Mercer School, Shaker Heights, Ohio

Where: playground of Mercer School, intersections of Hardwick and Green Roads, Shaker Heights

What's good: Everything. Three climber sizes--petite, medium and large. The large has some cool large muscle activities--log roll, hanging balance beam, much bigger climbing and sliding. The medium climber, which got the most use from us, has some nice sensory things on it (the rolling pin slide is a fave). Nice slide variation--twisty, wavy, tubular. Good wood chips. Parking lot is immediately adjacent.

What's annoying: a sign that says that the playground is restricted to Shaker school district residents only, along with the standard no dogs, no bicycles rah-rah. Well, there was a guy who walked there with his dog and his son on a bike. So I was afoul of the sign, but this fellow was too. How would they enforce something like that? Does the Shaker 5-0 have that kind of time on their hands?

Grade: A

Brainard Road park, behind Sunview School, Lyndhurst

Where: Between Meadow Wood Roads and Cedar Road, Lyndhurst

What: This is a community area that also has baseball diamonds and a pool. The parking lot is in the front of the pool area and you have to walk back behind the pool to get to this play area. Sunview School is adjacent to the west.

What's good: There are two climbers, petite and full-sized. The one geared for ages 5-12 features prominently in photo 1 (above). The tubes are killer, but little kids would slide right into the pit of the tube and then not be able to crawl out. The small climber is much better for smaller children, even those who are four or five. Good toddler swings (even though there are only 2)....they are a good height. There is also a pavilion snack area and a sandbox. The whiparound doesn't really "whip" so much as dawdle, but the twins were still a little woozy afterward.

Not good: The parking situation is a little weird in that there is no immediately adjacent parking that I could see. If a meltdown occurs you'd have to drag said meltdowner around the whole pool kicking and screaming. No fun there. I can imagine a brave youngster attempting those tubes and panicking because he couldn't crawl out. Other than that, this park is win.

Grade: A

Spring is springing.

Well, we haven't had a post on this blog for a while because, well, it's winter in Ohio. But even that ends after a fashion, and we look forward to more postings about more parks. In the meantime, enjoy these winter picnic scenes from a familiar place.

Quarry North, corner of Belvoir and Monticello, South Euclid, OH

We found this by accident. With the leaves falling, we were able to see beyond the the Dog Park in the front of the property. What a find!

What's good: a fenced in toddler climber, lots of fresh wood chips, a snack pavilion, a bigger-kid old school style climber series (it's treated lumber instead of a plastic), excellent parking, toilets, and it's right next to this excellent looking "wader pool with sprinklers" thing that I am totally checking out next summer. The green twisty slide in the toddler area has just enough go to make kids feel like they're on an adventure--as you can see by Ellie's boot in the air, she had some torque going.

What's bad: the toilets are not open in the winter. Bummer if you're like me and drink a lot of coffee. The big kid climber is a little daunting, and the yellow slide on it has some serious zip to it and is a little high off the ground--Ellie fell off at the end.

Overall grade: A- (a little kid could really get a bruise off that yellow slide)

Martin Park--3900 King's Mill Run, Rocky River

This park is in Rocky River and it's bordered by King's Mill Run and Martin's Way of Center Ridge Road. I couldn't find it again but Bill's cousin Andy and her husband Brian live in the neighborhood. The day we went was rainy, but the kids didn't care.

What's good: Totally enclosed. Parking is close by, but it's set back in a housing development so there's zero traffic. Toddler climber and big climber. Lots of motor planning activities--steps, little stairs, balancers. Good slides. Pavilion for snacks.

What's bad: NO SHADE. In the summer, you'd be roasting by eleven. Other than that, this one is a winner.

Grade: A-

Cumberland Park Playground, Cleveland Heights

I found this seemingly hidden gem just the other day as I took Cumberland Road towards Mayfield. The pool is on Cumberland, and it has tennis courts and basketball as well. But in the park, just after the pool, is this treasure. Wide open, shaded, lots of room. I've lived in the Heights for six years and never knew it was here. Bad me.

How to get there, first of all: There is no parking. You have to either park at the pool and schlep over, or do what we did: Take Superior off Mayfield and turn left on Hampshire. Make a hard left onto Preyer, which is a dead end. If you park on Preyer you can walk in on the city vehicles entrance (third photo from top).

What's good: look at that shade! You'll have shade until about noon. There's a nearby pavilion and a potty (which Bill described as "odious") but any port in a storm. There's also a picnic table at between the swings and the climber. The climber has a rock wall, lots of slides, a bridge, and several types of monkey bars. There's a sandbox pit as well. There are four toddler swings plus big kid swings. Plenty of run room.

What's bad: Parking on Preyer is annoying, but since it's a dead end, you don't have to worry about a lot of cars zooming past you as you haul kids out of the car.

Grade: B+

Kenilworth Park, Corner of Overlook and Kenilworth, Cleve. Hts.

Here's a few things about Kenilworth you need to know right off the bat. It's literally one block away from the famous Turtle Park, so I don't think it gets a lot of play. There are only two toddler swings. There aren't often shared toys left in the sand pit like at Turtle. Even so, I think Kenilworth has benefits.

What's good: there's a couple benches to sit on. There is shade, which is nice. The climber has big and small slides, and a twisty slide (of course). It's fenced in on the street side, and parking is ample and immediately adjacent.

What's not great: two toddler swings only, as previously noted. I mention this twice because I have three kids who like to swing, and taking turns is not often their forte. I haven't noticed a ton of kids there, meaning, we're often there alone. Having your own private playground is okay once in a while, but my kids are social animals. No water fountain. I also don't like that adults use the path nearby as a cut-through to their apartments on Overlook. I realize they have an easement, but it still freaks me out a little.

Grade: B