fresh air the best toy, couldn't agree more. These days I blame society, which has become risk averse, tales of kiddy fiddlers and attempted abductions of kids blah blah bah. Fuck me growing up we were always warned about the "bogey man". No matter how far our gang looked searched hung around we never found him.
Rubber matting under swings and climbing frames? just chuck a length of rope over a low slung branch, sometimes over open water and way to go. Did me no harm!!