an area where many people go for recreation
"The children ran excitedly toward the playground, eager to enjoy their afternoon of games and swings."
yard consisting of an outdoor area for children's play
"The local playground is a fenced-in yard filled with swings and slides where neighborhood children gather to play after school."
A large open space for children to play on, usually having dedicated play equipment (such as swings and slides).
"The local community center recently renovated its playground to include new swings and slides for the neighborhood children."
In plain English: A playground is an outdoor area with equipment where children can run around and play games.
"The children ran happily across the playground after school."
Usage: A playground is an outdoor area specifically designed with equipment like swings and slides for children's recreation. It refers only to the physical location where kids gather to play, not the act of playing itself or indoor game rooms.
The word playground is a straightforward combination of the words play and ground that has been used since at least the early 19th century to describe an area for children's recreation. It echoes the Middle English term playstede, which carried essentially the same meaning in Old England.