Dangerous, old-school playgrounds that once existed in NJ

In today's world, I always thought those old-school playgrounds were frowned upon. I remember growing up in the late 1980s through the 1990s when some of the older playground equipment was being replaced with more modern, safer styles.

Actually, it was the 1970s and 1980s when that shift began. But even so, it wasn't uncommon to find hot, metal slides with no true rails on them, or corners that were sharp enough to pierce skin.

Nowadays almost all playground equipment found throughout the Garden State is plastic with smooth, rounded edges. Not only that, but more railings also were added making playgrounds even safer than ever.

Fast forward to 2024, and you'd be hard-pressed to find such old, out-of-date metal equipment at today's playgrounds. However, you'll still find it if you keep your eyes open.

Old-School New Jersey

In Monmouth County, such old equipment still exists. Who remembers the old-fashioned metal slide?

I'm sure most remember how scorching hot it got when the direct summer sun went beating down on it. This particular slide above was from Rumson, NJ.

But that's not the only old-school playground equipment here. Do you see that other metal thing toward the right side of the picture?

That's one of those merry-go-rounds, something you'd almost never find anymore at modern-day playgrounds. At least, not the way they were once designed.

More Old-School Below

Not only did this particular piece of equipment make you nauseous, but it was also dangerous should you fall into it while spinning in fast motion. You also ran the risk of flying off of it if you were to lose your grip.

Ahh memories. It's amazing so many of us never got more injured than we already were. Not only did this small playground bring back memories of the playground I grew up with, but it also got me thinking about how far we've come along with safety in general.

Wanna know how unsafe it used to be? Check out these photos of some dangerous, old-school playground equipment going way back that once existed even here in New Jersey (yes, your great-grandparents probably played this way).

Playground Memories

Can you imagine today's kids playing on equipment like that? It really does point to how much simpler times were when it came to child safety.

Like I said, I grew up in the late 1980s through the 1990s and played on some old-school equipment. I also remember how much taller the jungle gym was before they replaced it with a much lower, plastic one.

And yes, that old-school playground was also made of metal and wood with hard edges on it. Good times indeed (feel free to share your playground memories in the comments).

As surprising as it may seem, some old-school playground equipment still does exist in the Great Garden State, such as in the Rumson example above. Hopefully, the kids are still enjoying it.

NEXT UP: A sad, desolate look at NJ's Old Monmouth Mall - PHOTOS

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 Sunday morning host Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.