Many playgrounds are reaching old age and that means they need to be torn down and rebuilt so that children have a good, clean, safe place to play. When children see a nice, new, welcoming playground equipment,play structures with various bright colors, interactive ride type swings and other climb aboard pieces, they will want to put down their electronic entertainment games and go outside to play. This is the main idea behind many of the new initiatives to redo a lot of the older playgrounds in many of the cities and towns across America.

When a city parks department decided to spend the money for rebuilding a playground, they will sometimes decide to go the 'extra distance' and use green or sustainable materials so that the playground will last longer and be more environmentally friendly for the surrounding area. Green playgrounds are becoming more and more popular with city officials and residents because they do not want to have to pay more taxes in ten or 20 years time to rebuild the playground again.

Some of the green playgrounds contain recycled wood-grain panels instead of steal bars to make the place a little less sterile and a lot more 'homey' and fun. On the bottom of the playground, many builders are using recycled tires and plastic bottles ground to a fine powder and then mixed with a special bonding agent that allows for the ground to 'give' when a child falls. Some kids and parents say it's like walking on a sponge that is almost dried. It is very safe and most economical for the finance committee not to mention eco-friendly.

Other playground manufacturers make playground equipment out of discarded gallon milk jugs. The special plastic in the milk jugs is melted down in a special machine and then poured into molds for things such as slides and bucket swing seats - which have been proven to be safer for nearly all size children - then they are cooled and when the plastic is ready, a new slide or swing emerges for the playground.

Some parks and recreation centers go with a manufacturing company that uses natural materials such as tree stubs as tables or basis for climbing on to taller items. All the playground equipment is made of solid tree wood that was scheduled for removal for a shopping mall or some other reason, and therefore reusing and recycling the trees for a good project.

More communities are opting for the natural look playgrounds verses the plastic looking ones, especially for the parks that are near trails, in open fields or near lakes and ponds. It makes more sense to have a natural looking jungle-gym and climbing formation then a bright pink or orange slide where nature is all around. These are the parks that keep the dirt or gravel parking lots so everything is rustic and made for the outdoors and the children can grow up with that feeling of nature with their playground equipment as well.

A parks department has many choices when it comes to a green, environmentally friendly playground for the children of their community. With the parents input, the playground should be a great place for many generations of children to play and learn for years to come.