A woodsy wonderland in Chestnut Hill -- Jenks Playground

Playground: The Children's Park in Chestnut Hill at John Story Jenks Elementary School
Location: Germantown Ave. at E. Southampton
Date visited: 3/2/13

Equipment: Two large zones, separated by a walkway:

1. Smaller kid zone (to right of entrance) includes several large structures encompassing a balance beam, wide plastic slide, large horizontal tire swing/climber (semi-tethered), med-height monkey bars and stretch of rings, a large sandbox (including a number of toys) a climbing fort with a slide and crawl tunnels underneath, a sand table, a large "trolley" to drive, some tic-tac-toe-like games, a set of chimes, and nearby swings (2 bucket and one chair-style). Substantial sections of the play space are designed to be wheelchair-friendly.
   
   
2. Larger kid zone also has multiple structures, with a higher average height and complexity than the other zone (lots of steps, towers and platforms, benches). Specific elements include two tube slides (one spiral, one gently curved, both plastic), solid bridges, wander "hallways" under stairways, some challenge climbing (wobbly chain step ladder, rope net web, etc.), a chain bridge to walk along, a rappelling wall, a rubbery mat bridge, high monkey bars and a stretch of rings, a suspended balance beam, and a tall hanging bar.

material: wood beams, resinous "wood-like" planks; scale of space: large
Ages: 0-14
Surface: wood chips, mostly
Shade(0-3): 2
Water: N
Other: picnic tables, large paved play yard, basketball hoops
Access: open to the public outside of school hours = 3-9pm on school days and 8am-9pm on other days

Impressions: Built in 1997, this community playground on the grounds of an elementary school is a real winner. Unusual woodsy feel in the middle of Chestnut Hill -- wood chips and chunky wooden equipment give the feel of a rural wonderland to explore, and the variety (and age range) of equipment nearly defied cataloging. Truly great for crawlers to teens, weelchair-friendly, and even -- ahem -- quite fun for middle-aged parents. Worth a trip (and easy to combine with some shopping, especially at the nearby indoor Farmers' Market).
Overall rating: 10

Token at best: John Barry elementary school playground

Playground: John Barry elementary
Location: interior of block bounded by Arch and Race, 59th Street and Redfield
Date visited: 12/31/11

Equipment: Mostly just a blacktop lot, aside from one low basketball net and a small playset including two low slides (1 straight, one bumpy) and one higher (spiral) and a climbing wall.
Ages: 1-6?
Surface: blacktop
Shade(0-3): 0
Water: N
Other: --
Access: appear open (= dawn to dusk?)

Impressions: It's hard to imagine that this little equipment is enough for the elementary school students, let alone enough to draw anybody for a visit. Maybe if you've got an antsy kid right nearby, but we didn't even get out of the car for this one!
Overall rating: 4

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

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

A nice destination in cooler months: Powel Public School

Playground: Samuel Powel Public School
Location: Powelton between 35th & 36th
Date visited: 11/14/10

Equipment: Two playsets:

• Smaller has various types of climbing, two plastic slides (one short and straight, one taller and spiral), and a store window playspace underneath.
  
• Larger has two tall plastic slides (one straight with moguls and one curved and irregular), monkey bars of varying height, hanging bars, and a steep climbing wall.

Also here is a long circular stone wall surrounding a tree stump, both of which provide for additional play opportunities.
Ages: 1-12
Surface: rubbery around equipment; woodchips elsehwere
Shade(0-3): 0
Water: N
Other: blacktop area with lots of painted games, maps, etc.; picnic tables
Access: open?

Impressions: Nicely designed newish playground offers fun for a range of ages in a compact space. The open blacktop and picnic tables make this a nice place for an extended visit, and an adjacent playspace across 35th fills in with more choices and a couple of bucket swings (the key absence here). Nice for a fall afternoon in West Philly.
Overall rating: 8

Good for older kids: Drew School playground

Playground: Drew School
Location: Powelton & 38th
Date visited: 11/14/10

Equipment: One medium playset, with three metal slides (paired straight and single spiral), monkey bars, a stretch of elevated "stepping stones," a jumping pad, and various climbing (including an unusual kind of climbing wall/ladder, ascended with the help of a chain rope).
material: modern resin and metal; scale: large blacktop area with compact play structure
Ages: 2-12
Surface: rubbery around equipment; blacktop elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 0
Water: N
Other: large blacktop area, including some painted games
Access: open gates (dawn to dusk?)

Impressions: Playset in a large blacktop schoolyard near a muralled school offers an interesting mix of play challenges, probably better aimed at slightly older kids; our nearly 3-year-old veteran explorer couldn't really take on the stepping stones or climbing wall and was nervous about the bouncy platform/jumping pad. No swings, and little for the youngest set, but good for some challenges, and/or with a ball or skateboard in tow. Also somewhat fun for goofy parents. :)
Presumably busy on school days...
Overall rating: 7+

East of Temple: McKinley Eagles playground

Playground: McKinley Eagles Playground
Location: Orkney and Susquehanna (SE corner)
Date visited: 10/17/10

Equipment: 1 substantial playset, including some climbing, 3 metal slides (2 straight 1 spiral), zip-line, row of stepping stones, hanging bar, jointed bridge, puppet window, no swings
Ages: 2-8
Surface: spongy near equipment, blacktop elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 0
Water: No
Other: basketball courts, picnic table
Access: not posted

Impressions: Equipment is reasonable but not extensive: just one playset, no swings, no extras. Aesthetically, there are significant plusses---colorful murals on the adjacent school and colorful cupolas over the platforms of the playset---though we're talking about a sea of blacktop with no trees.
Overall rating: 7

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