Is the school's play area important to you?

[Anonymous]

We just enrolled in a DC private school, & we love it, BUT, the play area leaves a bit to be desired. It's very well kept, but small. I'm wondering if this is something that should be bothering me. I guess it's because I went to several open houses, & some of them had some GREAT play areas, & this one we're attending was one of my least favorite. However, the school is outstanding, which is why we chose it. Does anyone else have this issue?

[Anonymous]

bump

[Anonymous]

My son's only preschool-aged, but playground space/equipment was a consideration when we chose his school.

[Anonymous]

Our child's school (currently in preschool) has very limited playground area, but they take them up to a big park once a week and have a great gym class twice a week so it doesn't worry us. Plus it's easy for us to take the kids to the playground but not to do some of the other stuff they do. Which school?

[Anonymous]

It was definitely a consideration for us. I want my kids to be able to run around every day so I looked for one with a good outdoor and indoor play area. Having said that play space is not the only consideration and I could see someone making a different choice for a school that was otherwise the right fit.

[Anonymous]

Hi OP -

No, the play area doesn't mean a whole lot to me. I went to a Catholic school for K - 8 and our play area was a concrete parking lot. No swings, no grass, no playground. I'm not trying to be flip, but am just remembering that we used to bring a ball (for kickball), jump ropes, we played tag, red rover, etc.

[Anonymous]

I know...what happened to the good ole days of hopskotch, kickball, dodgeball, & a little double-dutch!

[Anonymous]

I was at a school that had a great play area, until 3rd grade when we moved and my new school had NO play area. It was a parking lot. Then we moved again, and the next school had a great play area, happy again. I have very negative memories of that school with the tiny play area.

That said, my dd' s school has a fabulous play ground. She loves it. When I pick her up "early", she complains. I sometimes drive up and see her swinging away on the swings, in her own little world. I wait a few minutes before walking up to her to tell her it is time to leave.

[Anonymous]

Funny. We recently transfered our daughter from a school with a good play area to a school with a small yard and that's it. She was quite concerned over the lack of playground equipment but has now told me that she prefers the small yard with no equipment. They can run without anything getting in the way and they make up a lot of games.

[Anonymous]

my son's school has an awesome playground and outdoor area, and that was a big positive for me as i thought about schools for him. the school also emphasizes outdoor education and incorporates study of the natural world into the curriculum. it makes me and my son happy that he spends a good part of each school day outside playing and exploring the outdoors.

[Anonymous]

Within reason. I like that my daughter's school (Oyster) has a modern, spacious playground and turf area to run around. I wouldn't want her to go somewhere that didn't have a little bit of interesting outdoor space.

On the other hand, every day I run by Beauvoir, which has this insanely gorgeous lawn and playground in the shadow of the Cathedral. I know that it is a much nicer facility even than our very nice school, but I don't think that my daughter HAS to go to school at Disney World to be happy and well educated.

So it's a happy medium-- better than a parking lot but not necessarily a vacation resort.

[Anonymous]

OP, if your child is active, or if you want to encourage him to be active, then look at the play area closely. Childhood, to me, is about running and playing as much as possible. Those are the happy memories that I have.