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)
Showing posts with label Wash West. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wash West. Show all posts
Sunday, September 13, 2009
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
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
Sunday, August 9, 2009
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:
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!
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.
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:
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.
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
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
