I wonder if you're mythologizing me like I do you ([info]alacrity_danger) wrote in [info]booju_mooju,
2010-03-17 18:50:00
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Does a playground matter?

You have a choice of two schools to send you child for elementary school.

A) Walking distance. Probably has better education (let's say the test scores are higher and it has slightly better reviews). This school has no playground at all. It is just a vacant asphalt lot.

B) Not within walking distance. Decent education. Amazing play yards for the children.

So which one do you pick? Does it matter that your child has a play ground at school?

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  • 45 comments

[info]scongioloso

March 18 2010, 00:03:16 UTC 2 years ago

I think having a playground is important. It's good for the kids to be able to take a break during the day and go out and play and run around.

I wouldn't compare playground for playground as much as playground vs. no playground though.

If the other school doesn't have ANYTHING outdoors for the kids, I would want to know why. Do they have a great gym program for the kids? Do they allow indoor activities? etc.

[info]katsiss

March 18 2010, 00:08:17 UTC 2 years ago

A

[info]modestmichelle

March 18 2010, 00:11:36 UTC 2 years ago

B

[info]mkiero

March 18 2010, 00:11:50 UTC 2 years ago

They can have 2 amazing playgrounds but if they only use it once a week it isn't worth it. Find out their stance on recess. The more recess and play the better the education is going to be in early elementary years since kids learn the most through play not sitting behind desks doing paperwork.

[info]misselaineeous

March 18 2010, 00:14:49 UTC 2 years ago

I place education as more important then play space. You can always enroll your child in sports or take them to the park after school or on weekends to compensate but you can't necessarily provide a school level education at home.

Also keep in mind that having a school within walking distance means that school friends will also be in the area making less need to ferry the children around.
D
oes school A provide programs (i.e open gym time or other activities) to compensate for the fact that they have no play area?

[info]alacrity_danger

March 18 2010, 01:29:07 UTC 2 years ago

The school close by in our situation is a magnet school so the kids will be from all over the city and even as far as the county. Even the regular schools here have kids from all over because we have a desegregation program that buses white kids into the city schools. I never thought about it but it might be difficult for my daughter to make friends because of this. I don't drive and getting to friends who don't live in our neighborhood will often be impossible.

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[info]alacrity_danger

March 18 2010, 00:21:35 UTC 2 years ago

Lol. There is a big difference between playing in a crowded parking lot and playing on a playground.

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[info]guaparella

2 years ago

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[info]mkiero

2 years ago

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[info]elizabethann40

2 years ago

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[info]thismakebelieve

2 years ago

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[info]realityreflux

2 years ago

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[info]deathjoy

2 years ago

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[info]missingkeys

2 years ago

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[info]alacrity_danger

March 18 2010, 01:06:18 UTC 2 years ago

Oddly enough it does look like Crunchem Hall.

[info]sueg

March 18 2010, 01:06:37 UTC 2 years ago

I pick School A, join the PTA and start fundraising for a playground.

[info]alacrity_danger

March 18 2010, 01:10:37 UTC 2 years ago

They'd have to tear down some buildings... I was shocked at the bleakness of the whole thing. It is a really old school. I have heard good things about it but cannot get past the fact that there is really nowhere outside for the kids to go.

[info]sueg

2 years ago

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[info]alacrity_danger

2 years ago

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[info]mummygeorgie

2 years ago

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[info]sueg

2 years ago

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[info]sblmnldrknss

March 18 2010, 01:13:19 UTC 2 years ago

A. There will be time outside of school for playing.

[info]alacrity_danger

March 18 2010, 01:16:22 UTC 2 years ago

Isn't a lot of kindergarten and elementary school about play? I really am stumped here on this one. I did not realize there were so many elementary schools with no play space but a lot of them around here have nothing.

[info]sblmnldrknss

2 years ago

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[info]alacrity_danger

2 years ago

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[info]sblmnldrknss

2 years ago

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[info]forbiddenpluto

2 years ago

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[info]alacrity_danger

2 years ago

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[info]modestmichelle

2 years ago

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[info]getmeoutofhere

2 years ago

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[info]ol_whatshername

March 18 2010, 01:37:39 UTC 2 years ago

Maybe because I am Canadian and we have universal education and all schools have playgrounds, but I think I would go playground because I could home school my kid in some extra things or put them in an evening activitiy to even it out.

[info]medea34

March 18 2010, 02:16:03 UTC 2 years ago

my elementary school had a huge vacant lot. there was pavement with hopscotch and kingscross painted on it, a vast wasteland of gravel and nothing else. we spent lots of time running around, playing ball (dodgeball, soccer, catch) and using our imagination (these lines in the dirt = a castle, that pile of rubble = the base camp, etc).

some city schools have their playground on roof tops. a huge amount of space and equipment isn`t neccessary.

i wouldn`t underestimate the benefits of being able to walk to school (fitness, increased feeling of community, smaller carbon foot print, less likely to get hurt in a car accident in crazy rush hour traffic....)

[info]alacrity_danger

March 18 2010, 02:20:50 UTC 2 years ago

We won't be driving either way because I don't drive. I always walked to school, too. I loved it.

I am finding out that almost all the old schools here have nothing. I did not see any hop scotch lines or anything. it looked depressing to me.

[info]medea34

2 years ago

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[info]forbiddenpluto

March 18 2010, 02:41:14 UTC 2 years ago

Definitely A.

Magnet schools are (usually) phenomenal. I wouldn't risk my child's education for a playground. The big bonus of a magnet school is that they hand pick their students. AKA. less behavior problems and generally a more active parent.

I'm in the opposite boat. I either send my daughter to the school 5 miles up the road or I trek 35 miles in to the magnet school daily. She's going to be tested for the magnet next month.

[info]alacrity_danger

March 18 2010, 03:05:51 UTC 2 years ago

The school I really want to send her to is a couple miles away and is also a magnet school. Unfortunately it is difficult to get white kids into magnet schools unless they are from the county or within walking distance of the school. I am actually considering moving to the neighborhood with the amazing magnet school.

The one close to me with no play ground is brand new and they are keeping all the old teachers so I am a little nervous about that.

Good luck with the testing! Our schools are so awful here that I would never consider sending her to a non-magnet school.

[info]si_anenome

March 18 2010, 03:07:28 UTC 2 years ago

A, join the PTA & fundraise like hell to get money for a playground.

[info]si_anenome

March 18 2010, 07:39:54 UTC 2 years ago

Lol... just saw someone else with this same answer.

...difficult to get white kids into magnet schools... Where on earth are you living? That is a bizarre statement.

[info]alacrity_danger

2 years ago

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[info]alacrity_danger

2 years ago

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[info]mamiecaisse

March 18 2010, 09:17:17 UTC 2 years ago

Time spent outside is more important to me than playground equipment. As much as I prefer grass to asphalt, here it rains so much that the grass gets muddy and the kids often end up preferring the asphalt anyway. As long as the kids are getting an equal amount of recess time, I'd go with school A. Walking distance or at least on a bus route is important to me as well - we have just one car that my husband takes to work and I need to be able to get to my kids in an emergency. My oldest daughter's school is about a 20 minute walk (she takes the bus to school, but there is no regular line that goes that way if I need to get there during the day). That is about my upper limit on distance without a car or bus option - I have neighbors/friends I can call on in a pinch, but I like knowing that for the most part I can get there if I need to.

[info]donkeymoo

March 18 2010, 11:05:14 UTC 2 years ago

i guess if A had awesome equipment (trikes, removable swinging stuff, removeable climbing frames, obstacle course pieces, rolling mats, removable play basketball hoops, removeable soccer goal type things etc etc etc) that teachers set up for sports times or outdoor play times, then it would make up for not having the space for permanent climbing/playing equipment. find out what their physical education program is like.

[info]forbiddenpluto

September 22 2010, 00:39:41 UTC 1 year ago

Wasn't this asked a while ago?

[info]alacrity_danger

September 22 2010, 00:41:13 UTC 1 year ago

This post is 6 months old and you are commenting to complain that it was just recently asked?

[info]forbiddenpluto

1 year ago

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