This is part of a series photographing and reviewing playgrounds and parks in the Boston Metro Area; playgrounds and parks are an important part of the infrastructure that promotes healthy early childhood development; they should be celebrated and invested in to support young children and their families. (unfortunately, parks are currently closed due to COVID-19)

So far, we have looked at:

1. Perkins School For The Blind’s Playground (Watertown)

2. Pat and Gabriel Farren Playground (Watertown)

3. Transportation Children Center’s Playground (Boston)

4. Irving Park (Watertown)

5. Smith Playground in Allston

6. Watertown’s 552 Main St Playground

7. Mother’s Rest Playground along The Muddy River

8. Clifford Playground (Boston)

9. Dorothy Curran Playground at Joe Moakley Park (South Boston)

10. Martin Richard’s Part at The Smith Family Waterfront (Boston)

11. Filippello Playground (Watertown)

12: Artesani Playground (Brighton/Along Charles River)

13. Lowell Playground in Waltham

14: Bemis Playground (Watertown)

15. Beaver Brook Reservation Playground (Belmont)

16. Stanley A. Ringer Playground (Allston)

17. Sekler Playground (Cambridge)

This post will focus on Lawton Playground in Brookline. Here is the description the playground from Brookline’s City website “This playground is divided in two by Lawton Street with two areas of almost equal size. The north side is used for court games. The south portion is a playground for young children. The woodland feel of this portion is due to its small-scale, dense plantings, and the unique design of the play equipment. The spray pool, located within the perimeter of the northern side, is lined with trees.”

When I checked out the playground, it was all the trees that really stood out to me. They provided so much natural shade for anyone in the playground or even in the walking and bench areas. Moreover, there are a variety of trees providing beauty along with the shade. The Brookline historical society describes the trees like this “Pine trees cover a hilly section to the south, creating a landscape that evokes a woodsy lakeside. Towering sycamore trees shade the pathway, their patterned bark creating a colorful and textured visual treat, even in the barren winter months.”

All the tree cover makes this Playground a good one to go to in the hot summer months.

Fun Fact: A couple years back the playground was in the news when someone’s pet snake (specifically a Ball Python) was found slithering around the playground .

Check out pictures of the playground below: (not the yellow tape is due to COVID-19)