Boston Schoolyard Initiative

My daughter and her friends like to ride their invisible horses at recess. They trot around the paved area behind the school, happy as can be. The folks at the Boston Schoolyard Initiative like to ride invisible horses too. That's why they have been transforming asphalt playgrounds into beautifully landscaped outdoor classrooms with trees, flowers and gardens perfect for invisible horses and the silly little kids that ride them.

Adams Elementary School

Before

After

Guild Elementary School

Before

After

Playground Sculptures and Public Art

Here are a few playground and park sculptures meant for riding, climbing and sliding. We'll chase down some more sculptures by these artists and others as the weather warms up.

Local artist Nancy Schon's Make Way for Ducklings.







































Local artist Mitch Ryerson's log climbing structures at the Boston Esplanade Playspace.

Cat O' Nine Tails at Julia's Garden inside the WWI Memorial park in North Attleboro.

A sculpture by artist Tom Otterness that was on display in the Urban Garden along the Rose Kennedy Greenway in Boston.

Here is another example of his work. Hope he returns to Boston. We would love to hang all over is art.

Carved dragon at the Alexander Kemp playground in Cambridge.

Watson Park Playground - Braintree. Improvements Coming.

Watson Park in Braintree has an ok basic playground with good enough equipment but no shade. A real drag on the baby swings. It has no fencing which is a negative when you consider the geese and open sandbox. Geese are a real problem as they leave grey polka dots all over the nice green grass. Real party poopers.

Good news though. It's being redesigned and reclaimed.  Check out latest news from February 2013.