Go play!
Please note: This article is published as an archive copy from Philadelphia City Paper. My City Paper is not affiliated with Philadelphia City Paper. Philadelphia City Paper was an alternative weekly newspaper in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The last edition was published on October 8, 2015.
On Saturday morning, my husband and I took our two kids to Smith Memorial Playground in Fairmount Park. Smith is one of my favorite places in the city to go as a family. I'm not going to go so far as to say 'fun for the whole family!' because, let's be real, the grown ups are just following their kids between pieces of playground equipment while awkwardly squatting to get a good photo for Instagram (#guilty). But if your idea of an awesome day is 'occupied children', this place is great.
I have a six-year-old son, William, and a 15-month-old daughter, Sarah, and they're both equally entertained at Smith. Within the grounds are a bunch of large play areas with equipment designed for different ages, and big expanses of grass for kids to run through. There are paths between all the areas so it's really stroller friendly, and the entire place is surrounded by a fence in case one of your kids is a wanderer.
William adores the giant wooden slide (giant like 'four grown-ups could sit side-by-side and slide down together' giant). At the base of the slide are potato sacks to sit on when you slide; you grab one and follow a wooden ramp to the top. The ramp is great because it's a little longer than it has to be, so the kids spend more time moving and less time waiting in line.
I've never actually been inside the mansion part because we've been super lucky and always had gorgeous weather when we visit; I can't personally vouch for it, but I've only heard positive reviews from other parents. You unleash your kid on a mansion full of toys and hope the whole 'toys are secretly alive!' premise from Toy Story isn't legit.
My absolute favorite part of Smith is that it's affordable. Most kid-friendly places in the city end up costing you a small fortune, and you feel like you need to stay from open until close to squeeze out every last penny of admission that you can. Smith only asks for a FIVE DOLLAR donation to cover your entire group (!!). You don't have to pay it if you can't which I think is great; it allows access to kids who might not have safe playgrounds closer to their homes but also may not be able to afford the donation. Even though Smith is part of the Fairmount Parks system, it doesn't actually receive funding from the city so definitely make the donation if you can.
Smith Memorial Playground
http://smithplayground.org/
Closed on Mondays
PLAYGROUND, April 1 – September 30
Tuesday – Friday, 10am – 6pm
Saturday – Sunday, 10am – 7pm
PLAYHOUSE, April 1 – September 30
Tuesday – Friday, 10am – 4pm
Saturday – Sunday, 10am – 7pm
