People all over the world love and enjoy the playground experience. Knowing these different ways to say “playground” can be very helpful for you, when travelling abroad with children.
Here are several ways to say “playground” in different languages. How many do you already know?

If you see any errors or have any additions, feel free to send me a message or write in the comments, at the bottom of this page.

Language	How to say “playground“
Afrikaans	speelgrond
Albanian	shesh lojërash
Amharic	የመጫወቻ ስፍራ
Arabic	ملعب [maleab]
Armenian	խաղահրապարակ
Azerbaijani	uşaq meydançası
Basque	jolastokia
Belarusian	дзіцячая пляцоўка
Bengali	খেলার মাঠ
Bosnian	igralište
Bulgarian	игрище
Catalan	pati d’esbarjo
Cebuano	playground
Chichewa	malo osewerera
Chinese Simplified	操场 [cāochǎng]
Chinese Traditional	操場 [cāochǎng]
Corsican	campu di ghjocu
Croatian	igralište
Czech	hřiště
Danish	legeplads
Dutch	speelplaats
English	playground
Esperanto	ludejo
Estonian	mänguväljak
Filipino	palaruan
Finnish	leikkikenttä
French	Cour de récréation , Aire de jeux
Frisian	boarterstún
Galician	recreo
Georgian	მოედანი
German	Spielplatz
Greek	παιδική χαρά [paidikí chará]
Gujarati	રમતનું મેદાન
Haitian Creole	lakou rekreyasyon
Hausa	filin wasa
Hawaiian	kahua pāʻani
Hebrew	גן שעשועים
Hindi	खेल का मैदान
Hmong	chaw ua si
Hungarian	játszótér
Icelandic	Leikvöllur
Igbo	ama egwuregwu
Indonesian	tempat bermain
Irish	clós súgartha
Italian	terreno di gioco
Japanese	遊び場
Javanese	dolanan
Kannada	ಮೈದಾನ
Kazakh	ойын алаңы
Khmer	សួនកុមារ
Kinyarwanda	ikibuga
Korean	운동장 [undongjang]
Kurdish (Kurmanji)	cihê lîstikê
Kyrgyz	балдар аянтчасы
Lao	playground
Latin	oculis capti fodere cubilia
Latvian	spēļu laukums
Lithuanian	žaidimų aikštelė
Luxembourgish	Spillplaz
Macedonian	игралиште
Malagasy	tokotanin-tsekoly
Malay	taman permainan
Malayalam	കളിസ്ഥലം
Maltese	bitħa
Maori	papa tākaro
Marathi	खेळाच्या मैदानाचीही
Mongolian	тоглоомын талбай
Myanmar (Burmese)	ကစားကွင်း
Nepali	खेल मैदान
Norwegian	lekeplass
Odia	ଖେଳ ପଡିଆ
Pashto	د لوبې ډګر
Persian	زمین بازی
Polish	plac zabaw
Portuguese	Parque infantil
Punjabi	ਖੇਡ ਦਾ ਮੈਦਾਨ
Romanian	loc de joaca
Russian	детская площадка [detskaya ploshchadka]
Samoan	malaetaalo
Scots Gaelic	raon-cluiche
Serbian	игралиште [igralishte]
Sesotho	papaling
Shona	nhandare
Sindhi	راندين جو ميدان
Sinhala	ක්රීඩා පිටිය
Slovak	detské ihrisko
Slovenian	igrišče
Somali	ardaagga
Spanish	parque infantil
Sundanese	tempat kaulinan
Swahili	uwanja wa michezo
Swedish	lekplats
Tajik	майдончаи бозӣ
Tamil	விளையாட்டு மைதானத்தின்
Tatar	уен мәйданчыгы
Telugu	ప్లేగ్రౌండ్
Thai	สนามเด็กเล่น
Turkish	oyun alanı
Turkmen	oýun meýdançasy
Ukrainian	дитячий майданчик [dytyachyy maydanchyk]
Urdu	کھیل کے میدان
Uyghur	ئويۇن مەيدانى
Uzbek	Bolalar maydonchasi
Vietnamese	sân chơi
Welsh	maes chwarae
Xhosa	ibala lokudlala
Yiddish	שפּילפּלאַץ
Yoruba	ibi isereile
Zulu	ebaleni lokudlala

The Enchanting Origins of Playgrounds

Once upon a time, in the bustling cities of the 19th century, children played in the narrow streets and crowded alleyways, their laughter echoing off the stone walls. But as the cities grew, so did the need for a safe haven where children could frolic freely. This need gave birth to the concept of the playground, a magical place that has since become synonymous with childhood joy.

The Dawn of Play Spaces

The story of the playground begins in Germany in the year 1885, with the creation of “sand gardens” designed for children’s play. However, it was in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1886, that the first formal playground in the United States was established, marking a significant milestone in the history of play spaces.

A Global Tapestry of Play

As playgrounds spread across the world, they took on many names, reflecting the linguistic diversity of their locales. In France, children would race to the ‘Cour de récréation’, while in Japan, the ‘遊び場’ (Asobiba) beckoned with its promise of adventure. In Russia, the ‘детская площадка’ (detskaya ploshchadka) became a hub of activity, and in Spain, the ‘patio de juegos’ was filled with the sounds of play.

The First Purpose-Built Playground

The very first purpose-built playground was not attached to any school but was rather a standalone haven for play. It was constructed in 1859 in Manchester, England, a visionary project aimed at providing children a respite from the urban chaos.

The Evolution of Playgrounds

Over the years, playgrounds have evolved significantly. The early playgrounds were formal, with instructors teaching children how to play. But as time passed, play became more free-form, allowing children’s imaginations to run wild. The materials and designs of playground equipment have also transformed, from the galvanized steel pipes of yesteryear to the modern, safer composites of today¹.

The Impact of Playgrounds

Playgrounds have not only provided a space for fun but have also been instrumental in children’s physical and social development. They have become a cornerstone of communities, fostering friendships and creating memories that last a lifetime.

A Legacy of Laughter

The playground, regardless of its name or location, remains a testament to the enduring spirit of childhood. It is a place where children can be children, where they can explore, learn, and grow. As we look back on the origins of the playground, we are reminded of the simple yet profound joy that comes from play.

In conclusion, the playground is more than just a physical space; it is a realm of possibility, a canvas for the imagination, and a cherished chapter in the story of human development. It stands as a symbol of the universal language of play, understood and loved by children and adults alike across the globe.

Reference: https://savingplaces.org/stories/how-we-came-to-play-the-history-of-playgrounds