Daniel W. Warren, Jr. Playground

Daniel W. Warren, Jr. Playground – also known as Warren Field – is actually a couple of playgrounds (plus basketball and tennis courts) strewn across a large field. If you have one kid that likes to roam, this place is fantastic; if you have a few and need to keep them roughly in the same area, it's a bit... challenging. 

 

Heath School Playground

Somewhat small for a school playground (at least by comparison to the others in town), Heath SchoolPlayground consists of some climbing structures out front and another, smaller structure up some stairs around the back. I suspect the school makes extensive use of Warren Field across the street.

Harry Downes Field Playground

Perched in the corner of Harry Downes Field is a small, cute, fully-enclosed playground with climbing structure, sandbox, baby swings, and lots of extra tricycles and riding toys lying around. There is an amazing old tree with extensive low-hanging branches that single-handedly provides shade for the entire playground. (I can imagine those branches providing entertainment for older kids as well, though the playground itself is clearly geared toward toddlers).

Cassidy Playground

A/k/a the non-playground: Though it’s called Cassidy Playground on the map, I’ve driven past here a few times and never noticed any playground equipment, so I figured I’d bike down and check it out before taking my kids there. Good thing I did. There is in fact no playground equipment – there’s a huge field, some baseball diamonds, and a tennis court. There are also gaggles* of your typical humongous and, presumably, aggressive Brookline geese, of which my kids are understandably terrified. It’s probably a good place for sporting events for older kids, but for younger kids there’s not much there.

*Apparently, if they’re on the ground they’re called a gaggle rather than a flock. Hey, I didn’t make up the rule. I’m just blindly following it.

 

Driscoll School Playground

Driscoll School Playground is a compact school playground stuffed with great climbing structures. There’s something here for all ages (no spinklers or sandboxes, though). Outside the playground there’s an area with four-square and other chalk games, plus a field. This playground’s main downside is the complete lack of shade; it’s still popular during the summer, but far more comfortable in cooler weather.

Dean Playground

UPDATE: This park was renovated after I moved from Brookline, but a friend took pictures of the new playground for me (thank you, Aliza!)

Runkle School Playground

My latest playground excursion was to Runkle School Playground, which is pretty amazing (and I have to thank my friend Reyna Simnegar for the tip). It has two toddler-type areas and, around back, a fantastic area for older kids, with different-from-the-usual structures.

(In the face of all this fabulous equipment, of course, my toddler spent half an hour running up and down the stairs between the two toddler areas.)

The morning I was there (granted, in the middle of a heat wave), most of the equipment was in direct sunlight and too hot to touch. However, friends who live closer assure me that in the late afternoon, most of it is in shade and cool. Which means I am planning a return trip here as soon as I can find a late afternoon to do it in.

Update: We returned here at 4 pm one day and it was beautifully shaded and pleasant - and lots of fun. For once, I wasn't even the only adult in the playground pulling the "let's pretend our kids need us to play with them" routine so I could climb on the equipment myself...