Looks better from a distance: Suffolk Park playground

Playground: Suffolk Park
Location: open block park -- play equipment closest to Lindbergh Blvd. (but need to park on smaller streets off of 74th)
Date visited: 11/6/11

Equipment: A little gathering of pieces:

• One medium (4-foot) metal arched ladder/monkey bars piece
  
• A medium playset with a 4-foot platform, misc. climbing, fireman's pole, straight metal slide, monkey bars, and two hanging bars
  
• Another medium/small playset with easier climbing and two straight metal slides
  
• A swingset with all 6 swings missing

material: modern resin & metal; scale: small
Ages: 1-8
Surface: rubbery around equipment; grass elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 1
Water: N
Other: baseball, soccer/football field, lots of grass!
Access: unfenced (dawn to dusk?)

Impressions: Underloved playground with ok equipment but jarringly absent swings, torn surfacing, and large trash pieces lying around. Big grassy fields are appealing; it's sandwiched beween a small quiet neighborhood and a busy strip-mallish flurry. An ok place for a "play snack" if errands take you this way, but nothing to go out of your way for!
Overall rating: 5

Fotterall Square: a play-snack in Glenwood

Playground: Fotterall Square
Location: full block between Cumberland and York (N-S) and 11th and 12th (E-W)
Date visited: Nov. 20, 2011

Equipment:

• One playset, very worn but functional: miscellaneous climbing (including chain "rope net" style), high and low metal slides, stretch of monkey bars
• Nearly swingset with 2 strap and 2 bucket swings (and room for 1 more of each)
  

Ages: 1-10
Surface: rubbery, surrounded by cement and grass
Shade(0-3): 0
Water: N
Other: cement circle, basketball, baseball field, grassy areas, paths, picnic tables (near Cumberland), additional play area visible across 11th between the PHA towers (not clear if it's public or not)
Access: open square (dawn to dusk?)

Impressions: Pretty good variety for a single small set, nice grassy park with old trees, sandwiched between elevated train tracks and a pair of tall PHA towers. Manages to feel nice, but wouldn't draw you from anywhere outside the neighborhood.
Overall rating: 6

Penrose: climbing-rich playground just north of Temple

Playground: Penrose
Location: Susquehanna between 11th and 12th
Date visited: Nov. 20, 2011

Equipment:

• Single wandering playset (3-4 ft) with miscellaneous climbing (lots!), solid bridge, and 1 straight metal slide
• Higher playset (4-6 ft) on other side of building with lots of climbing, medium-height monkey bars, fireman's pole, very tall metal slide
• (Used to be a swingset with 4 swings, now all missing)
  

Ages: 1-9
Surface: rubbery surrounded by blacktop
Shade(0-3): 1
Water: N
Other: rec center, grassy area, tennis, basketball courts, pool
Access: not marked

Impressions: Well-worn but pleasantly varied play equipment. Hard to keep an eye on both spaces at once, for families with well separated ages, but reasonably fun in both spaces (especially for climbers!)
Overall rating: 7

Fairhill Square: smallish playground in a nice park

Playground: Fairhill Square
Location: Huntingdon between 4th & 5th
Date visited: Nov. 20, 2011

Equipment:

• Small broad playset with lots of climbing, 1 short metal slide
• Higher playset w/climbing, solid bridge, stretch of monkey bars, and 4 slides (1 tall, 2 medium, and 1 lower)
• 4 strap and 2 bucket swings
  

Ages: 1-8
Surface: rubbery, surrounded by cement and grass
Shade(0-3): 1
Water: N
Other: large park with older trees and lots of space (when visited, all but the playground was fenced off for some renovation project); nearby elementary school, which presumably may use the park at times.
Access: open park (dawn to dusk?)

Impressions: Nice-looking but under-inspired group of equipment offers little for the very youngest or oldest kids, but it perfectly fine for medium kids to blow off a little steam. In pretty decent shape -- some graffiti, no trash, when visited.
Overall rating: 6 (may be improved by the return of large grassy areas...)

Torresdale Playground: an open playspace

Playground: Torresdale Playground
Location: Leon Street (near intersection of Frankford and Grant); parking lot is shared with the golf club across the street
Date visited: 10/8/11

Equipment: Three major zones on opposite sides of the rec building:

1. Little arches of brick wall separate two tot play areas:
   • Low modern playset with 2-3-foot platforms, 3 straight plastic slides, a fireman's pole, and 4 bucket swings nearby
     
   • Second zone has old-style metal equipment pieces, including 3 arched climbing ladders (almost monkey bars), one radial 8-foot radial jungle gym, and a freestanding metal slide (3-4 foot) with its own steps
   
   
2. A large cement circle encloses a water zone, with several sprayers and low curved walls
   
   
3. The larger kid zone (far side of building) has two playsets:
   • Higher has misc. climbing, a curved stretch of monkey bars, tall (6-foot) metal slide, 1 strap swing (room for 2)
     
   • Lower playset has lower climbing, 4-foot metal slide, and fireman's pole

Ages: 1.5-10
Surface: rubbery around equipment; cement and grass elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 1
Water: Y
Other: lots of grass, baseball, basketball, tennis, rec. center with covered area in front (also nearby golf course)
Access: 6am-10pm (not fenced)

Impressions: Not cutting edge or unusual, but the mix of spaces and equipment, combined with the expanse of inviting grass and large trees, is appealing. Reasonable range of ages covered, although it would be hard to keep younger and older kids in sight at the same time. Would make a fun afternoon outing, with picnic (and maybe a bathing suit in midsummer) -- we had some good running-around silliness to complement our explorations of the play equipment.
Overall rating: 7

Decent space in the far NE: Holmes Rec Center

Playground: Holmes Recreation Center
Location: Holme Ave. and Willits Rd.
Date visited: 10/8/11

Equipment: Several pieces in one zone:

• Medium playset with miscellaneous climbing (including the barrel staves kind), a missing bridge, straight metal and curved (lower) plastic slides
  
• Medium playset with miscellaneous climbing, medium and tall straight metal slides, and an S-shaped stretch of monkey bars
  
• 4 strap swings, and 4 bucket swings

material: worn modern resin/metal; scale: medium
Ages: 1.5-10
Surface: rubbery around equipment; brick or grass elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 1
Water: N
Other: basektball, extensive fields (baseball, football, soccer), small rec. center building, extra grass
Access: not marked (gates were open early on a Saturday)

Impressions: Adequate but underinspired mix of equipment with some parts missing -- and no graffitti but some trash -- sandwiched between two major roads. (There might be a large school on the Academy Road side of the triangle that uses all of this too.) Nice to see so much grass -- good for kids who like to run around -- but nothing to draw anybody from far away.
Overall rating: 6-7

Deserves its name: Hillside Rec. Center

Playground: Hillside Recreation Center
Location: Fountain St. near Fowler
Date visited: 10/16/11

Equipment: A tightly packed bunch of pieces:

• Two hobby horses (horse and toucan)
  
• A low playset with curved plastic and wide metal slides, misc. climbing
  
• 4 bucket swings and 4 strap swings
  
• A cement climbing turtle (with handholds on top and a tunnel underneath), old but loved
  
• A higher playset with climbing of various kinds, a high spiral plastic slide and a single metal slide, fireman's pole

material: modern resin/metal; scale: small
Ages: 1-8
Surface: rubbery around equipment; blacktop elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 0
Water: N
Other: basketball, swimming pool, picnic tables, rec. building
Access: (not posted)

Impressions: Decent neighborhood tot lot combined with pool and sports spaces. Nothing broken or missing, but not inspired either, and completely lacking in shade. Nearby elementary school probably uses it some. No houses nearby -- the recreation space is wedged into a slice of land between hard-to-build jungly hillsides, but parking is free on the other side of Fountain Road (and the Ivy Ridge train station is nearby too).
Overall rating: 6-7

Plenty to do for all ages: Kendrick Rec Center

Playground: Kendrick Rec. Center
Location: SW corner of Ridge and Roxborough Aves (enter from Pensdale)
Date visited: 10/16/11

Equipment: Several separate pieces:

• A lower playseet with *lots* of climbing and a double metal slide (around 4 feet)
  
• The larger playset has several platforms at 4-6 feet, lots of climbing, a fireman's pole, several metal slides (tall straight, medium spiral, and medium double), an elevated crawling tube, solid bridge, etc.
  
• A freestanding stretch of monkey bars
  
• 4 bucket swings, and room for 4 strap swings (but the latter all missing)

material: modern resin/metal; scale: medium
Ages: 1-11
Surface: rubbery/blacktop
Shade(0-3): 1
Water: N
Other: roller hockey rink, baseball and football field(s), a grassy hill, basketball, tennis, giant rec. center, extra grass
Access: not marked

Impressions: Colorful and interesting equipment in the midst of a large mixed recreational space (we got to watch a game of flag football during our visit), yet sheltered in he interior of the block. Nice.
Overall rating: 8

McGuire Playground: rambly fun tucked away in Fairhill

Playground: McGuire

Location: Mascher St., just north of Lehigh Ave.

Date visited: 10/1/11

Equipment: 1 large rambly playset with many elements:

• low jointed bridge and 3 short solid bridges
• 4 metal slides = 1 medium straight, 1 high spiral, 2 small straight pairs
• lots of climbing, including submarine-style tube climbing
• monkey bars (6 feet up)
• metal climbing rope net
• a few low stools under the playset
• fireman's pole

Used to be 6 swings, but all missing

Ages: 2-10

Surface: rubbery surrounded by blacktop

Shade(0-3): 0

Water: N

Other: handball court, basketball (hoops but no nets)

Access: (not posted)

Impressions: Jumble of platforms and ladders is appealing despite its Impressionistic patina of graffiti. Playground needs some attention (chunks of rubbery surface missing, some rust spots on equipment, missing swings), but we had a good time there on a cool fall morning and suspect others would too.

Overall rating: 7

McPherson Square: grassy park with a small playset

Playground: McPherson Square

Location: Large block-sized park, bounded by E,F on East and West, Clearfield and Indiana North and South

Date visited: 10/1/11

Equipment: 1 small playset in a larger grassy park -- compact but decent: 1 small surved and 1 tall bumpy slide (both plastic), climbing wall (tilted), chain rope net

Ages: 1-7

Surface: rubbery by equipment, surrounded by grass

Shade(0-3): 0

Water: N

Other:some nice trees (away from equipment), library building in center of park, el tracks nearby

Access: (not posted)

Impressions: Too minimal for any sort of trip, but could make a fun "snack" if you were visiting the library branch or doing other business in the area

Overall rating: 7 (for quality), though significantly smaller than average sized

A small playspace in a rolling park: Gorgas tot lot

Playground: Gorgas Park tot lot
Location: Ridge Ave. at Gates St.
Date visited: 10/16/11

Equipment: A low (1-foot) brick wall surrounds the whole play area (with a tree in the center), which includes:

1. A lower playset with a wide metal slide, climbable "shop window," and tic tac toe-style spinners (6x5).
   
2. A higher playset with three metal slides (a tall single, medium double, and a low double), miscellaneous climbing, fireman's pole, and play stuff underneath (benches, double bus wheel, tic tac toe).
   
3. Swingset, with 2 bucket and 2 strap swings.

material: modern resin + metal; scale: small
Ages: 1-8
Surface: rubbery inside play area
Shade(0-3): 3
Water: N
Other: picnic table, large park with lots of grass and trees, bandstand
Access: open (dawn to dusk+)

Impressions: Simple playground in an inviting park setting with rolling hills and lots of mature trees. More for the younger set (no monkey bars or greater challenges), but great for a family picnic or to hear a regional band play. Great shade and breeze for a hot day (although a bit brisk at the time of our fall visit).
Overall rating: 7

Hissey Center: zone for the smaller set in Kensington

Playground: Hissey Center

Location: Indiana Ave. & Budinot St.

Date visited: 10/1/11

Equipment:

• Medium-height small platform with straight metal slide and several ladders
• Several cement climbing animals ranging from a foot-high turtle (perfect for crawlers) to a standing turtle, and sitting elephant & camel
• Four bucket swings
• Higher playset with miscellaneous climbing and 1 tall straight metal slide
• Several large zones of rubbery surface with no equipment (maybe used to have 1 set of swings and 1 other piece?)

material: modern res/metal; scale: large

Ages: 0-7

Surface: rubbery, separated by blacktop

Shade(0-3): 2

Water: N

Other: basketball, baseball field (?) and extra grass, extra blacktop

Access: (not posted)

Impressions: Nicely shaded playground looks a little forgotten--missing equipment makes you think less of the small pieces that remain. In fact, what's here is probably pretty good for the smallest set (especially toddlers), although some broken glass may keep crawlers from playing at liberty here.

Overall rating: 5

A wooded escape: Allen's Lane Park

Playground: Allen's Lane Park playground
Location: Allen's Lane between McCallum and Green (can enter from the street or park near the Art Center)
Date visited: 9/3/11

Equipment: Multiple pieces of equipment scattered within one longish zone (a little like a summer camp obstacle course):

1. A small climbing net/rope wall
   
2. A set of tunnel tubes elevated around 1 foot off the ground on half rubber tires
   
3. Hanging bars at two heights
   
4. A narrow, curved balance beam
   
5. A small playset, made of wood, including a jointed bridge, treehouse, two low plastic slides, a steering wheel, a set of lowish (4 ft?) wide monkey bars, and a small climbing wall
   
6. The taller playset has a tall spiral and a lower curved (plastic) slides, misc. climbing, a fireman's pole, and "shop windows" underneath
   
7. A zip-line set-up
   
8. 4 bucket swings, 2 plank swings, and a horizontally mounted tire swing (set by itself)

material: modern or as marked; scale: large
Ages: 1-10
Surface: wood chips around equipment; grass elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 3
Water: N
Other: picnic tables, tennis courts, basketball (far side of art center)
Access: 6AM-10PM

Impressions: A nice range of equipment in a cool and inviting wooded setting, with offerings for crawlers through tweens, and places for parents to stroll, sit, picnic, or play tennis. Cool on a hot day, with rich plantings and a summer campy feel that made us want to linger. Worth a trip.
Overall rating: 9

Play yard for a high-rise: Wissahickon playground

Playground: Wissahickon (not Kelly, as Google thinks!)
Location: Pulaski between W. Penn and W. Queen
Date visited:9/3/11

Equipment: Two smallish zones, separately fenced:

• Smaller kid area has (a) 3 space pods (low climbing) linked by "tunnels" (sort of bridges caged with bars), and (b) a jungle-gym made of wood and metal, including a metal chain "rope net" for climbing, a wide metal slide, fireman's pole, and a wide metal tube/pipe for climbing or sliding through.
  
• Higher structures include a solid bridge, misc. climbing (including a chain "rope net"), curved set of monkey bars, and two tall straight metal slides. Also 4 strap swings in this area.

material: modern or as marked; scale: large space, med. play area
Ages: 2-10
Surface: rubbery around equipment, blacktop elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 0
Water: N
Other: picnic tables, basketball, large blacktop area (& handball?)
Access: open access (dawn to dusk?)

Impressions: Apparently public playground is in fact at the base of a large chainlink-covered apartment building, and probably serves primarily as the recreation space for the families who live there. Average assortment of equipment (although it was fun to see some different materials in the one zone), with quite a bit of blowing trash, wouldn't be a particular draw from elsewhere.
Overall rating: 6

A local Northwest favorite: Cloverly Park

Playground: Cloverly Park
Location: Wissahickon at School House Lane
Date visited: 9/3/11

Equipment: Several pieces in a quadrant of the park:

• Swings: 4 bucket (well shaded) and 4 strap
  
• A stegosaurus playset for tots, comprising 2 straight plastic slides, misc. easier climbing, and playspace/tunnels underneath
  
• A larger playset has a long curved stretch of monkey bars, a zip line, two medium bumpy and one high curved slides (all plastic), a "bottomless" rail slide, and good climbing
  
• A little toddler-sized table and chairs, not permanent but clearly long-time residents, were right nearby

material: modern resin/metal; scale: medium space
Ages: 1-12
Surface: woodchips around equipment; grass elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 2
Water: N
Other: picnic table, large grassy area, mature trees (some of which seem climbable by older kids)
Access: open park (dawn to dusk?)

Impressions: Small, well-kept neighborhood park with lots of soft grass and a mix of beautiful mature trees (some of which sparked our climbing urges, to no avail) and scattered flower gardens. Deceptively simple equipment is in fact well chosen, with offerings for a range of ages. A good place for a picnic and/or a leisurely afternoon...
Overall rating: 8-9

Fun but a little exposed: Gathers Rec. Center playground

Playground: Hank Gathers, Jr., playground
Location: Diamond at Glenwood (near 25th)
Date visited: 8/6/11

Equipment: One zone containing several pieces:

• The lower playset is very low, with a wide straight and a curved plastic slide, tic-tac-toe


• The higher playset has 4-6-foot platforms, a long straight metal slide, misc. climbing, and a fireman's pole.


• 4 bucket and 4 strap swings


• A water sprayer zone (single tall pole, not on at visit)

material: modern resin/metal; scale: medium space
Ages: 1-8
Surface: rubbery/blacktop
Shade(0-3): 0
Water: Y
Other: basketball, grassy areas, pool, ball field, blacktop, rec. center
Access: not posted

Impressions: Decent set of offerings in a pleasant setting, but very short on shade; some recently planted trees may help in a few years (if they get enough water to get established). Equipment is weathered but not graffittied or broken. Good for a range of ages, but not best callenges for the older set. Note: water ice and ribs both available across the street!
Overall rating: 7

A pleasant gateway to the Park: Mander playground

Playground: Mander Playground
Location: on 33rd at Diamond
Date visited: 8/6/11

Equipment: Three main sections:

1. A playset with 4-5-foot platforms, misc. climbing, a straight metal slide, monkey bars, and a curved plastic slide. Also 4 strap swings in this area.


2. A pair of cement seals = crossed water sprayers.


3. A playset with 3-4-foot platforms, a solid bridge, lower climbing, and two metal slides (one low and curved and one straight and wide). Set of 4 bucket swings here (1 missing).

material: modern resin/metal; scale: large space
Ages: 1-6
Surface: rubbery around equipment; blacktop elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 1
Water: Y
Other: picnic tables, basketball court, large ball field (baseball and soccer), muraled rec. center, tennis, pool (full at visit), extra blacktop... transitions into the fields of Fairmount Park.
Access: no gates (presumably dawn to dusk)

Impressions: Large playground connected to an extensive park recreation zone (that shades into the fields of Fairmount Park). Colorful and busy, but the playsets are pretty low and lacking in challenges/fun for older kids (other than one stretch of monkey bars). Easy to combine with the pool, a picnic, or any other Park-friendly activity.
Overall rating: 7

Piccoli: Nice Juniata playground with a wading pool bonus

Playground: Piccoli

Location: Cayuga St. and Castor Ave.

Date visited: 8/4/11

Equipment:

• Little-kid play area in its own fenced-in area. Includes smallish platform-style playset with steps and 2 ladders (including a bigger-than-average quarter-barrel), "spaceship" with central ladder entry, free-standing tall metal turning slide that gave a particularly good ride, a bucket swing (1 missing), and 2 non-functioning "hobby horses" (too stiff)
• Bigger-kid play area (smallish): platform-style with 3 ladders, 2 slides (metal straight, plastic turning-style), and a set of monkey bars. Nearby are 8 (!) strap swings
• In between the two play areas is a large sprinkler/6-inch-deep wading pool (20-foot wide pool with a central sprinkler pole and one seal sprayer on the edge (another was broken)).

Ages:1-1/2 to 8 years

Surface: rubberized (worn) around play areas

Shade(0-3): 0

Water: Y (sprinkler/wading pool)

Other: Rec center, pool, baseball field

Access: rec center hours = 9 AM-10:30 PM in summer, 2-10:30 PM otherwise.

Impressions: Nice spread-out zone, and the wading pool is a big plus (though I might be biased by the fact that my daughter was super-into rollicking in shallow water on the day we visited). Equipment is a bit worn but fine -- nothing particularly novel, but good standard equipment (somewhat better offerings for smaller kids than bigger kids).

Overall rating: 7

Ferko: Quite extensive playground in a massive park in Juniata

Playground: Ferko playground and sprayground

Location: Cayuga St. and J St.

Date visited: 8/4/11

Equipment:

• Big rambly platform-style playset with multiple stations connected by bridges (or, in one case, raised stepping stools). Lots of ladders (maybe 8?), including two "submarine-style" where you climb up through a 360-degree ladder to a platform above and a few other novel types (including one that twists 180-degrees along its length). Has 1 tall turning slide and 3 small slides, and a set of monkey-bar loops that follows a quarter-circle bend.
• Swings in a separate zone -- 3 strap swings and 2 bucket swings (1 seemed broken)

Ages: 1-1/2 to 9 years old

Surface: rubberized around play area

Shade(0-3): 2

Water: Y (colorful sprayground)

Other: Rec center, tree-filled park, ballfield, sprayground (not on when visited at 11:30 AM on a summer Thursday)

Access: surrounded by low fence, but probably open at all times (though presumably only dawn-to-dusk allowed).

Impressions: The playground in the middle of a very large park zone (at least 6 blocks long) and that plus the effect of the multiple stations in the play equipment makes for very good aesthetics. The equipment itself is pretty extensive with a few novel features, but is showing quite a lot of wear. The sprayground seems quite new and is a major plus when it's on (it wasn't when we visited).

Overall rating: 8

Simpson playground: Aesthetically appealing corner of Frankford, with particularly good play options for littler kids

Playground: Simpson

Location: Arrott St. at Northwood St. (near Castor Ave.)

Date visited: 8/4/11

Equipment:

• Playset for smaller kids (large): platform-style with a long bridge, 4 ladders, 2 slides. Also in the smaller-kid zone is a dolphin "hobby horse" that actually works (a rarity) and 4 bucket swings
• Playset for bigger kids (small): platform-style with steps, 3 ladders, a long metal slide, and a firepole. 2 strap swings nearby

Ages: 1-8

Surface: rubberized around play equipment

Shade(0-3): 1 (just a bit on the fringe of each zone)

Water: Sort of/maybe (there is a pool nearby, and also a sprinkler pole in the center of a 10-foot wide circular pool (6 inches deep) that was full when visited, but I couldn't tell if it was rainwater or from recent use, nor if the drain was just clogged)

Other: rec center, pool, basketball court, baseball field, park across the street

Access: rec center hours (9 AM-10:30 PM in summer, 2-10:30 PM otherwise)

Impressions: Very pleasant setting with the two play areas wrapped around the rec center, surrounded by other large open areas, especially the tree-filled park across the (fairly busy) street. Equipment is in decent shape (though some graffiti and wear to the rubberized ground-surface): nothing superlative, but a solid set of options, especially for little kids. Bigger kids might find the play options limited, but maybe they'd be in the pool while their smaller siblings took advantage of the playground?

Overall rating: 7 (probably an 8 for smaller kids)

Deni playground: Decent but minimal option in Frankford

Playground: Deni

Location: Leiper & Church (also an entrance on Leiper and Ruan)

Date visited: 8/4/11

Equipment:

• Playset for smaller kids (on the small side): platform-style, with 3 ladders and 2 slides
• Playset for bigger kids: platform-style, with 4 ladders and 1 metal slide (with many dents), plus a fire pole and a slightly slanted 6-foot climbing wall
• 2 bucket swings, 4 strap swings

Ages: 1-1/2 to 8 yrs

Surface: rubberized in playzones

Shade(0-3): 0

Water: No

Other: 6 basketball courts (with a sloped side), baseball field

Access: Unclear -- the whole zone is surrounded by high fences, with gates on two sides that could be locked. Didn't see posted hours -- was open at 10:30 AM on a summer Wednesday

Impressions: Playsets are on the minimal side, and showing some wear. The overall location is a fairly appealing open space, though more concrete than foliage (except for the baseball field). The basketball courts seem to have been refurbished fairly recently: new paint on the courts, nice lights for night play. The playground could use similar love.

Overall rating: 6

Snaking through the neighborhood: West Mill Creek playground

Playground: West Mill Creek rec. center
Location: at 51st on Parrish (which dead-ends into it from east and west)
Date visited: 7/24/11

Equipment: Several pieces:

• Low playset with various climbing (including a ladder of steps), jointed bridge, double metal slide


• High playset with miscellaneous climbing, including two submarine-style central ladders, a jointed bridge, spiral metal slide, curve of monkey bar rings, two low and one medium metal slides, and a balance platform (also something missing -- a bridge? -- leaving one low platform stranded/pointless nearby)


• Smallest playset has solid bridge and curved plastic slide (along with climbing)


• Tons of swings (6 strap and 6 bucket), several broken, most wrapped around pole

All modern equipment, relatively compact, although there is a water zone SE of the main playground (circular cement area with sprayer pole) and other rec. zones N and S
Ages: 1-9?
Surface: rubbery around equip; blacktop elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 0
Water: Y (beyond main playground)
Other: little rec. building, square picnic tables, ball field, basketball
Access: 9am-10:30p (2-10:30 winter)

Impressions: Charming nook playground and recreation space winds its way in a gap between dead-end/turnaround streets. Lots of offerings, some creative, but appears poorly looked after -- no graffitti or trash, but tangled swings and understaffed rec. center (a local asked me how to get somebody to turn the water feature on during the heat wave!) makes this less useful for neighbors than it otherwise would be. Still, it speaks well for the creativity of the Parks Department to find such narrow holes in residential zones to turn into fun outlets for kids.
Overall rating: 7

Some shade for tots: Mill Creek playground

Playground: Mill Creek rec. center
Location: Brown & 47th (SW corner)
Date visited: 7/24/11

Equipment: Three zones:

1. Large playset with medium height monkey bars (curved upward! ack!), a solid bridge, misc. climbing, and 2 tall straight metal slides. Also here a freestanding old-fashioned metal jungle gym piece and space for several strap swings (none present), and some additional blacktop.


2. Smaller kid zone, fenced: a low playset with a wide metal slide, barrel slat-style climbing, a low hanging bar, etc. Also two bucket swings in this area.


3. Water zone between the others (but closer to the tot zone) -- cement circle ringed with cement benches, one central dandelion-shaped sprayer (not yet on at time of visit).

material: modern resin/metal; scale: med. playspace in a larger recreation zone
Ages: 1-9
Surface: rubbery around equipment; blacktop elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 1 (smaller kids zone + water)
Water: Y
Other: pool (full: free swim 2-5, family swim 6-7; overall 11-7 weekdays and 1-6 weekends), basketball, large grassy/baseball field, colorful rec. center, small square cement tables with chairs
Access: summer 9:00am-10:30pm; winter 2p-10:30p

Impressions: Decent equipment in the setting of a pleasant rec. center and lot. No obvious graffitti or trash issues, but the missing strap swings speak to some level of neglect or abuse. Nicely shaded tot zone and promising water feature (also mostly shaded, a rarity). Also nice to see a full pool for a change!
Overall rating: 6

Two play lots among three towers: Lee Park complex

Playground: Lee Park playground(s)
Location: from Powelton, take Holden and loop behind towers (to right) on unnamed road to parking right near playground
Date visited: 7/24/11

Equipment: Two small fenced playgrounds, in sight of one another:

• Higher playset, colorful -- 4 plastic slides of various heights (1 curved, 1 spiral), monkeybar rings (2 sets), two longish tunnel bridges, various climbing including a metal rope net, shop window underneath, and ball bearing toy.


• Smaller playset -- 1 set of double straight plastic slides and one single, tunnel bridge, ball bearing toy, climb-through hoops underneath, some simple climbing

material: modern resin/metal/plastic; scale: small play spaces in larger area of grass and walkways
Ages: 1-10 (larger), 1-4 (smaller)
Surface: rubbery throughout
Shade(0-3): 0
Water: N
Other: lots of grassy areas with shade, tennis (without nets); also nearby Drexel sports complex
Access: open (dawn to desk)

Impressions: Loose trash is blowing throughout this extensive housing complex (three tall towers), but the two playgrounds offer a colorful and inviting outlet for kids. Overall offerings a little slim, and lack of swings seems a major oversight, but the tunnel bridges are unusual and nice for both bigger kids and for crawlers.
Overall rating: 6

Great playspace for tots, plus a sprayground: Parkside-Evans

Playground: Parkside-Evans rec. center
Location: Parkside Road @ 53rd
Date visited: 7/16/11

Equipment: A number of separate pieces scattered around a medium playspace:

1. A modern teeter-totter
   
2. Two spinning seats, one modified cup-style and the other a platform
   
3. A stegosaurus-shaped small playset with easy climbing and a double plastic slide
   
4. A firetruck hobby horse, with two seats -- actualy rocks too!
   
5. A freestanding 6-foot spiral slide with its own stairs/ladder
   
6. Larger playset, but low, with tunnel/playhouse features underneath, an unusual rubbery bridge, low double (straight) and higher single (spiral) plastic slides, various climbing including a barrel-stave style ladder
   
7. Swings (4 strap and 2 bucket)
   
8. A fenced sizeable sprayground with two pillars and numerous pavement sprayers (not on at time of visit; also has activation pillar)

material: modern resin/metal
Ages: 1-7?
Surface: rubbery woodchips
Shade(0-3): 0
Water: Y
Other: shaded stone picnic benches and grassy areas (on other side of rec. center building), basketball (little league game during on the courts at time of our visit), tennis (8 courts)
Access: not posted, but not fenced (dawn to dusk?)

Impressions: Creative playspace for younger kids is colorful and inviting, and pairing with nearby grass, shade, and picnic tables could make a nice outing. Looks recently renovated and well maintained. Limited offerings for kids older than 6 or 7, but worth a trip for toddlers or when the sprayground is active.
Overall rating: 8* (youngest kids only)

Colorful new playspace: Clemente Rec. Center

Playground: Clemente
Location: 18th between Wallace & Mt. Vernon (entrances on three sides)
Date visited: 7/9/11

Equipment: Two playsets, in the same general area:

1. Lower (marked for ages 2-5) has platforms around 4 feet high, misc. climbing (including one unusual rounded-step stair/ladder that would be good for newer climbers), a jointed bridge, two straight metal slides, and a gear toy underneath
2. Higher (marked ages 5-12) has 4-6-foot platforms, misc. climbing, a narrow solid bridge/beam, short and tall straight (metal) slides and a tall (metal) spiral, and a large section of rope net/web-style jungle gym. There's also some tyke gear (bench, bus wheel, tunnel) underneath.

There are also swings in the play zone (4 bucket + 4 strap). A separate area nearby is a full sprayground, with a colorful palm tree-style central element and numerous spray heads embedded in the pavement around a wide cement oval (that will work in a patterned dance); there's a pole sensor for activation by hand waving, etc. [This was not active at time of visit due to some valves that needed fixing. Will have specific hours shorter than overall playground hours; see below.]
material: modern metal/rope, scale: med. space
Ages: 1-11
Surface: large rubberized zone and blacktop beyond
Shade(0-3): 0 (maybe some in mornings)
Water: Y
Other: basketball court, square picnic tables, muraled rec. center, adjacent baseball field, colorful plantings and some grassy areas
Access: still being decided: at least 9am-9pm for the playground (maybe as early as 8am, depending on volunteer logistics); water will be 11-7

Impressions: Colorful and well-designed mix of offerings in a newly renovated (July 5 opening!) playground. Oldest kids might find the climbing web a challenge, but no monkey bars or zip lines to add more. Tots and elementary ages should have plenty to do. Worth a special trip, and appears to have a staff of dedicated volunteers who will keep it presentable for some time.
Also note: there's a coffee shop/creperie a block east on Wallace, if anybody needs refueling...
Overall rating: 9

A magical hidden playspace: Greenfield School

Playground: Greenfield School play yard
Location: Sansom between 22nd and 23rd (entrances on all 3 streets)
Date visited: 7/2/11

Equipment: A number of separate pieces and features scattered around the space:

• A metal "rope net" climbing feature
  
• Two freestanding spinning platforms (for sitting or standing)
  
• A "zip line" sliding ring
  
• Several random manmade hillocks for climbing and clambering
  
• Large playset with miscellaneous climbing (a range of challenges), low curved and high spiral plastic slides, a solid bridge, fire pole, and curved stretch of "monkey bar" rings
  
• A freestanding cylindrical jungle gym

material: modern, or as described; scale: several zones in a medium (half-block) space
Ages: 1-11?
Surface: rubbery or blacktop
Shade(0-3): 1
Water: N
Other: Smallish basketball net and half court, various painted games and other features on the blacktop spaces
Access: Not posted, no gates

Impressions: Recently renovated school yard has a creative mix of challenges landscaped into a colorful and inviting terrain of rubbery hills (enchanting to our 3.5-year-old), wandering paths, garden plantings, and interspersed trees (established and new). Many of the latest gizmos, in good shape, out of sight of the traffic -- lack of swings is the one surprising omission here, especially for those with younger tots in tow.
Overall rating: 8

Like playing in somebody's back yard: Coxe Park

Playground: Coxe Park
Location: Cherry betwen 21st and 22nd (on a little pedestrian streetway)
Date visited: 7/2/11

Equipment: A few small pieces near one another:

• A tall spiral slide (ladder requires some bravery/oversight) of painted metal
  
• A teeter-totter with hobby horse seats on each end -- usable by one or two riders
  
• A metal jungle gym including monkey bars and 2 fireman's poles
  
• A cement dolphin that can be climbed on
  
• Swings -- 5 bucket with older-style chain lap-belts

material: mostly metal; scale of space: quite small
Ages: 1-7
Surface: rubbery around equipment; cement elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 3
Water: N
Other: nearby but separate fenced area with benches, closed street could be good for bikes or skateboards
Access: open street (but 20 feet from people's windows, so not too late)

Impressions: Cute little neighborhood nook shaded by mature treed and faced by a row of neat townhouses. Sort of a snack as playgrounds go, but might provide a brief diversion amid errands nearby, and shady benches would be nice for lunch, a snack, or a quick book.
Overall rating: 7 for cuteness, but 5 for offerings

Friendly but shadeless: Nelson playground

Playground: Nelson
Location: Cumberland between 3rd and 4th (gates on several sides)
Date visited: 6/18/11

Equipment: Several zones jumbled together:

• A large and cheerful cement "ship" set into the ground with platforms and rails to climb about on
• A water area = sunken square of cement with a pole for spray (off at visit)
• 4 bucket and 4 strap swings
• Taller play structure has several kinds of climbing, 1 tall metal slide, and monkey bars
• Smaller play structure has miscellanious climbing, 1 straight metal slide

One corner of the lot is given over to community gardens that are apparently run by students
Ages: 1-9?
Surface: rubbery/blacktop
Shade(0-3): 1
Water: Y
Other: picnic tables (full size, and mini/kid size under a missing roof), basketball, rec. center with covered area, mural, and bike rack
Access: 6am-10pm listed

Impressions: Lack of shade is a problem here, but for a smallish park the offerings are good in variety, and the shady tables seem welcoming for a family outing. A small amount of wear and graffitti, but beter off than others nearby (no trash, and a team was whacking weeds during our weekend visit). The cement ocean liner seems like a draw for groups of kids with a creative bent.
Overall rating: 6-7

Doing a fair amount with a small space: Waterloo Playground

Playground: Waterloo Playground
Location: on Howard between Cumberland and Huntington (playground is close to Cumberland)
Date visited: 6/18/11

Equipment: Two zones, on separate sides of the rec. center building:

1. Large playset has 5-6-foot platforms with many types of climbing and one straight metal slide, fireman pole, etc. A set of 4 strap swings is nearby.


2. Smaller playset has 3-4-foot platforms, a solid bridge, one straight metal slide, and several kinds of climbing. 4 bucket swings and 2 hobby horses (pelican and jet; they actually move!) nearby.

Material: modern resin & metal; scale: smallish spaces in med. recreation space
Ages: 1-7
Surface: rubbery/blacktop
Shade(0-3): 1
Water: N
Other: pool (empty at time of visit, but a neighbor said it would open the 2nd week in July), basketball, lots of extra blacktop (painted for hopscotch and more), grassy area nearby with picnic table, small rec. building with many coats of anti-graffitti spraypaint
Access: ?

Impressions: Playground and recreation space wound into the inside of a block -- play spaces for younger and older kids are separated, making it hard for a parent to keep watch on both, but in decent shape and well contained (if you overlook some trash). A little short on variety (few slides, no hanging, etc.) and clearly under continual graffitti assault.
Overall rating: 6

Well-intentioned but poorly upkept: Norris Square Park playground

Playground: Norris Square Park
Location: Park is a full city block between Hancock and Howard, Diamond and Susquehanna; playground is in the middle.
Date visited: 6/18/11

Equipment: Two swingsets, with a total of four strap and four bucket swings. Additionally two playsets close together:

1. A large play structure with lots of climbing, curved and spiral plastic slides, one solid and one jointed bridge, monkey bars (both straight and a curved stretch of hanging rings that make up another set), a zip line (with no pully/ring), and a chain "rope net" for climbing. Also benches, store window, and other stuff for littler kids underneath.


2. Lower playset that is just steps up to a platform (!) -- slide or something else is gone and boarded over.

material: weathered "modern resin and metal"; scale of space: medium in larger park
Ages: 2-10
Surface: rubbery around equipment; blacktop elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 0
Water: N
Other: lots of grassy areas, some blacktop area (good for skateboards or bikes), low/broad circular bench around play area looks fun to walk along, gazebo area with stone picnic tables, cheerfully muralled shed; basketball across park
Access: open (= dawn to dusk?)

Impressions: Well-designed but brutally worn playground in the (shadeless) center of a grassy park that offers pleasant shade but quite a bit of trash and graffitti. The equipment could use some love, especially additions to the smaller structure to give it some purpose and make the place more welcoming to younger visitors. Good for climbers, but feels a little bleak.
Overall rating: 6

In need of an upgrade: Conestoga playground

Playground: Conestoga

Location: Media St. and 53rd St.

Date visited: Jun. 12, 2011

Equipment:

• Very minimal small kids' zone: tiny "spaceship" (can crawl into but ridiculously low), old free-standing metal slide, 1 bucket swing
• Big kids' zone -- platform-style playset with stairs, 4 ladders, 2 fire poles, and a pretty big metal slide (note, however, that at the top of the slide, there's a big dropoff with no guardrail), plus an old semicircular climbing apparatus, and 2 strap swings

Ages: 2-6

Surface: rubberized by play areas

Shade(0-3): 1

Water: No

Other: Basketball court, playing field (football while we were there), rec center

Access: Unknown

Impressions: Sorely in need of an upgrade, especially the small kids' zone, which has very little in it and is very rundown. (I'll grant that things weren't helped by the fact that we visited just after a rainy day, so there were big moldy puddles on and near the slide.) The big kids' zone is fine -- routine equipment in OK shape. Some efforts seem to have been made to improve the feel of the space -- like a Sesame St. mural on the rec center -- but this site could really use a bigger-scale effort, either by the city or a philanthropic organization.

Overall rating: 4

Schoolyard climbing gem: Edward Heston School

Playground: Edward Heston Elementary School

Location: Lancaster between 52nd and 54th (also an entrance on Lansdowne)

Date visited: Jun. 12, 2011

Equipment:

• Small kids' zone -- cute but very small, just stairs, a ladder, and 2 slides
• Big kids' zone -- Brightly decorated/gabled platform-style playset with 2 ladders (a coil ladder and a step ladder), 3 slides (1 turning), a jointed bridge, a U-shaped ladder bridge, and monkey bars. Also a sizable climbing wall (maybe 6 feet tall?), and a tie line.

Ages: 1-10

Surface: rubberized -- very sandy on the day visited, for no obvious reason

Shade(0-3): 0

Water: No

Other: Schoolyard with three basketball hoops

Access:Unknown. There are gates that could presumably be locked outside of school hours, though all were open when we visited on a Sunday morning.

Impressions: Small kids' zone is minimal -- not worth an independent visit (and, honestly, doesn't really seem sufficient for the kids in the school). In contrast, the big kids' zone is quite nice, with lots of novel climbing options in particular (the U-shaped ladder, climbing wall, monkey bars, tie line). Location is not so aesthetic given that it's right on Lancaster, though the big playset is brightly decorated and the school has attractive and huge murals.

Overall rating: 7

Reliable standard in Overbrook: Baker playground

Playground: Baker

Location: Lansdowne & Conestoga (enter on Lansdowne -- there's also an entrance on Hunter, on the north side of the block)

Date visited: 6/12/11

Equipment:

• Small kids' zone: platform-style playset with 2 ladders (coil and quarter circle) and 3 slides; this zone also has 2 hobby horses, turtle statue for climbing, spinning cup, and 4 strap swings (1 deformed)
• Big kids' zone: platform-style playset with 4 ladders, 2 slides, jointed bridge, firepole, and monkey bars; zone also includes 4 strap swings

Ages: 1-8

Surface: rubberized around play area

Shade(0-3): 0 (maybe a little in small kids' zone)

Water: No

Other: Rec center, swimming pool (seemed abandoned when visited on a Sunday in June), basketball court

Access: Posted rec dept hours: 9 AM-10:30 PM in summer, 2-10:30 PM otherwise

Impressions: Reasonable range of equipment, but some sense of age and disrepair in the big-kid zone (it doesn't help aesthetically that the gazebo at the center of the playground has a collapsing roof, nor to see the swimming pool filled with plant matter rather than water). The small kids' zone does have a few nice extras.

Overall rating: 6

Halfway toward renewal: Miles Mack

Playground: Miles Mack

Location: 36th & Aspen

Date visited: Jun. 11, 2011

Equipment:

• Newer zone -- platforms, bumpy ramp, 3 ladders, 2 slides (1 turning), "deli counter", curvy bridge, 2 bucket swings, 4 strap swings
• Older zone -- 2 ladders, 2 slides, monkey bars, fire pole, two metal climbing appartus (one is two perpendicular semicircles, the other a tall tower of metal bars); this zone also has an abandoned swingset (with no remaining swings)

Ages: 1 1/2 to 7 years old

Surface: rubberized squares around playsets

Shade(0-3): 0

Water: Yes -- circular zone with a spraying pole

Other: rec center, basketball court, baseball field

Access: Posted rec dept hours 9 AM-10:30 PM summer, 2-10:30 PM otherwise

Impressions: Older zone is minimal and rundown. Newer zone is pretty nice, but really only for smaller kids. Overall, the space is fairly large, but a bit bleak/underdeveloped. A nice spot for some future development by the city or others.

Overall rating: 6

Gem just around the corner from the zoo: Clemens & Lewis

Playground: Clemens & Lewis

Location: 38th & Poplar (just South of Girard)

Date visited: Jun. 11, 2011

Equipment:

• Small kids' zone features a fire truck playset (low hanging bars, clambering tires, slide, and a raised platform), as well as 4 bucket swings, 2 hobby horses (1 of which actually worked, unlike most we've seen), and a longish low tunnel
• Big kids' zone included a large playset (many ladders, several bridges, 3 slides--including 1 turning slide--2 "ladder bridges", climbing wall, and loop monkey bars), 2 1-person "spinners" mounted on the ground, and 4 strap swings

Ages: 1-10

Surface: rubberized by play areas

Shade(0-3): 1 (only on bigger kids' playset)

Water: Y? broken-looking dragon sprayer

Other: 4 small picnic tables, basketball court, lots of bike-riding space (including sloped wall behind basketball court), rec center

Access: Posted Rec Dept hours: 9 AM- 10:30 PM summer, 2-10:30 PM otherwise

Impressions: A bit rundown/weedy, but equipment is in good shape. The small kids' zone is not extensive, but the fire truck is a nice apparatus (may be slightly biased by the fact that our child is currently obsessed with low monkey bars). Big kids' zone is quite large with a fun range of equipment. Setting is not too scenic -- up against train tracks, and the particular block you can see from the playground is a bit rundown, but it's a cozy small neighborhood tucked among the train tracks, Rte. 76, and the zoo.

Overall rating: 8-9

A hidden nook for smaller kids: Shissler Recreation Center

Playground: Daniel Shissler Recreation Center
Location: 1 block west of Frankford (=Blair) between Berks and Montgomery; right behind Kensington Performing Arts High School
Date visited: 5/29/11

Equipment: Two apparent zones:

• One appears to be a water zone, with a cement surface and three cement animals set up as sprayers. (Smallest turtles might offer something to the crawler set even when off.) Trickles of water indicated that these should be functional, but they were not spraying at the time of our visit
• Playzone has (1) a smaller playset with several types of climbing (including a large arch of barrel-slat ladder good for newer climbers) and a set of double metal slides; (2) the larger playset has tall monkey bars, various climbing, and another set of double metal (straight) slides

material: modern resin & metal; scale: small
Ages:1-9
Surface: rubbery around equipment; cement elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 2
Water: Y
Other: rec center, basketball courts, large baseball field (marked "closed until August 2011"), large new parking lot (shared with the highschool? for baseball?), grassy lot across the street
Access: 6am - 10pm

Impressions: Small and limited to younger kids (except, perhaps, the monkey bars), but servicable for those. No swings is a minus; water could be nice, but no idea when it runs. Out of the way enough that it probably appeals mostly to those who live nearby, or who make a stop at the Berks station of the Market-Frankford line (accessible by a paved path).
Overall rating: 6-

Decent but lonely: Towey Recreation Center

Playground: Towey Recreation Center
Location: Howard & Berks (SW corner)
Date visited: 5/29/11

Equipment: Several pieces in one medium play zone:

1. Lower playset (3-4 foot platforms) is unusually big, with lots of climbing of varying difficulty, one plastic curved slide and one straight metal slide, short fireman's pole, and monkey bars.
2. Several "hobby horse" animals, very stiff
3. Swings -- 4 strap and 2 bucket (one missing)
4. Higher playset (5-6 foot platforms) with many climbing ladders and one tall straight metal ladder

material: modern resin & metal
Ages: 1-10
Surface: rubbery around equipment (some holes under monkey bars) and blacktop elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 2
Water: N
Other: baketball rec center with bright abstract mural, handball courts, extra blacktop
Access: open (dawn to dusk)

Impressions: Decent equipment, but covered with graffitti and surrounded by loose trash -- the feeling is dingy even though everything is in functional shape and our 3-year-old had a good time. Faced mostly by the back sides of residential buildings (so it feels more industrial than it is); we enjoyed the crowing of a rooster from a nearby yard.
Overall rating: 6-7

Fishtown Rec Center: A blast of color

Playground: Fishtown Rec Center

Location: Palmer St. and Flora St. (just north of Girard on Palmer); another entrance is on Montgomery and Flora (again, just north of Girard on Montgomery).

Date visited: 5/29/11

Equipment:

• Smaller playset with lots of climbing, 1 wide plastic curved and 1 straight metal slide
• Taller playset with climbing, monkey bars, fireman's pole, and a straight metal slide
• 6 strap swings (1 broken) and 2 bucket swings
• 3 hobby horse critters (too stiff to rock much, as most seem to be)
• 2 sit 'n' spin platforms with poles (1 semi-broken/wobbly)
• central "hill" with brick sides, some raised bricks to make a slanted climbing wall
• circle with stone tower water units (not on when visited on a Sunday morning in May)

Ages: 1-10

Surface: rubberized by most play areas, blacktop elsewhere

Shade(0-3): 0

Water: Yes (small area with stone tower sprayers)

Other: roller-hockey rink, rec center with large covered area, basketball courts, picnic tables, lib outdoor concert area (maybe?) with tables and benches, library across Montgomery St.

Access: Probably dawn to dusk

Impressions: Clearly a well-loved playground: every inch of equipment, benches, and poles is painted with colors and patterns that make you happy just being there. Had the sense that this was a semi-recent effort to beautify a space that was beginning to run down (e.g., a note indicates that Agnes Irwin School out on the Main Line was part of a recent painting effort; some paint was peeling and graffiti already creeping back in). The central climbing structure is neat and offers the only shaded zone on the site; the rest seems fun but might be prohibitively hot on most summer days. Would love to see a roller-hockey game!

Overall rating: 7+

A mix of offerings: Vare playground

Playground: Vare playground
Location: between Moore and Morris, 26th and 27th
Date visited: 5/21/11

Equipment: Several separate pieces spread around a medium playzone:

• One large playset with hight (6-7-foot?) platforms, lots of climbing types, and two straight metal slides of different lenghts
  
• One small playset with 3-4-foot platforms, several types of climbing (including the rarish barrel-stave type that's friendly to newer climbers), and one wide metal slide
  
• Lots of swings! 6 strap + 4 bucket, all functional
  
• A freestanding set of metal monkey bars (around 5 feet tall)
  
• A novelty play piece shaped like an arch, which can be used like a techno-teeter-totter (you sit on either end an the entire structure slides back and forth, raising one end or the other, along the underlying curved tube) or like a more advanced challenge, with hand grips underneath the top part and foot rests on the side, so that one or more people could move the thing that way. [Makes more sense in person.]

Ages: 1-10
Surface: rubbery around equipment; blacktop elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 1 (mostly on swings)
Water: N
Other: large field with baseball diamond, basketball courts, pool, grassy areas, and large rec. center
Access: open (= dawn to dusk?)

Impressions: A nice playground and park a block or two from the blight of the 25th Street train viaduct. Decent basic equipment -- especially good challenges for climbers of various skills, but a little short on slides -- and the novelty arch structure makes it possible for a toddler and parent to teeter together. Lots of swings is nice, and the mix of equipment should accommodate families with kids of various ages. Equipment probably gets really hot in midsummer, but there is refuge at the edges and shaded grass for a picnic.
Overall rating: 7-8

Stinger Square: Gem in Grays Ferry

Playground: Stinger Square

Location: 32nd & Reed

Date visited: 5/15/11

Equipment:

• Little-kid playset: platform steps, plus two other steps, 3 short metal slides (1 turning), bridge, steering wheel, ground-level bench, tic-tac-toe board
• Big-kid playset: 5 ladders (including a tall coil) to multi-level platforms, straight metal slide, turning slide, bridge, short firepole, monkey bars
• 4 bucket swings, 4 strap swings
• 2 rocking animals (though they were too tight for a 3-year old to make move much)

Ages: 1-10

Surface: rubberized

Shade(0-3): 2

Water: No

Other: 3 cute short tables w/chairs, rec center, swimming pool, several picnic tables

Access: 24/7 (in a public park)

Impressions: Extensive equipment in a nice park setting. Smaller playset is quite accessible for young toddlers, while the bigger one has a lot of possibilities for both bigger toddlers to older kids.

Overall rating: 9

Finnegan Playground: Small, but some novel features

Playground: Donald Finnegan

Location: Wharton between 30th and 29th

Date visited: 5/15/11

Equipment:* 1 playset (4 ladders -- one a quarter-circle -- steps, elevated crawl-through tunnel, 2 slides), large U-shaped ladder bridge from playset to a 7-ft high platform (which is also accessible by a tall ladder and coil ladder, but hard to get down from for younger kids), 4 strap swings
Ages: 1.5-9

Surface: rubberized

Shade(0-3): 0

Water: No

Other: 2 basketball courts, 1 baseball field, rec center

Access: Weekdays and Saturday mornings (according to posted sign)

Impressions: Playground is of limited scope, but in reasonable shape, and U-ladder is a novel addition.

Overall rating: 6

* Edit: Note that there are two playground areas here, separated by the rec. center -- one is obvious from Wharton and the other from 30th Street. Unfortunately, we realized this only after leaving; thus the above review refers only to the SE of the two playground zones.

Hancock Playground: a minor gem in Kensington

Playground: Hancock Playground

Location: Master (EW) and Hancock (NS), enter on Hancock

Date visited: 5/8/11

Equipment:

• Big-kid playset: multiple platforms, accessible by steps or 5 ladders (two quarter-circles (one quite large) plus a coil, a zigzag, and a straight); one very tall fire-pole, and one large multibump plastic slide, which unfortunately was not at all slippery
• Little-kid playset: several platforms accessible by 4 ladders (including quarter-circle and zig-zag), with 3 small slides and a wall decorated as a fire truck with steering wheel
• 4 strap swings, 2 bucket swings
• metal merry-go-round (could fit 6-8 kids at once)
• teeter-totter

Ages: 1-10

Surface: rubberized around play areas

Shade(0-3): 0

Water: No

Other: pool, rec center, basketball court, baseball field

Access: whole block surrounded by tall fence, with chainable entry gate on Hancock St.; posted hours are 7 AM-9:30 PM. For what it's worth, it was open on a Sunday at 10ish, so that's a good sign

Impressions: More-than-average set of equipment, all in pretty good shape, and a good amount of space (within a rec space that is itself quite spacious). The "extras" are nice -- the merry-go-round, the teeter-totter -- and the two playsets themselves are more than the standard fare. It's too bad that the one slide for the big-kid zone was so much less fun than it looked (maybe more slippery pants would help, but I'm skeptical).

Overall rating: 8

(The other) Smith Playground: big park, standard playground

Playground: Smith playground

Location: 24th & Snyder

Date visited: May 7, 2011

Equipment: 2 play areas; younger-kid area has entry by steps and platforms, coil ladder, quarter-circle ladder, pair of small side-by-side slides, bigger slide, bridge, plus, a real see-saw!; bigger-kid area has 2 ladders (one quarter circle), 2 slides (one spiral), pole, monkey bars, 2 free-standing ladder poles

Ages:1-8

Surface: rubberized around play areas

Shade(0-3): 2

Water: Yes -- sprayground adjacent to playground (not open when visited)

Other: 2 basketball courts, large sports fields, large park, rec center

Access: 24/7 (in a public park)

Impressions: Not extensive, but standard equipment is in good shape and setting is pleasant (though there's a fair amount of trash and glass a bit away from the play areas). Too bad there are no swings....

Overall rating: 7

Wharton Square: Simple playground in a nice park setting

Playground: Wharton Square
Location: 23rd and Wharton
Date visited: May 7, 2011

Equipment: 2 small play areas; younger-kid play area has platforms for climbing, quarter-circle ladder, 3 slides (1 metal), 4 bucket swings; bigger-kid play area has 2 ladders, 2 slides (1 spiral), climbing pole, monkey bars, 2 strap swings (should have been 4 -- 2 were missing)
Ages: 18 months-8 yrs
Surface: rubberized around play areas
Shade(0-3): 2
Water: No
Other: Rec center, basketball court
Access: 24/7 (in a public park)

Impressions: Minimal amount of apparatus, but in reasonable shape, in a nice setting
Overall rating: 6

Cutting edge getting dull: Manayunk's Pretzel Park

Playground: Pretzel Park playground
Location: Cresson between Cotton and Rector
Date visited: 5/1/11

Equipment: Several zones and freestanding pieces:

• A small playset with a climbing wall, curved plastic slide, rope climbing net, and space for some missing element


• A ring-shaped merry-go-round (crumbling in spots)


• A pole/platform sit-and-spin


• A wavy "balance beam" that wobbles for a challenge


• A large playset with climbing (ladder, wall, and steps), suspended chair and wobble platforms, several small seats that can be spiraled up and down their poles, and several "rip line" hand-holds for sliding along a sturdy track.


• Two pairs of swings, bucket (battered) and strap.

material: modern "adventure-style" ropes, rubber, and metal; scale: medium playspace in a small but hilly park
Ages: 1-12
Surface: rubbery throughout
Shade(0-3): 1
Water: N
Other: dog park, grassy areas, pebbly paved path
Access: open (dawn to dusk?)

Impressions: A neat-looking modern-style adventure playground with offerings to challenge big kids and others well scaled for tots. However, it's taken a real beating since installation and has the cracks and missing elements to prove it (making me wonder whether this style of play equipment has a limited lifespan). Could use some renovation and maybe an old-fashioned tall slide -- nothing here lit up my 3-year-old's face like the simpler fare at Venice Island.
Overall rating: 7

Scenic but forgotten: Venice Island Recreation Center

Playground: Venice Island playground
Location: across the canal and towpath from Main Street between bridges at Cotton and Lock streets
Date visited: 5/1/11

Equipment: Two playsets:

1. One aimed at littler kids, with platforms of 2-4 feet, four plastic slides (including one partial spiral and one with bumps) -- note that both sets of double straight slides have puncture holds -- misc. climbing, animal puzzle tic-tac-toe


2. The one for bigger kids spans two levels of the lot (two bridges arch over the drop) with two sets of double plastic slides, fireman's poles, and various climbing

Also a separate area with stairs and space for four swings, all missing.
material: modern resin & metal; scale: medium playspace in a larger recreation zone
Ages: 2-8
Surface: rubbery around equipment; blacktop elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 2
Water: N
Other: basketball, extra enclosed blacktop area, pool, some grassy area, rec. center building with roof-covered area and mosaic walls
Access: ?

Impressions: Nice mix of equipment -- the double level makes that set feel more novel/adventurous than it is -- but badly in need of upkeep, both to remove trash/rubble/graffitti and to fix broken equipment. Somehow the location, with swank Main Street brewpub on one side and the river on the other, seems like it deserves better, but perhaps the isolated location (across the canal from main walks and drives) and/or changing Manayunk demographics (?) make it hard to bring pressure to bear...
Overall rating: 6

A colorful and creative playspace: Aubury Recreation Center

Playground: Aubury Rec. Center playground
Location: on Ardleigh (btw. E. Haines and E. Washington)
Date visited: 1/1/11

Equipment: One zone with numerous different play structures and smaller pieces:

1. A small set with steps and good low climbing options, wide straight and curved plastic slides, drums (!), a novel spinning ball toy embedded in one wall.
   
2. Three climbing poles with disk platforms.
   
3. Three "sit and spin" platforms (can stand or sit)
   
4. A medium set with straight and curved plastic slides and novel types of climbing (including a hard-to-describe section where you could clamber up the inside or outside of a pretzelly lader) -- connected by a ladder bridge to a taller platform with climbing walls.
   
5. Separate swingsets (4 bucket and 4 strap).

material: modern, mostly plastic with some metal parts; scale: medium space
Ages: marked 5-12, but probably more like 1-10
Surface: rubbery / cement/ grass?
Shade(0-3): 1
Water: Y (looks like hydrant style)
Other: Rec. center, parking, bike racks, pool, and more (basketball? etc.) -- all behind fences
Access: open, unmarked

Impressions: Fun and colorful array of equipment in a small playground with a convenient off-road parking lot. No idea how busy it gets in the warm season, given that we tromped in slush during our visit, nor whether it is shared by the nearby school, but it's definitely worth a visit if you're in the area, especially with kids of mixed ages or those who love to climb.
Overall rating: 8

A small playground in an inviting setting: Clivedon Park

Playground: Clivedon Park
Location: Chew & Johnson (SW corner)
Date visited: 1/1/11

Equipment: One playset with two platforms: one around 2 feet hight with some climbing and a double plastic slide, the other around 5 feet high with a ladder, straight and spiral metal slides, and fireman's pole. The two platforms are connected by a stretch of ladder-bottomed bridge, so parents will have to hoist tots who want to try the taller slides; under the set there's a small loop for crawling through. Swings nearby (2 strap and 2 bucket).
material: modern resin & metal; scale: med. playset in large park
Ages: 1-8?
Surface: rubbery around equipment; grass elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 2
Water: N
Other: park
Access: open (dawn - dusk?)

Impressions: Not bad for a small playground (although the gap between the playsets makes it hard for 2-4 year olds to take full advantage), but the bigger draw here is the shady tree-filled park with its many hills for running and climbing (or, in the case of our winter visit, carrying snow from here to there).
Overall rating: 7