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...

Longwood Playground

Longwood Playground, right near Lawrence School, is a playground I know well; I just hadn't managed to make it there with a camera until now. It's one of my favorites. There are two separate playground areas at the two ends of the park - one geared toward toddlers at the Longwood Avenue entrance, one geared toward older kids at the Francis Street entrance - and between them, a very large sprinkler that can become a bit of a wading pool in spots. (I believe they don't turn the sprinkler on until the school year ends.) Then there is a large field with a circular path around it that is perfect for kids who want to bike/scooter etc. The playground is also full of unexpected side diversions that often take up more of my kids' time than the actual equipment - ledges to walk on, stones to climb on, a shady wooded slope near the Longwood entrance that my kids love.

This playground gets a LOT of sun, and much of it isn't shaded. This can be a disadvantage in the summer (though the large sprinklers help a lot), but during in-between weather, it makes a big difference - it feels about 5 degrees warmer here than in any of the other playgrounds. (Also during colder weather, the tennis courts tend to be empty, making them a whole new play area.)

Brookline Avenue Playground

Brookline Avenue Playground is a large, fully-enclosed playground with two sets of climbing structures, a sandbox, and a large field. It’s right next to one of the BEEP programs, which is presumably why it's stocked with riding toys/balls, not to mention kiddie pools in the summer. (One of the BEEP teachers told me my child couldn't play in the kiddie pool - which had several inches of water in it - "for legality reasons"; but since this is a public playground, they couldn't kick me out altogether, though I kind of got the sense they wanted to.)

Cypress Street (Brookline High) Playground

Cypress Street Playground, near Brookline High, is a nice playground with climbing structures, swings, and sprinklers, adjacent to a huge field. My kids are often able to spend hours here, perhaps because they consider the bleachers overlooking the field a fascinating piece of playground equipment. This playground also tends to be breezy, so it's a good choice for hot days.