I finally got to visit the play area on the Common in Cambridge, Massachusetts – A superbly-designed space with hills, custom wooden structures, sand and water play areas, logs, plants, and other fun and unusual components. It includes many elements that help define a successful playground – one modeled on natural features that fosters imaginative, open-ended play. Although there weren’t many children there when I visited (likely due to cold weather and other plans on Easter Sunday), I could tell that the playground is well-used and loved, with sand tracked all over the place!
 

A challenging wooden climber
 

Sand play station
 

Swings, plants, rocks, and a wheelchair-accessible merry-go-round
 

Climbing net on a hillside
 

A custom wooden structure, slide, and tunnel
 

Water play station (too cold in March for the water to be turned on yet)
 

One of several attractive custom wooden benches
 

Custom wooden picnic table and seats
 

Sculptural entry gate
 

Logs provide a balance challenge
 

Wooden “ship”
 

Double slide embedded in a mound
 
Photos by Alice Webb