Can a Playground Be Too Safe? - NYTimes.com

Can a Playground Be Too Safe? - NYTimes.com: "Even if children do suffer fewer physical injuries — and the evidence for that is debatable — the critics say that these playgrounds may stunt emotional development, leaving children with anxieties and fears that are ultimately worse than a broken bone."

"A child who’s hurt in a fall before the age of 9 is less likely as a teenager to have a fear of heights."

"If children and parents believe they are in an environment which is safer than it actually is, they will take more risks. An argument against softer surfacing is that children think it is safe, but because they don’t understand its properties, they overrate its performance."