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

Not a playground, but magic to new walkers: Jefferson's Lubert Plaza

Playground: Jefferson Hospital's Lubert Plaza
Location: 10th and Locust (not fenced)
Date visited: several times in summer '09

Equipment: open plaza (almost 1.5 acres), steps of various heights, fountain: This is designed as a multipurpose plaza with cement/stone circular center and alternating bands of grass and stone. Steps around the plaza ramp gradually from milimeters to full step height.
Ages: 1-2
Surface: grass or pavement/stone
Shade(0-3): 0
Water: N
Other: grassy areas and stone benches
Access: open plaza, subject to occasional events (no idea of night policy)

Impressions: This public plaza that Jefferson built as part of its impressive new Hamilton Building's site is a boon for new walkers. I set down my 16-month-old, expecting her to race around the open space, but instead I discovered that it was the perfect "gym" for her driving desire to walk on changing surfaces and especially up and down small steps. The sweeping ramp-like walkways offer a range of step height, from tiny lip to full stairstep, so there's something for any toddler to successfully navigate solo. Plus, the small fountain on the east side, with its playful bronze otters, is a big hit. Too hot on sunny summer days, but otherwise an unexpected favorite!
Overall rating: 9* (new walkers only)

A challenge for older kids: McCall School playground

Playground: McCall School
Location: 7th St. between Pine and Spruce
Date visited: 9/9/09

Equipment: 1 playset + a couple of extra pieces. Several types of climbing, 3 slides, solid and jointed bridges. Also a 6-foot set of vertical climbing walls, some modified teeter-totter equivalents, and a play "service window" under the playset.
material: modern resin and metal, climbing wall hard plastic; scale: med-large
Ages: 3-middle school?
Surface: composite tiles around equipment, tarmac elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 0
Water: N
Other: School yard includes low basketball, wall for hitting tennis balls, and painted zones for hopscotch, 4-square, etc.
Access: ? after school hours, at least

Impressions: I never thought that this play yard would be open to the public until I walked by it one late afternoon and it was -- no idea what their official hours/policies are, but the existence of posted rules indicates that they anticipate at least some non-school use. This was, however, the first playground at which I felt all the equipment was too tricky for our 18-month-old -- the jointed bridge had wide planks and big gaps, the slides were steep, etc. (She did enjoy the crawl-through holes in the climbing wall, as well as the slight give in the solid bridge, but we got rained out of testing our limits more than that.) This makes sense, since McCall serves kids K-8th grade. Nice for kids of the right age, if you can avoid a hot sunny day; the climbing walls especially seem fierce, but fun.
Overall rating: 8

Worth going out of your way: Markward playground

Playground: Markward
Location: Taney & Pine (= the foot of the Schulykill River Park, in the Fitler Square area)
Date visited: 8/2/09 (a rainy Sunday)

Equipment: Two areas, separated by a few steps:

• The zone for smaller kids had a very novel mix of slides (4 or 5) including moguls and various wiggles. Also bucket swings here, but only a couple.
  
• The larger kid playset ranged from around waist height at one end to high overhead at the other, for a range of adventuresomeness or age. There are low slides and high ones, submarine-style ladder approaches and climbing walls, a jointed bridge and a narrow walkway (all very well protected with bars all along their lengths), and rings for horizontal swinging ("monkey bar" style).

type: modern resin and metal; scale: large area with zones, shading into an expansive park
Ages: toddler - high school?
Surface: rubber composite under play structures
Shade(0-3): 2 (but visited on cloudy day, so might have overestimated)
Water: Y* (see comment below)
Other: Tennis courts, basketball, open cement play areas (including some with marks for four-square and other games), tables, a softball field, extensive grassy areas with lots of shade, a rec center, dog parks nearby, trails
Access: dawn to dusk (unfenced)

Impressions: Cutting-edge equipment made me wish that there was time for me to try it out. Nice smaller kids area (slightly offset) and the largest extended play structure I've seen for bigger kids, with a huge range of climbing and sliding options. Good for families with mixed ages of kids. We visited on a rainy day, so no idea what usual traffic there is, but it's pretty isolated -- on the other hand, softball teams know about it, as do students from the nearby Philadelphia School, so who knows. Similarly, large stretches of shady benches could be luxurious or homeless-folk-attracting, depending on levels of busy-ness and oversight. You can count on our making a return visit, so watch this space for an update this fall. Also, a onetime eatery nearby is about to reopen -- we're rooting for it to be sandwiches and coffee, to make this a parental Mecca!
Overall rating: 10 (contingent on seeing a busy day)

A hidden gem: Three Bears Park

Playground: Three Bears
Location: Delancy between 3rd and 4th (inside residential block)
Date visited: periodically during 2008-2009

Equipment: Bucket and strap swings, one large piece of equipment with several slides, a small climbing wall, jointed bridge, poles and bars, etc.; spaces under the playset reward toddler investigation (low tables, a door). Also, the granite bears statue can be climbed on.
type: modern resin and metal; scale: small area, one main play zone
Ages: infant to toddler (+)
Surface: Rubbery composite around equipment, slate elsewhere.
Shade(0-3): 1
Water: N
Other: Picnic-style tables, slate area nearby
Access: Dawn to dusk (no gates)

Impressions: Recently renovated park has very modern equipment for small children in a cozy sheltered neighborhood setting (long loved by many). When just a few kids are there, it feels neighborhoody and nice; when it's packed (a recent late-afternoon visit), can feel like a zoo, with kids fighting over toys and a wait for a swing. Plus: probably too small to attract daycare-type groups. Minus: swings hang very close to the ground, which is good for toddlers old enough to use the strap swings but tiring for parents pushing their tots in buckets.
Overall rating: 7

A summer refuge: Star Park

Playground: Star Park
Location: 6th and Lombard (entrances on each)
Date visited: frequently during 2008 and 2009

Equipment: Two areas, separate by age:

• A partially fenced toddler area (I think posted for under-3) with bucket swings, two sets of modern plastic slide and climb equipment, and an older "wagon" with benches
  
• A larger kid area with strap swings, a range of creative types of climb and slide ramps and poles, hanging bars, etc.

type: modern resin (toddler area) and some metal/older equipment (older kids); scale: large area with several zones
Ages: toddler through middle school
Surface: rubbery composite in play areas, tarmac area
Shade(0-3): 3
Water: Y (spray)
Other: Picnic tables, ball field, basketball courts, rec. center, wood-chippy areas
Access: dawn to dusk

Impressions: Lush feeling of shade on hot days, often breezy. Equipment is decent and varied, although a little hard-used. The toddler area is reasonably protected, but doesn't offer much for crawlers. Playground can get hectic when groups of kids come after school or from day camp-type places (more so in big kid area). Good for families with kids of several ages. Plus: near South Street for grabbing lunch or coffee.
Overall rating: 8

Update: Was padlocked on Memorial Day, 2010! Way to go, city employees!

Home base: Seger Park

Playground: Seger
Location: 11th and Lombard (entrances on each)
Date visited: regularly during 2008-2009

Equipment: Three areas, divided by age:

• An infant/toddler clamber zone with very low wooden slides and a crawling tunnel -- excellent for new crawlers et al.
  
• A fenced toddler area for ages 1 to 5, with three slides (straight, twist, tunnel), jointed bridge, bucket swings, and some low cement clamber toys.
  
• An area officially for 6+ with a larger jungle gym, again with several slides and a range of climbing stuff, with strap swings nearby

type: modern resin pieces; scale: large area with several zones
Ages: infant-middle school
Surface: rubber composite in play areas (very spongy in toddler area), paved elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 1 (toddlers), 2 (older kids)
Water: Y (drip and spray)
Other: dog park nearby (fun to watch), small grassy area, paved area; tennis courts, basketball courts, small rec. center
Access: dawn to dusk

Impressions: Very nice range of modern equipment, in good shape. Especially good for the littlest kids (unusually so), and for families with kids of several ages. Unfortunately, there's too much sun for most of the day on some of the main equipment (although margins and tiny tot area are more shady), including the water zone. Can get busy, but usually sane, except when daycare groups pass through. Plus: Convenient for combinaion with grocery trips (Whole Foods & Superfresh both nearby), special neighborhood events (like a Halloween costume party). Minuses: Lots of seeds in cold seasons stick to everything (clothes, strollers, etc.); clientele is very white (except for nannies). Also, watch young walkers on the swinging bridge, as the chains are a bit more widely spaced than current standards, leading to nervous parent moments there...
Special note: This park is planning an overhaul soon (schedule unknown) -- putting the tots into better shade is rumored to be a major goal.
Overall rating: 8 Update (Jan, 2013): Playground has been given a complete overhaul and just reopened. Still serves crawlers to older kids, but now with more modern rope-based climbing, stepping stones, and more. Update to water sprayground still to come.