The Playground Movement kicked off in Boston right before the turn of the century as a response to the overcrowding and work fatigue brought on by the Industrial Revolution. Inspired by German 19th-century "sand gardens," the earliest playground pioneers sought to socialize the next generation as healthy, cooperative citizens in a utopian society.

Historians trace the world's first slide to Wicksteed Park in 1922, an attraction that essentially amounted to giant slabs of wood propped at an angle for children to ride down. A few hundred splinters later, the idea surfaced to create a metal playground slide.  

By the 1950s, there were metal slides for sale all over America. But you may have noticed that it's become a lot harder to find a metal slide for sale today.

Why Did People Like Metal Slides for Playgrounds?

Metal slides were popular for decades because using a metal sliding board had benefits over other materials available at the time. Most notably, a metal slide is:

• Highly Durable - Wood wears from use and decays over time. A metal slide can withstand constant use as well as all types of inclement weather.
• Easy to maintain - Wood rots, but metal shines on. People could save loads of money by investing in a metal playground slide.
• Conducive to speed - Any child who's visited their fair share of playgrounds will tell you that the ride down a metal slide is slicker and quicker.
• Aesthetically pleasing - Metal slides have a slick, sporty feel to fit the look of a classic playground.

For these reasons and more, businesses, homeowners, and school districts shopped for metal playground slides for sale for decades. However, making a slide of metal isn't the best option today.

Should We Have Plastic or Metal Slides for Kids?

Plastic slides are a better choice for today's playgrounds. While metal slides are classic and fun, at PlaygroundEquipment.com, the most important thing is child safety. It's no secret that metal slides get very hot, and while there are tips to remedy this hazard, the most foolproof method to keep your child safe is to choose a plastic slide. Rounded edges, temperate materials, and less slippery surfaces work together to provide a safe and stress-free experience for children and their caretakers.

In addition to being safer for children, plastic playground slides provide a healthier alternative for the planet. Many plastic play structures are fashioned from recycled material, and in turn, they can be recycled again at the end of their use.

So the next time you're searching for a metal slide for sale, consider the drawbacks and the alternatives available today. Maybe it's time to leave the past in the past: Our kids deserve better.

This page was edited by: Kim Hart