For the people of Copenhagen, the grabbing a beer, appreciating nature and spending time with their families doesn't require a trip far and wide - it's simply a matter of walking to their local, free park.
Annie Samples, a U.S. mom, is of the opinion that living abroad in Denmark with her family is like inhabiting a "real life wonderland". This is her own description on Instagram, and she accompanies that statement with some remarkable pictures. In particular, she noted the parks of Copenhagen, saying that since so many people in the city live in apartments, these parks double as their backyards and are critical for family time and socializing.
Samples recently posted a video of the parks in Denmark, complete with a sprinkling of fairytale-like magic. Compared to the norm, what families in Denmark have access to is remarkable. She was also proud to mention the copious amounts of hygienic bathrooms and diaper changing areas, and jokingly said, “Thanks tax dollars!"
Samples also mentioned other favored services like restaurants, coffee outlets and, ta-da, bars. It is totally permissible to enjoy a beer, wine or an aperol spritz while your kiddo goes wild on the jungle gym. Incredible.
It's true—numerous parks have nice playground babysitters to take care of the kids during a supervised play period, sometimes with toys, animals, or kiddy vehicles. No wonder they can take time to enjoy their favorite drinks!
The community has a program called the trafiklegepladsen, which is a kid-sized version of a town. This allows children to understand traffic safety while using their bicycles. Samples mentioned that her three kids all learned to ride their bike from the same trafiklegepladsen instructor.
During the summer, Danish parks offer splash pads for cooling off, and in the winter, ice skating rinks become available. For a more cozy experience, families can build a fire in designated pits or mobile grills, and drink a type of mulled wine called glogg.
In summary, Samples said that the city gave an ideal environment for a great time, so why bother with Disneyland when Denmark is around?
This is extraordinary! It would be worth every penny in taxes to create something that could make such a positive difference in people's lives, someone commented.
Denmark's inhabitants noted how these parks might be exclusive to Copenhagen, the most expensive city in the country and one of the costliest cities in the world. The tax rate in Denmark reaches as high as 52.07%, while in the US it maxes out at 37%. It appears that these taxes are used to greatly improve the quality of life, especially for parents and families, who are provided with free access to doctors and midwives, 24 weeks of paid leave for each new parent and a guaranteed spot at daycare for their kids…not to mention free college. It's no surprise, then, that Denmark is often regarded as one of the most joyful countries.
So, if you're looking to relocate, Copenhagen is the place to go. Plus, there's a cup of glogg waiting for you!