Ree Park opens Mimbo Jimbo playground

A new playground themed around the beloved children’s book characters Mimbo Jimbo and Mumbo Jumbo opens today at Ree Park in Ebeltoft, reports DR.

The 2,000-square-metre playground, designed around illustrator Jakob Martin Strid’s universe, features wooden figures of the blue elephant and hippo, complete with spring-loaded feet. Park director Jesper Stagegaard expects it to become a major summer attraction, rivaling the zoo’s live animals.

To mark the opening, Ebeltoft hosts “The Fantastic Festival” this weekend, with citywide activities including a treasure hunt, theatre on the warship Fregatten Jylland, and readings at the cultural centre Maltfabrikken.

The playground includes landmarks from Strid’s books, such as a lighthouse from Mimbo Jimbo Builds a Lighthouse and Baba Yaga’s house. Stagegaard says Strid closely supervised the project to ensure fidelity to the original illustrations.

Beyond entertainment, the playground serves an educational purpose. Ree Park plans to introduce a children’s trail where Mimbo Jimbo characters will highlight the plight of real animals, such as the “post-cheetah,” to engage young visitors in wildlife conservation.

“Jakob’s universe shows a fantastic world, and the real world isn’t so different,” Stagegaard said. “It’s a perfect match.”