Playgrounds - A Favorite Field Trip

Up until now, the posts in this series,  Field Tripping through the ABCs, are about planning for field trips, some great places we've gone or planned to go.  Some have been ideas for simple, local day trips (like this one, East of the Delaware River: Day Trips in Southern NJ) or how to plan a less-expensive eating on a major expedition (Hotel Picnic: Eating on Vacation).  This week, I wanted to change things up and look at a not-traditional field trip - the Playground.

We have a play set in our back yard that is well-used.  The little boys will spend the entire afternoon out there sometimes.   Jude recently discovered that his headphones will work if he puts his iPad on the deck or the picnic table.  He's also figured out how to pump his legs to swing and get some serious momentum.  If you can't find him in the house, check the swingset.

I've talked in the past about how much we love visiting playgrounds in the past. They're great for exercise and for therapy purposes.  (Click on the images to read the prior posts.)

While the kids play on our home playground almost daily when the weather allows, something the boys really love is to go to new playgrounds.  Often we bring a picnic lunch, and then just hang out and play, enjoying the novelty of the "different" equipment.

You'd be surprised where you'll find a playground.  In EPCOT during the Flower & Garden Festival, there are several playgrounds set up for the event.  Some are for little kids, some are for bigger ones, but they're all lots of fun.  (I wish they'd keep a few year-round!)

 If there's a playground with a swing like this, I know where Jude will be. He loves the extra sensory input.

Another surprising place -- a shopping center parking lot.  This one is in Delaware near the hospital.  Target AND a playground? Sounds almost perfect!

Playgrounds are also great places to learn motivation.  The child behind Jude said he didn't think Jude could climb up to the middle of the web.  Jude showed him!

I love going back to familiar playgrounds, because it's fun to see how much a kiddo has grown.  It's amazing to see the things that was just too big become almost too easy!

Plus, even the big kids have fun!

We have a whole list of playgrounds we'd like to check out. 

One that is on our agenda for this fall is Smith Playground in Fairmount Park (Philadelphia, PA).  It's 6 acres of fun!

 Sometimes we plan a trip to a playground, and sometimes we just happen across one.  No matter how we find it, playgrounds are one of our favorite field trips!

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