It’s true that as we get older, we lose most of the rich imagination that had us drawing monsters and telling strange stories as kids, the world seeming less magical with each year that passes. But sometimes, we grown-ups still manage to cling to some of that creativity, allowing us to design and build stuff that’s just as cool through the eyes of adults as it is to kids. These epic playgrounds around the world are a tribute to that wonder, curiosity and adventurous spirit, whether they’re exclusively for little ones or open for us to enjoy, too.

The City Museum Outdoor Playground, St. Louis, Missouri

Mesh tunnels arch into the sky, airplanes are elevated on bright blue steel beams, and other metal parts criss-cross each other across a large open courtyard at what was once the 10-story International Shoe company in St. Louis. The 600,000-square-foot City Museum, designed by artist Bob Cassilly in 1997 and has been continually updated and improved by a group of 20 artists known as the Cassilly Crew since his death in 2011. Those two repurposed planes are just the beginning of a chaotic arrangement of play equipment including slides, caves, tunnels, ball pits, a rooftop Ferris wheel and a school bus that juts out from a ledge. It’s delightfully weird, and there’s nothing else quite like it in the world.

The Crooked Houses by Monstrum, Denmark

There’s a lot more to this weird little collection of crooked houses than meets the eye, as the design is actually inspired by local slaughterhouses. According to Monstrum, a creative firm building playgrounds all over the world, the area was once home to dairies and slaughterhouses before it became urbanized, and their design reflects that history. Use climbing grips to scale the sides of the houses, or attempt to balance on beams leading from one window to the next.

Crocheted Alligator Playground by Olek, Sao Paulo

This gigantic alligator-shaped playground in Brazil was already cool enough before crochet-bombing artist Olek brought her signature colorful encasing to give it a new look in 2012. It took the artist several weeks to cover the alligator in Brazilian ribbons and acrylic yarn. The internet is so enamored with Olek’s embellishment that it’s hard to find a photo of what the playground usually looks like.

Woods of Net at the Hakone Open Air Museum, Japan

Another artist integrates woven fibers to playgrounds in a different way, making her hand-knitted creations interactive elements for kids to play on. “Woods of Net” at the Hakone Open Air Museum in Japan is a beautiful example of Toshiko Horiuchi MacAdam’s work, and took her an entire year to finish. The playground features trampoline-like knitted nets with pendulous growths on the underside functioning as swings.

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This modular twist-and-lock prosthetic arm for kids is designed specifically for integration with LEGO parts, turning it into a fun toy that makes it easier to engage with other children. A standard gripper makes the ‘Iko’ by Carlos Arturo Torres Tovar practical and functional for everyday use, but it can easily be popped off and replaced with designs of the kids’ own making.

This creative prosthetic system lets children with disabilities use their imaginations to build tools that fit their own needs. The basic system includes a custom-fit prosthetic socket and forearm with a motorized adapter, a removable gripper and an easy-to-use charging station. Kids can swap out the gripper for backhoes and other LEGO creations. The arm can be programmed for various purposes and functions using myoelectric sensors.

Tovar came up with the idea while working at LEGO Future Lab, realizing that play is such an essential part of childhood and that a fun prosthetic could make it easier for children to engage with each other without discomfort.

“Currently I consider that prosthesis are not really designed for kids, yes they are functional in a traditional way, but kids in disability need more than a traditional tool, the physical aspect is just one of the big challenges of growing up, the psychological and the social aspect are as equally important and I wanted to do something about it.”

Why don’t rooms for adults come with cool tent-shaped beds, oversized Legos, slides, tree houses and secret compartments? These fun and imaginative kids room ideas include furniture with built-in entertainment, fort kits, fully customized themed rooms complete with murals and even a three-story slide built into the design of the house.

Tent, Playhouse and Camper Beds

Design firm Mathy by Bols has created a series of handmade kids beds shaped like tents, caravans and treehouses. The A-frame Cabin Tent Bed features a closable side panel and a bottom section that pulls out to offer storage or a second mattress, the Camper Bed looks like a mini teardrop trailer with a toy box mounted to one side, and the Treehouse Bunk Bed will definitely have kids fighting over who gets to sleep on top.

Fold-Up Staircase to Slide Converter

Any staircase turns into a slide in seconds with the ‘SlideRider,’ an extra-long foam mat with safety bumpers on the sides that stretches over stairs and then folds up neatly when it’s time to put it away.

Imaginative Wooden Kids Beds with Slides

Each design in the Rhapsody collection of kids’ beds from CedarWorks is a fantasy world of its own, with a variety of play areas built in ranging from slides to ‘secret’ rooms. They offer so many opportunities for self-entertainment, you might just get a little bit of extra sleep in the morning while the kids keep themselves busy.

LEGO-Inspired Kids Furniture Collection

The LEGO Furniture Collection for Kids by Lola Glamour uses the look of these iconic plastic brick toys to make a big visual impact in children’s rooms. The ones mounted to the bed hide drawers and cabinets, while the rest are purely decorative.

Custom Treehouse Bedroom

A swing, a fake tree, climbing ropes and a storage platform that doubles as a stage aren’t even the coolest things about this imaginative kids’ bedroom idea – that honor goes to the awesome miniature treehouse tucked up into the corner of the room next to windows overlooking the yard.

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Why spend a fortune on a virtually endless array of aesthetically questionable kids’ furniture, from birth to their teen years, when you could choose customizable, transforming, modern furniture elements instead? These 13 smart space-saving solutions are just as well-thought-out as furniture made for adults, and can keep up with kids’ growth.

Rubik’s Cube Modular Kids Furniture

The Magic Module is a bunch of colorful foam and fabric cushions that can be clipped together to resemble a giant Rubik’s cube, or disassembled into seats, lounges, footrests and beds.

Smart Kid Bedroom in a Box

This kids bedroom-in-a-box starts out as a solid birch and plywood crib and then reconfigures into a variety of items that can be used throughout childhood. Take it apart once your toddler is too big for it and re-assemble it into a playpen, junior bed, desk or chalkboard and book rack.

Dumbo Double-Tuck Bed

Tuck Beds by Casa Kids are ‘modern murphy beds for kids,’ with the ability to be mounted horizontal or vertically to practically any wall. It takes up just 13 3/4″ of floor space when it’s all closed up, leaving lots of space for play. An integrated shelf doubles as leg support.

Convertible Crib Turns into Toy Bin & Bookshelf

The Yiahn Bassinet is another design that goes from birth to late childhood, starting out as a safe place for baby to sleep and transforming into a toy bin and bookshelf for toddlers, and then a chair and table for kids aged 4-8 years. If the family has a second baby, it can be reclaimed for its original use.

SPOT All-in-One Wooden Furniture Series

Free of all the visual clutter typically associated with children’s bedroom sets, SPOT by Polish designer Wiktoria Lenart is a space-saving furniture set with a neutral look and highly customizable character so kids can craft their rooms according to their own personalities and needs. Lofted beds, sliding compartments and a bed frame that doubles as a play space make it fun and easy for kids to create their own personal spaces.

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Climbing walls are playgrounds for adults; they’re a place where one can clamber up and over obstacles in a socially acceptable manner, and still chalk it up as exercise. There are plenty of unique climbing walls out there, however, that are crazy enough to make the whole experience a lot more wild, and fun.

(Images via freshome, designsprout)

It is fun to imagine being able to scale the walls of your house like Spiderman, but in practice it’s a bit more difficult (and frowned upon). The Japanese design firm Nendo created an awesomely fun looking wall that seems out of a storybook. Sturdy frames and standard rock grips give an otherwise normal looking wall a much more interesting angle.

(Images via technabob, asia cnet)

The treadwall is perfect for a climber who wants to improve their speed, or simply doesn’t have the room to install a full fledged climbing wall. Much like the treadmill in a gym, it allows someone to climb for as long as they’d like, and without worry of falling down.

(Images via somethinbizarre, somethinbizarre, damncoolpics, geeky-gadgets)

The excalibur tower in the Netherlands is the world’s tallest climbing tower. The scope of this structure is jaw-dropping. At 121 feet tall, climbing this beast is not for the faint of heart. The width of the tower gives plenty of variation, as well, so every climb feels like the first.

(Images via elitechoice, listicles)

Ever considered ordering a climbing wall for a company picnic? Look no further. It’s great to know that anything can be delivered in this day and age.

(Images via gizmodo, hardwaresphere, toxel)

As fun as diving boards are, there’s something to be said for climbing walls inside a pool. These walls serve as the perfect platform for jumping into the pool, and all without any fear of a painful fall.

(Images via playlsi)

For climbers in training, Mobius playground equpment give kids a safe way to clamber around large obstacles to their heart’s content. Any parent would be glad to see their child use up some of their energy in an activity full of healthy exercise.

(Images via tammystravels, wikimedia, travelpod, archdaily)

It makes sense to incorporate activities like climbing into an urban landscape, as it’s an environment uniquely suited for this kind of activity. Tall buildings and a lack of close climbing opportunities in the middle of a city are the perfect combination. An urban climbing wall can be added to many structures, especially if one is not overly concerned with the odd aesthetic.

(Images via pycfitness, castlepartyrental, thefunones, goodtimesinflatables)

Inflatable climbing walls would be perfect for a birthday party or work event. One thins is for sure: it’s a lot easier for people to have fun and cut loose with a climbing wall than it is with an inflatable castle.

(Images via 2dayblog)

This unique tower was created to help showcase an excavator. The marketing clearly works, as it’s hard not to be impressed. Check out this video for a better look (fun starts at 2:55, and check out the ending as well):

(Images via thedesignblog, inspirationgreen, examiner)

Climbing walls don’t always have to be a boring edifice stuck in the middle of nowhere, or contained inside a gym. Here are a few examples of some beautiful walls that have been incorporated in interesting ways. Who wouldn’t like climbing a gigantic pair of jeans?

(Images via everestnews, myamazingfact, losgigantes, inhabitat)

Some climbing walls are cooler than others, and these uniquely shaped walls are definitive proof. The converted silos are especially unique, and provide a huge surface for recreational climbers.

(Images via webshots, picasaweb, city-data)

Urban explorers are given a chance to scale a city wall in a unique installation at Universal Studios Florida. For a little cash, one can scramble up the side of a faux building that looks like it was torn out of a real city.