A Physical Space to Play
By: Kathy Xu
Tags: Playground, Physical Play, Dragon Playground, Nostalgia, Play

With some pockets of time to breathe and take my own time for my own little side projects, I decided to check out the only 4 remaining iconic mosaic-tiled dragon playgrounds left in Singapore, designed by Penang-born watercolourist, Khor Ean Ghee. I think the most interesting part of having him design the 30 playgrounds that he did back in the mid-70s, was that he had no prior experience in playground design at all, and they were all conceived out of just his pure imagination. I doubt there are any 80s and 90s children who would forget playtime in the sand-filled playgrounds of Singapore. A period when safety and cleanliness was disregarded when it came to after-school playtime.

The sucker for nostalgia in me just had to hunt down the 4 dragon playgrounds (I can’t wait for the Dove one in Dakota Crescent to be reopened again, and am mighty glad the decision to conserve it was made.) in one morning. The stars aligned with the beautiful weather and lovely morning sunlight that illuminated the playgrounds, albeit that forlorn air of missing children seemed to dull the atmosphere and made the already cold and hard materials of the playground, seem even colder too.

First stop was the tiny dragon playground nestled in a corner of Block 53 Pipit Road. I can’t believe I have been missing this little baby, a stone’s throw from where I have been going to almost every Saturday this year. The recent colourful repainting work of the blocks of flats around Circuit Road made for nice backdrop to the playground as well.

Little dragon at 53 Pipit Road, built probably in 1985

What used to be a sand pit for the playground is now soft rubber padding instead, for safety

Delighted at the first find, I was a little too paiseh to try out the slide, so I just sat by the edge of the playground for a while to soak it in. Next, I took a bus to the only dragon playground in Singapore that is still a sandpit playground, the big dragon at 28 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh. This one was truly breathtaking, and the whiff of nostalgia that overcame me from seeing the sand, was unparalleled.

Big dragon with sand pit retained, at Toa Payoh Lorong 6, built 1979 (same age as my brother!)

It looked rather lonely though, a tad far away from the nearest block

I was just glad to see a father bringing his toddler to walk through the dragon’s spine when I was there. I sat at the edge of this playground for a bit as well, and felt all warm and happy inside when I could get to dust the sand off my butt again like I did as a kid, when I eventually got up and departed the playground.

Next up, I went to another little dragon playground about 2 bus stops away, at Blk 240 Toa Payoh Lorong 1. Just like the Pipit Road one, this little gem was also tucked away in a little unknown corner and it had a rustic feel to it, with many old trees around, quite unlike the previous one that seemed so alone and exposed in the middle of nowhere.

Little dragon at 240 Toa Payoh Lorong 1

This time, the little dragon was a little more inviting because it was so hidden away, so I decided to give the slide a ride. Not the best idea though, because the old surface was rough and not so slideable anymore and I almost got a butt burn trying. Oh well, never try, never know, right? :)

Last stop was the other big dragon at 570 Ang Mo Kio Ave 3, close to my parents’ place. I was so glad to see children sitting and chatting in a circle beneath the head of the dragon!

Big dragon at 570 Ang Mo Kio Ave 3, super love the cute row of clothes draped over the corridor of the HDB block in the background

Yay there were children at this playground, finally :)

I caught up with an old friend who works at HDB, a couple of days ago, and I was so inspired and heartened to hear that he has been championing and heading many playground projects in Singapore. I think we both agreed that a physical space to play and make friends, and move every muscle of our body, and to scream and shout, to fall and get hurt, is still so quintessential to growing up. I remember falling and being grazed by the sand granules at the playground and refusing to wash the wounds thoroughly enough when I got home, that is, until my dad would mix Dettol with hot water, and rub the mixture into my wounds with cotton wool, with so much force, in order to get the little sand granules and dirt trapped in the wound, out. I would scream and cry so much, while my big brother remained stoic in the face of the same treatment.

While these iconic playgrounds in Singapore get preserved in the face of constant development, I still do hope that the playground culture doesn’t die for children in Singapore, ever. That precious shared physical space for shared imagination and co-created impromptu wonder, that first place where we learn to make friends and foes alike, as well as to physically get hurt and not freak out over.