This is why, in 1933, the Hong Kong Playground Association was established to address the social and recreational needs of Hong Kong’s young, introducing the first urban playgrounds with basic swings and slides.

In the swinging ’60s, people started favouring abstract objects in playgrounds, believing this could foster creativity. In 1969, Hong Kong unveiled its first adventure playground in the Shek Lei Estate, an innovative environment with colourful concrete sculptures. Soon enough, features such as tunnel mazes, sand pits and water pools began cropping up in playgrounds throughout the territory.

Sadly for children of the ’80s and ’90s, things took a drab turn as red tape and health and safety fears took over. ‘Ironically, Hong Kong playgrounds got less innovative in later decades, relying more on equipment that offered a prescribed way to play’, explains Fan.