This huge park takes up a whole city block.  The playground is just a small part of it.  Zora loved the metal sculpture in the first photo below.  She tried to climb it, but wasn’t so successful.  The other kids, who had a few years on her, seemed to have figured out the two secrets to getting to the top: (1) a running start; and (2) friends at the top to help pull you up.  There’s a spinner here with a conical rope structure that allows you to climb up while your friend (or, in this case, your daughter) spins it.  It’s a lot of fun.

Philadelphia Playground Project (visited 8/15/10)

View Larger Map

Visited: April 2013

Herron Playground is such an unexpected joy.  It’s a wide open spot with modern equipment, great climbing rocks, different kinds of options to sit and eat, a few trestles over park benches, and lots of space to run around.  It may even be nicer in a few years when the young trees grow taller and the branches provide some shade.  Zora was a big fan of the sitting spinner.  I tried to keep up with her but just got dizzy and nauseous.  My one complaint?  It’s a lot harder to draw these new-fangled playground pieces than the old school plastic ones.

Philadelphia Playground Project (visited: 8/17/2009)

View Larger Map

Visited: April 2013

This park is a small strip of land in mid-block that, according to this newspaper account, was renovated in 2010.  It’s very quiet and has several unusual features.  The most prominent is the 10 foot wide silver button in the middle.  It’s an odd choice: on the cool but sunny day that we were there, the button was too hot to touch.  And despite the signs warning visitors not to touch it, kids (and their parents) are hard-pressed not to touch it.  Do you know what this playground really needs?  A 40 foot tall elm tree spreading its branches across the park and providing cool shade to visitors.   But, you know, I’m from West Philly.  I think everything is better with trees.

Philadelphia Playground Project (visited: 1/24/12)

View Larger Map

Visited: April 2013