Good Morning and welcome back to Tuesday!

Well, the first playground has been, well, played and the reports are pretty good.
Just to review, I have commissioned a small group to find the best playground in Delaware County. Since there aren't any like it in Delco, the first (or control group if you must) is the Smith Kid's Play Place in the Park. Maybe it's unfair to compare a perfectly manacured, well-kept playground in Fairmount Park to those in Delaware County, but, it's not like we're working in a science lab.
So, the drive to the Smith is pretty easy. Go to the Zoo, make a left on the Girard Ave. bridge and follow the signs.
First off, they are working on the outside of the Playhouse (really, an old mansion converted to a playhouse). The day we were there, they were still buidling a Tot Lot outside the Playhouse.
That's no matter, though, after entering the gates children are greeted with something that can only be described as perfect. There are swings, rocks to climb, spinning things, a giant spider web, a tower to climb. In short, it can get those of us greying around the temples a little jealous.
The biggest draw, though, is the giant slide. It looks like a barn, but there is a big wooden slide inside. The children use old potato bags to slide down. Those in our group could have stayed there all day. One slide down, run back to the top, slide again, repeat.
After about two hours of running around, spinning, playing and yelling, the best way to tell if a playground is worth it is when you are leaving. When it's time to go (Closing is at 4:30 p.m.) if the players try to run away or start crying, they had a good time.
Here are more images. Sometime over the next week, look for the start of the tour of Delco.



If you know of a good playground in Delco, send it along to onlinedelco@gmail.com

Good Morning and welcome to a brand-new week!

After taking in the fun 'Touch a Truck' program to help raise funds for the buidling of Freedom Playground in Haverford Saturday, it got me thinking about playgrounds.
Really, are there any good playgrounds in Delaware County?
Well, very unscientifically, we are going to find out. Having built a community playground a few years ago, I know what it takes to make a good one.
So, with my group of playground enthusiasts, we are going to set out to find the best playground in Delaware County.
I do need some help, though. If you know of a good playground, send an e-mail to onlinedelco@gmail.com
Rise and Shine will report what we see (and do) during the search.
To prime the search, it's time to head to one of the great playgrounds in the area. That would be the SMITH The Kids’ Play Place in the Park in Fairmount Park in Philadelphia (I know, not in Delco, but, hey, you have to venture outside of the bubble).
My bet will be against finding one we can call "the best," but you never know.

Good Morning and aren't we all wishing for more of Sunday's warmth?!

There's really nothing like an unexpected spring-like day in the middle of a cold winter. Not only does it give us a chance to turn the heat down for the day (I'm thumbing my nose at the oil companies at least for one day), but we all get to go outside.
What to do? Well, you could take a walk. You could ride bikes. You could head to the zoo. You could just sit on the front steps and enjoy the warmth.
The best thing is to head to a playground, especially when there are three little ones getting stir crazy by the winter. After all, there's only so much cleaning, reading and watching movies you can do before the brain goes crazy.
So, instead of bouncing off the walls, let them bounce off playground equipment. Up and down the slides, onto the swings (for hours?), running around with reckless abandon and that's just the adults.
While in the middle of summer the playground might not have the same appeal, the middle of winter offers hope. Get out, remember what the air felt like. Throw the ball around. Scream. Yell. Pretend to be a monster.
If only the day could last forever.


If you have any cool links or photos, send them along to onlinedelco@gmail.com