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Blending In

 


Did you know? 

In recent years the Columbia Association has made a concerted effort to upgrade their network of play areas overall - - you can learn more here. 

Columbia Association’s new play area upgrades, explained, April 2026

Columbia’s original Tot Lots (now called play areas) were created to blend in with the natural environment. Over the years, as trends in playground equipment have changed, color and sturdy plastic pieces have crept in. As you may expect, this has met with dismay by some Columbia purists.

When I first moved to Columbia the color of the playground equipment would not have mattered me one iota because I couldn’t even find the totlots. (“Looking for a Sign”, Village Green/Town², 2013)  It has never made sense to me that a community has relied upon new residents to find valuable amenities based upon the theory of , “If you know, you know.” 

CA has added much helpful signage since then but, to my knowledge, none of them read: To The Tot Lots.

Sigh.

Hidden play areas and neutral colored play equipment clearly appeal to those who feel that Columbia was meant to be about the joy of discovery.  BUT: when you have a cranky three year old your joy in discovery would be amplified tenfold if what you are looking for has not been, to a large degree, camouflaged.

Anyway, this post is not really about totlots. It’s about Little Tikes. Have you seen this? I thought it was a hoax. 



The Little Tikes Company is giving some of its most popular toys a modern makeover, launching a collection which "reimagines the brand's best-selling classics in a sophisticated, trend-forward palette of soft neutrals designed to complement today's homes."

If it is a hoax a lot of folks have bought into the idea. Here are the results of a quick Google search:


This just made me laugh. Apparently someone at Little Tikes thought they could sell more plastic kid stuff  by creating a range of playthings that blend in with your home decor.

I can’t even. 

Whatever happened to “elevating” rooms with “a pop of color”? No more pops, I guess. 

Please make sure to dress your children in neutral colors, feed them neutral food and drink, and, if at all possible, give birth to neutral-looking children who will coordinate well with your style choices. Don’t forget suitable names, either. I’d suggest Clay, Honey, or Pearl. Possibly Dove. 

Back in the day (before my time, obviously) adults were fine of quoting the old admonition “children should be seen and not heard.” Perhaps we are moving to an era where children should be heard but not seen?

Frankly, I don’t see why they and their play things and play areas can’t be as colorful as the children themselves would like. When poor Grandma trips over the Cozy Coupe (tm) - - because it blended in so well with everything else - - maybe we’ll rethink this trend.


Village Green/Town² Comments 



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  1. Julia A. McCreadySeptember 14, 2026 at 4:25 AM

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