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

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+

The far south: Greenwich Rec. Center

Playground: Greenwich Recreation Center
Location: 3rd and Shunk (SW)
Date visited: 10/9/10

Equipment: Two playsets in close proximity:

1. Very low (2.5-foot) platform, with easy climbing, animal-body "tic tac toe" variant, a solid flat bridge, and double plastic slide(s).
   
2. Taller has good mix of climbing, one straight metal and one spiral plastic slide, and monkey bars.

Two bucket and one strap swing, and an extra piece of equipment that has straight bars for hanging or climbing.
Ages: 1-7
Surface: rubbery composite around equipment; grass or cement elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 1+
Water: N
Other: swimming pool, football field, extra grassy area, basketball, mural-covered rec center, and extra blacktop with painted games
Access: not marked

Impressions: Nice large space overall, but compact play zone. Equipment is colorful but abused -- worn holes in the rubbery surface, graffitti and missing paint, and, worst, stubs of former equipment jutting up just a little above the ground...
Overall rating: 6

Eagles Unity Playground (in Mifflin Square)

Playground: Eagles Unity Playground
Location: 6th and Wolf (open)
Date visited: 10/9/10 (Saturday at noon)

Equipment: Two main playsets:

• Larger has monkey bars, swinging rings, a zip line (ring missing), lots of climbing types, parallel bars, solid and jointed bridges, one metal slide (a second one missing and boarded up), and benches underneath.
  
• Smaller has steps and simple climbing, double plastic slides (soaked with mud/coffee/worse at visit).

Also what appears to be a set of water sprayers in a large cement circle (off at time of October visit), and a set of swings (2 strap, 2 bucket).
Ages: 1-8 (10?)
Surface: rubbery around equip.; cement, brick, grass elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 0 (larger), 2 (smaller)
Water: Y?
Other: Volleyball pits, basketball, lots of grass, small picnic table area
Access: open (dawn to dusk?)

Impressions: Cheerful and fun, with lots of options packed into each piece of equipment. However, in need of upkeep, from missing or broken pieces to trash issues. Lots of happy kids there when we visited, in a range of ethnicities. Interesting gold-leaf-covered Thai temple across the street to the south.
Overall rating: 7

Far West Philly: Christy Recreation Center

Playground: Christy Rec. Center playground
Location: 56th & Webster (park extends to Christian and 55th); playground on north side
Date visited: 10/31/10

Equipment: Big stretch of swings, including 8 strap and 4 bucket, and two playsets:

• Smaller has a 3-4 foot platform with lots of climbing of varied difficulty and one metal slides. There are also two hobby horses in this area (one horse and one pelican).
  
  
• Larger has platforms from 4-6 feet high, lots of climbing, and two straight metal slides of different heights.

material: weathered resin & metal; scale: small playspace in larger park
Ages: 2-7
Surface: rubbery around equipment; blacktop elsewhere
Shade(0-3): 0
Water: N
Other: swimming pool, basketball court, large grassy field (including a baseball diamond), large rec. center. and tennis courts with no nets
Access: not posted

Impressions: Weathered but perfectly adequate older playground. Hobby horses and extra swings are pluses, as are the range of ladder types for curious climbers. But nothing special here to pull anybody from outside the neighborhood.
Overall rating: 6