Are playgrounds too safe? Why anthropologists say kids need to monkey around

A new report from a team of anthropologists argues that monkey bars exercise a biological need passed down from apes that may be critical to childhood development. And the authors say well-intentioned efforts to mitigate their risk may, in fact, be harming kids.

Are playgrounds too safe? Why anthropologists say kids need to monkey around
Silhouette of a boy climbing rings at a playground

A new report from a team of anthropologists argues that monkey bars exercise a biological need passed down from apes that may be critical to childhood development. And the authors say well-intentioned efforts to mitigate their risk may, in fact, be harming kids.