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The Jungle Gym at Whataroa School. ca.1966.
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DescriptionAnne Bruce.."As a child I could swing hand over hand on the monkey bars, hang upside-down. I tried this again some years ago and could hang but move to the next bar, no way. Told myself it was because I was shorter and lighter when st school. Though my arms were going to come out of the sockets."Date of Photo1966Map[1] ContributorClaire Ward
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Location (city or town)Whataroa.Organisation (eg business)Whataroa School
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CommentsDennis Gibbs
Loved Taranaki bars as a kid at Nelson Central.
Brian Thorp
Anne Bruce
As a child I could swing hand over hand on the monkey bars, hang upside-down. I tried this again some years ago and could hang but move to the next bar, no way. Told myself it was because I was shorter and lighter when st school. Though my arms were going to come out of the sockets.
Wendy Bruce
Anne Bruce I used to be able to get end to end with 1 touch in the middle. Not no moreMarilyn Hopkins
Do they still have these monkey bars at schools?
Reply8h
Heather Newby
Marilyn Hopkins they have modern versions with safety mats etc
Marilyn Hopkins
Heather Newby ok lol I don't have kids at school, oh and we never broke bones, maybe a couple scratches from climbing
Sue Mcgovern
Marilyn Hopkins true
Tessa Daisy
Oh the risks lol. Good old days when it was OK to be adventurous
Reply8h
Anarchist History of New Zealand
·
Recently watched a video about the first jungle gyms from the 1920s. Trying to help kids learn about 3D (or even 4D) geometry...
Ref. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rn_8GXNN7_Q
The first jungle gym was meant to hack kids' brains
YOUTUBE.COM
The first jungle gym was meant to hack kids' brains
The first jungle gym was meant to hack kids' brains
Diana Mattingly
Anarchist History of New Zealand i remember climbing on one of these at kindy over 70 years ago. The person who got to the top section was 'King of the castle' every one else was a dirty rascal. I wasn't interested in the geometry part of it, lol.
Bronwen Skates
The hours spent on these. No adults hovering and just hard surface to land on lol. How we survived on all the " dangerous " play equipment back then and to tell the tale lol. Jumping off swings at a height ! High fast and darn slippery slides , the roundabouts etc and no protective matting .
MIcheal Hunt
Bronwen Skates know what you mean took the grandchild down to where I used to play and they have a pc friendly rocking horse now no smashed front teeth on that one lol used to rock it so hard it kicked back every now and then
MIcheal Hunt
also the burning of the flesh on a hot day on the stainless slides lol
Rob Elwood
Forty years of teaching (including three at Whataroa) and I don't think I ever saw a serious injury on one of those. In the day they were always on the grass .. until the grass turned to mud then they were moved elsewhere. At a different school some of the "big boys" turned the gym up on its end .. and one of them fell off .. but that doesn't really count.
Ron Hibbs
I think it was this jungle gym that my sister Jean fell of and broke her leg, another time it was the pole that was suspended between two poles, Jean was unlucky to break her leg 3 times before 10
Shona Ratana
Son broke one of his front teeth using this?
Hamish Campbell
I made a greenhouse out of one of these cut ladder out (still use that part) and re-joined here is revamp
Hamish Campbell
inished interior .. old tramp spring covers come in handy a old shower type sliding door on front. The guy I f got this old school jungle gym ogf said it came from the old Omoto school I feft old round footing on the 6 ends, fitted short tan piles under each one I used to play on such a gum as a kid Tomatos etc like it.
Julian Toon
we had one great learning school for agility
Christine Banks
At Cobden school we also had big trees beside the hall (later they cut them down), we all loved climbing in these.
Rob Absalom
We had one just like that at Cobden Primary. It looked so much longer when I was there. But, I was little.
Sharon Burrell
Rob Absalom yes, remember it too Rob, loved it
Elizabeth Mehrtens
WE had the same set at Reefron Primary
Tracy Northcroft
It’s still at the school, albeit with bark chip underneath it. Well loved by the students.
Sandra Ilton
I lived on them at break
Joy Smith
Sandra Ilton oh the blisters!
Wendy Bruce
Joy Smith but we got to 'sew' the resulting calluses & fingers together ?
Wendy Bruce
I used to be able to get end to end with only 2 swings and could spin backwards & up top sitting again on the low bars
Kevin O'Regan
When our children weren’t wrapped in cotton wool. I got killed once riding a bike into the blackberries, but walked it off before going home.
Loved Taranaki bars as a kid at Nelson Central.
Brian Thorp
Anne Bruce
As a child I could swing hand over hand on the monkey bars, hang upside-down. I tried this again some years ago and could hang but move to the next bar, no way. Told myself it was because I was shorter and lighter when st school. Though my arms were going to come out of the sockets.
Wendy Bruce
Anne Bruce I used to be able to get end to end with 1 touch in the middle. Not no moreMarilyn Hopkins
Do they still have these monkey bars at schools?
Reply8h
Heather Newby
Marilyn Hopkins they have modern versions with safety mats etc
Marilyn Hopkins
Heather Newby ok lol I don't have kids at school, oh and we never broke bones, maybe a couple scratches from climbing
Sue Mcgovern
Marilyn Hopkins true
Tessa Daisy
Oh the risks lol. Good old days when it was OK to be adventurous
Reply8h
Anarchist History of New Zealand
·
Recently watched a video about the first jungle gyms from the 1920s. Trying to help kids learn about 3D (or even 4D) geometry...
Ref. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rn_8GXNN7_Q
The first jungle gym was meant to hack kids' brains
YOUTUBE.COM
The first jungle gym was meant to hack kids' brains
The first jungle gym was meant to hack kids' brains
Diana Mattingly
Anarchist History of New Zealand i remember climbing on one of these at kindy over 70 years ago. The person who got to the top section was 'King of the castle' every one else was a dirty rascal. I wasn't interested in the geometry part of it, lol.
Bronwen Skates
The hours spent on these. No adults hovering and just hard surface to land on lol. How we survived on all the " dangerous " play equipment back then and to tell the tale lol. Jumping off swings at a height ! High fast and darn slippery slides , the roundabouts etc and no protective matting .
MIcheal Hunt
Bronwen Skates know what you mean took the grandchild down to where I used to play and they have a pc friendly rocking horse now no smashed front teeth on that one lol used to rock it so hard it kicked back every now and then
MIcheal Hunt
also the burning of the flesh on a hot day on the stainless slides lol
Rob Elwood
Forty years of teaching (including three at Whataroa) and I don't think I ever saw a serious injury on one of those. In the day they were always on the grass .. until the grass turned to mud then they were moved elsewhere. At a different school some of the "big boys" turned the gym up on its end .. and one of them fell off .. but that doesn't really count.
Ron Hibbs
I think it was this jungle gym that my sister Jean fell of and broke her leg, another time it was the pole that was suspended between two poles, Jean was unlucky to break her leg 3 times before 10
Shona Ratana
Son broke one of his front teeth using this?
Hamish Campbell
I made a greenhouse out of one of these cut ladder out (still use that part) and re-joined here is revamp
Hamish Campbell
inished interior .. old tramp spring covers come in handy a old shower type sliding door on front. The guy I f got this old school jungle gym ogf said it came from the old Omoto school I feft old round footing on the 6 ends, fitted short tan piles under each one I used to play on such a gum as a kid Tomatos etc like it.
Julian Toon
we had one great learning school for agility
Christine Banks
At Cobden school we also had big trees beside the hall (later they cut them down), we all loved climbing in these.
Rob Absalom
We had one just like that at Cobden Primary. It looked so much longer when I was there. But, I was little.
Sharon Burrell
Rob Absalom yes, remember it too Rob, loved it
Elizabeth Mehrtens
WE had the same set at Reefron Primary
Tracy Northcroft
It’s still at the school, albeit with bark chip underneath it. Well loved by the students.
Sandra Ilton
I lived on them at break
Joy Smith
Sandra Ilton oh the blisters!
Wendy Bruce
Joy Smith but we got to 'sew' the resulting calluses & fingers together ?
Wendy Bruce
I used to be able to get end to end with only 2 swings and could spin backwards & up top sitting again on the low bars
Kevin O'Regan
When our children weren’t wrapped in cotton wool. I got killed once riding a bike into the blackberries, but walked it off before going home.
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West Coast New Zealand History (30th Apr 2026). The Jungle Gym at Whataroa School. ca.1966.. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 19th Jun 2026 14:05, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/17432