're aiming for 7 in 10 days this time. Finding 7 new playgrounds in 10 days is quite a challenge as 2 years ago Thomas and Anna played in 40 different playgrounds in 40 days. We really want to find 7 playgrounds that will please a 6 and 9 year old. Today was the updated playground on Horfield Common. Thomas will tell you about Horfield playground.

If you would like to sponsor our playground quest please visit:

http://fundraise.unicef.org.uk/MyPage/The-Holland-Playground-Quest2

The quest has ended but the playgrounds will go on!

The 40 playgrounds quest has ended but the fundraising continues till the end of September. If you would like to donate please use www.supportunicef.org.uk/40playgrounds. 100% of our online fundraising goes to the Unicef Emergency Fund, which helps in situations like the current crisis in Pakistan following the recent floods.

Although the 40 days quest has ended we will probably continue to update the blog when we visit a playground that hasn't yet been included in the blog. We know of lots of playgrounds we haven't visited in the 40 days.

Thanks for your interest.

Thomas, Anna, Anne-Marie and Simon

More Playground 40

Couldn't resist adding this photo of Anna and two friends, with moustaches made from foil left from the picnic. Moustaches Hercule Poirot would be proud of!

More Playground 40

We were really pleased quite a few friends came to join Thomas and Anna for their last playground. Some of them are in this photo. Thanks everyone for coming!

Playground 40 - The end of the Quest!

They've done it! Thomas and Anna have visited 40 playgrounds in 40 days, raising over £400 for Unicef so far. Playground 40 was Page Park, visited for 3 1/2 hours on Wednesday 1st September. Thomas and Anna are posing for an Evening Post photographer in this photo, hopefully an article on Thursday or Friday may raise some more money for Unicef.

Playground 39

Playground 39 was at Cattle Country, visited on Tuesday 31st August. The playground area included a fantastic "Childrens' Berkeley Castle" shown in this photo, also a tunnel slide that went under the ground and another outdoor slide, large balancing see-saw things, zipwire and more. As well as the outdoor play Thomas and Anna liked the 2 soft play barns, the large inflatable jumping pillow (I had to go on with Anna and believe me staying upright was hard work), the train ride to the animals and the lunch, which came with surprise cow figures in the kids' lunches.

More Playground 38

We liked these little bandstand things just outside the playground at Hanham Common. Not sure what they are meant for - play? music? Possibly both?