Copenhagen does something most cities don't: it puts grown-ups on the playground. At these bemandede legepladser, city staff lend out bikes, balls and pedal cars, light the fire pit, and some keep goats and rabbits. Staffed hours vary by site and season. Here's what we checked, from the Tower Playground in Fælledparken to an indoor one in an old tram depot.
Tårnlegepladsen is a staffed playground in Fælledparken built around play-size copies of Copenhagen's landmark towers, linked by walkways and slides. Around them sit a sand and plank building area, an artificial-turf pitch, a fire pit and electronic birds to catch.
The playhouse, run by play staff during opening hours, has drop-in games, crafts and room to tumble indoors. A large scooter track runs alongside.
Trafiklegepladsen is a staffed public playground built as a kid-sized town, with little roads, bike lanes, traffic lights, road signs, zebra crossings and a mini gas station. Kids practice cycling and traffic rules on loaner bikes and balance bikes, or on their own. A small fenced track with tricycles suits the youngest.
At the other end are swings, a climbing net and a big sandbox with buckets and toy cars.
Copenhagen's largest nature playground covers 23,500 m² inside Valbyparken. A circular boardwalk links a hilly landscape, a snail mound, a flower garden and five themed towers.
Kids climb trees, explore thickets and dens, dig in sandboxes and borrow tricycles, balls and nature-study kits. There is also a slide, a fire pit, beach volleyball, table tennis and tennis courts, and staff run activities open to everyone.
A fenced, staffed playground inside Ørstedsparken, said to be Copenhagen's second-oldest public playground (from 1890). It is built mostly for younger kids: sandbox, play tower, climbing frame, swings, slide and a mini soccer field, plus table tennis, foosball, hockey and basketball. While staff are on site, kids can borrow balls, chalk, stilts, bikes and moon cars, and join activities around the campfire spot.
A staffed city playground on the green ramparts of Christianshavns Vold. The toddler area has swings, spring riders, a playhouse, a slide and a sandpit with toys; older kids get a play ship, zip line, climbing frames and ball courts for soccer, basketball and badminton.
Inside the playhouse kids draw and play board games, and a bug-hunting area comes with loaner magnifying glasses.
Skydebanehaven, also called the Parrot Playground, is a staffed playground filling a tree-lined garden among dense apartment blocks. The star is a giant, brightly colored parrot with a wide slide and tiny "bullet holes", a nod to the shooting range here until 1946.
Around it: a big sandpit with three playhouses, a zip line, a spider climbing net, a carousel, hammocks and an artificial-turf soccer field.
A fenced playground in Enghaveparken with a spider climbing net, a zip line, a small ball court, sandpits, a fire pit and bike tracks that wind around the equipment. Staff run it and lend out pedal cars, balls and toys.
The playhouse has a toddler room with a play kitchen and a room for older kids with foosball, table tennis and board games.
A staffed city playground in the middle of Nørrebroparken, known locally as Flyverlegepladsen for its play airplane, ships and big whale. Kids climb, slide, swing (baby swings too), dig in sandpits, ride mooncars and scooters on a bike track, and play ball or table tennis.
Inside the yellow playhouse there are board games, crafts, aquarium fish and stick insects. Staff run activities and lend out the bonfire pit.
ByOasen is a staffed playground and city farm inside De Gamles By, shared with the older people who live there. Kids get close to goats, hens, rabbits, guinea pigs, birds, insects and a snake, and can help the staff look after the animals.
There are raised beds, an outdoor kitchen, a greenhouse built from recycled plastic, a large heated orangery, a zip line and a big outdoor stage.
Two staffed playgrounds face each other in Remiseparken on Amager. Bonderen is a farm for younger kids, with hens, rabbits, ponies, pigs and a goat pen, and set feeding and care times kids can join. The farmhouse playhouse has toys, board games, fish and stick insects. Opposite, Byggeren is the bigger kids' adventure playground, with a ball court, table tennis, sandboxes and a fire pit.
Blegdamsremisen is a staffed indoor playground in a former tram depot on Blegdamsvej, the only free indoor playground the city runs. The big hall holds a play landscape, ball courts, table tennis, a pirate ship, animals and craft workshops, and the staff start activities through the day. Toddlers get their own playgroup mornings, and dogs are not allowed.
Copenhagen does something most cities don't: it puts grown-ups on the playground. At these bemandede legepladser, city staff lend out bikes, balls and pedal cars, light the fire pit, and some keep goats and rabbits. Staffed hours vary by site and season. Here's what we checked, from the Tower Playground in Fælledparken to an indoor one in an old tram depot.
Tårnlegepladsen is a staffed playground in Fælledparken built around play-size copies of Copenhagen's landmark towers, linked by walkways and slides. Around them sit a sand and plank building area, an artificial-turf pitch, a fire pit and electronic birds to catch.
The playhouse, run by play staff during opening hours, has drop-in games, crafts and room to tumble indoors. A large scooter track runs alongside.
Trafiklegepladsen is a staffed public playground built as a kid-sized town, with little roads, bike lanes, traffic lights, road signs, zebra crossings and a mini gas station. Kids practice cycling and traffic rules on loaner bikes and balance bikes, or on their own. A small fenced track with tricycles suits the youngest.
At the other end are swings, a climbing net and a big sandbox with buckets and toy cars.
Copenhagen's largest nature playground covers 23,500 m² inside Valbyparken. A circular boardwalk links a hilly landscape, a snail mound, a flower garden and five themed towers.
Kids climb trees, explore thickets and dens, dig in sandboxes and borrow tricycles, balls and nature-study kits. There is also a slide, a fire pit, beach volleyball, table tennis and tennis courts, and staff run activities open to everyone.
A fenced, staffed playground inside Ørstedsparken, said to be Copenhagen's second-oldest public playground (from 1890). It is built mostly for younger kids: sandbox, play tower, climbing frame, swings, slide and a mini soccer field, plus table tennis, foosball, hockey and basketball. While staff are on site, kids can borrow balls, chalk, stilts, bikes and moon cars, and join activities around the campfire spot.
A staffed city playground on the green ramparts of Christianshavns Vold. The toddler area has swings, spring riders, a playhouse, a slide and a sandpit with toys; older kids get a play ship, zip line, climbing frames and ball courts for soccer, basketball and badminton.
Inside the playhouse kids draw and play board games, and a bug-hunting area comes with loaner magnifying glasses.
Skydebanehaven, also called the Parrot Playground, is a staffed playground filling a tree-lined garden among dense apartment blocks. The star is a giant, brightly colored parrot with a wide slide and tiny "bullet holes", a nod to the shooting range here until 1946.
Around it: a big sandpit with three playhouses, a zip line, a spider climbing net, a carousel, hammocks and an artificial-turf soccer field.
A fenced playground in Enghaveparken with a spider climbing net, a zip line, a small ball court, sandpits, a fire pit and bike tracks that wind around the equipment. Staff run it and lend out pedal cars, balls and toys.
The playhouse has a toddler room with a play kitchen and a room for older kids with foosball, table tennis and board games.
A staffed city playground in the middle of Nørrebroparken, known locally as Flyverlegepladsen for its play airplane, ships and big whale. Kids climb, slide, swing (baby swings too), dig in sandpits, ride mooncars and scooters on a bike track, and play ball or table tennis.
Inside the yellow playhouse there are board games, crafts, aquarium fish and stick insects. Staff run activities and lend out the bonfire pit.
ByOasen is a staffed playground and city farm inside De Gamles By, shared with the older people who live there. Kids get close to goats, hens, rabbits, guinea pigs, birds, insects and a snake, and can help the staff look after the animals.
There are raised beds, an outdoor kitchen, a greenhouse built from recycled plastic, a large heated orangery, a zip line and a big outdoor stage.
Two staffed playgrounds face each other in Remiseparken on Amager. Bonderen is a farm for younger kids, with hens, rabbits, ponies, pigs and a goat pen, and set feeding and care times kids can join. The farmhouse playhouse has toys, board games, fish and stick insects. Opposite, Byggeren is the bigger kids' adventure playground, with a ball court, table tennis, sandboxes and a fire pit.
Blegdamsremisen is a staffed indoor playground in a former tram depot on Blegdamsvej, the only free indoor playground the city runs. The big hall holds a play landscape, ball courts, table tennis, a pirate ship, animals and craft workshops, and the staff start activities through the day. Toddlers get their own playgroup mornings, and dogs are not allowed.
