In New York and northern New Jersey, a children’s playground slide was once commonly known as sliding pond or sliding pon. The terms reflect the considerable influence of Dutch settlement in that area, the Dutch word baan meaning a “path” and...
Why does the playground taunt neener, neener, neener have a familiar singsongy melody? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Neener neener neener” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hello, this is Brett Barbaro. I’m in...
Why do we say “get out of my bathtub” when we’re in sync on a playground swing with the person next to us? Listeners suggest that maybe it’s because you’re swinging “in sink.” This is part of a complete...
“Mary had a little lamb, its fleece was black as ink, it chewed the paper off the walls and spit it in the sink.” There’s a variation you probably missed on the playground! This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of...
hubba n.— «“I was skateboarding on the hubba,” he said, pointing to a metal box in the center of the area where he does tricks.» —“Seeking Law and Order on a Crowded Playground” by Katherine Bindley New York...
tot lot n.— «Money is scarce and small youngsters are plentiful. By using ingenuity instead of cash, the people at Herlong set up what they call a Tot Lot. It is a playground designed and built almost entirely from scrap material...