Local News
Move over, schools, safety, and healthcare. Boston’s playgrounds and splash pads are also a world-class asset.
The Boston Common Frog Pond Spray Pool
A new study has found that Boston has yet another positive thing going for it: outdoor play.
Therapy and educational services company ProCare Therapy recently released its U.S. Playability Index, ranking the nation’s most populous cities. Researchers based their findings on children’s access to outdoor recreation, looking at factors like walkability, park access, playground availability, skate parks, and splash pads.
Boston topped the list with an overall “playability score” of 77.53, earning high marks for its walkability and abundance of splash pads — a welcome respite for families looking to beat the incoming summer heat. Sacramento, Las Vegas, Portland, Oregon, and San Francisco rounded out the top five.
The rankings were compiled using data from the National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network and measured the number of outdoor amenities available per 100,000 children, according to ProCare.
Researchers say the study highlights the role outdoor spaces play in childhood development.
“Play is one of the most natural and important ways children learn,” said Meagan Weldon, a former registered behavior technician and director of educational resources at ProCare. “It supports problem-solving, emotional regulation, communication, motor development, and social confidence all at once. When children have safe, accessible places to play, they are building skills that support their growth well beyond childhood.”
Boston’s top ranking reflects decades of investment in parks, public spaces, and pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods, efforts that continue through the city’s Open Space & Recreation Plan, which guides park improvements and expansion across Boston through 2029
Where to Play in Boston
The ranking comes as some local parents are raising concerns about whether play spaces are adapting to increasingly hot summers.
According to a CBS Boston report, Brookline parents are calling for more shade at the Driscoll School playground, after measuring surface temperatures ranging from 130 to 150 degrees on slides, rubber surfaces, and other equipment.
Parents told the news outlet that the playground’s rooftop location and lack of shade can create heat-island conditions that make outdoor play uncomfortable and potentially dangerous during scorching hot weather.
“You can see on the playgrounds, there’s no shade, and we’re looking for a solution sooner rather than later,” parent Nicole McClelland told CBS Boston.
Town officials said they are exploring shade structures and other measures.
Morgan Rousseau is a freelance writer for Boston.com, where she reports on a variety of local and regional news.
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