Popular local theme park invites Peterborough youngsters to design new playground ride

A local theme park which has been a popular destination for families within our region for decades has launched a competition for children to design a new piece of equipment for its playground.

Wicksteed Park near Kettering is inviting youngsters aged 11 and under to come up with a unique idea for some brand new playground equipment for its ever-popular play area.

“The play area has been an integral part of the visitor experience since the Park first opened more than a century ago,” said head of marketing, Megan Wright.

Wicksteed Park has one of the largest free traditional playgrounds in Europe. It features replicas of Charles Wicksteed’s first wooden slides, see-saws and an old playground rocking horse which has been restored to its former glory.

The iconic Witch’s Hat, which was originally invented almost 100 years ago by Charles Wicksteed has also made a come-back in recent years with a modern version created specially for the Park.

The creator of the winning design will get to see their idea manufactured by Wicksteed Leisure Ltd and installed in the playground for everyone - including themselves - to enjoy.

“Park founder Charles Wicksteed is credited with inventing the world’s first swing and slide,” Megan noted.

“We’re hoping this competition will continue that rich tradition and bring it right up to date.”

“The aim is to discover some budding young designers and encourage them to celebrate the importance of play for today’s children,” she added.

Designs can be submitted in either a 2D format or an image of a 3D model. The deadline for entries is Monday June 5, 2023. The winning design will be chosen by a panel made up of representatives from Wicksteed Leisure, Wicksteed Park, and Northamptonshire Council. The name of the winner will be officially announced on June 27.

“Since we launched the competition on our website there has been a lot of interest and we’re really looking forward to seeing what type of playground equipment ideas people come up with,” Morgan noted.Any budding designers who would like to enter the competition should visit wicksteedpark.org/events/playground-design-competition or email [email protected].