We all know that play is a great learning experience for children, but what about for those who build the playground?  Students in St. Cloud University’s "Community and Democratic Citizenship" class are learning something, too, as they work to design, construct, and maintain the Kaleidoscope accessible playground in Wilson Park.  Every semester a new group arrives, ready to learn about fundraising, marketing, and community relations.  Check out the University’s recent news article about the program by clicking here, and head over to KaBOOM! Accessibility to read the feature articles on Kaleidoscope and other universally accessible playspaces.

FORT WORTH, TX - Neighbors around Tillery Park near the Fort Worth Zoo simply wanted a safe place for their kids to play -- minus the graffiti and empty beer bottles.

"It's not enticing for the children," neighbor Jennifer Tayag said about the park.

But children in the area have determined what would be enticing to them: a covered wagon, train, frontier town, tree fort, rock wall, tot castle, bouncy bridge, trampoline bridge, amphitheater and slides -- lots of slides, including a boot slide, twisty slide, tunnel slide and polka-dot slide.

The children are getting their wish. Those attractions are being built this week because of a grant from the city of Fort Worth and the work of Friends of Tillery Park, an organization formed to revitalize the park.

After more than a year of planning, Build Week kicked off Wednesday for Friends of Tillery Park. The group was awarded a $25,000 matching grant from Fort Worth's Parks and Community Services Department in September 2006. Additional money needed for the $175,000 project is coming from fundraisers and donations.

ST. LOUIS - Northwest High School has a newly refurbished football field, and Rams wide receiver Isaac Bruce helped put some finishing touches on the project Tuesday afternoon.

“This is important, because sometimes guys don’t have helmets — don’t have enough helmets — they don’t have enough cleats,” Bruce said. “Just to play on a field that has been sodded and the grass is good, it automatically boosts your energy.

It makes you want to be proud of playing on a field like this, just knowing that someone cares.”

In a ceremonial show of support, Bruce put on work gloves and helped put down some final pieces of sod Tuesday at the high school in St. Louis. Volunteers from The Home Depot, PHL Inc., Northwest High and the KaBOOM! non-profit organization were behind the program.

CHATFIELD, MN -- At 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, rain began to fall in Chatfield, and Tim Brogan began to worry.

Will the rain be heavy? Will it continue through the week? Will City Park become a mud hole?

Brogan is the local construction manager for the construction of a large new playground in the park, with work beginning Wednesday and the playground dedication set for late Sunday afternoon. Experts from Leathers & Associates, which designed the park, will be the overall bosses, but Brogan is the local man who coordinated delivery of materials and other matters Tuesday.

About 400 volunteers are expected to help, sometimes going in three shifts per day. Others will help feed them. Volunteers are mostly from the area, but also include the Rochester Community and Technical College football team; the RCTC volleyball team; the Minnesota Vixen, which is a Minneapolis-based women's pro football team; and the Rochester Ice Hawks hockey team.

KaBOOM! has been working hard all over the country, helping communities build great new places to to play. We couldn't pick just one to feature. These are links to picture galleries of the builds we've helped out on in October. Enjoy!

• Detroit, MI - Neighborhood Centers, Inc. (Lunchables) 10/3/07
• St. Louis, MO - St. Stephen's Lutheran Church (Thrivent), 10/6/07
• Chicago, IL - Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago (The Home Depot), 10/11/07
• Washington, DC - Friendship Academy (Six Flags and The Home Depot), 10/11/07
• Lebanon, NH - City of Lebanon Recreation & Parks (The Home Depot), 10/11/07
• Atlanta, GA - Peoplestown Parks (The Home Depot), 10/11/07
• Beaverton, OR - Young Children's Day Treatment Program (The Home Depot), 10/18/07

You can see the whole list here. If you were at a build, visit the Forums and tell us about it!

GREENSBURG, KS - After a tornado devastated Greensburg last spring, Spangles restaurant managers decided to do something to help.

The children of Greensburg lost a lot, so building a playground made sense, said Rene Steven, Spangles director of operations.

The playground will be installed today by about 15 Spangles volunteers at Greensburg's Sunset Acre Park.

The tornado left the park "with absolutely nothing there but broken down trees," Steven said.

The project started with the restaurant chain soliciting $1 donations from customers to help the devastated town.

One Wichita customer, an official with Specialty Patterns, gave $5,000. Customer donations ended up totaling more than $20,000 and have been used to buy playground equipment, Steven said.

Others from the Wichita area are helping, too. Cornejo & Sons is donating gravel. Star Lumber is providing timber for a border. Dirtwork Contractors is transporting materials. PG Playgrounds is coordinating the installation.

(Note: I remember sitting in a hotel restaurant, eating breakfast and watching the news stories of this devastating tornado unfold. There are some amazing photos of the damage here. To see the people of Greensburg and Wichita rally together for their kids at a time when they are rebuilding their entire town is really an inspiration. Amy Lee, KaBOOM!)

TYLER, TX - Students at Jack Elementary are enjoying new playground equipment thanks to donations and fundraising efforts from the community.

A colorful new piece of playground equipment - complete with slides, a ladder and climbing wall - for the youngest grades at the school was installed earlier this month, and students came out to celebrate and say, "thank you," Thursday morning, along with Tyler Independent School District officials.

"When you think of children, you think of them playing," said Jack Elementary Principal Shauna Hittle. "We work very hard every day within the school walls. To see them out here just enjoying themselves and each other and enjoying school is a really great feeling."

"Wow," was the initial reaction from students when they saw the playground equipment, Ms. Hittle said.

"It was like Christmas" for them," she said.

Lisa Preddy, president of the Jack PTA, said the playground cost about $22,000 and was made possible by donations and PTA fundraising efforts.

SPRINGVILLE, NY - In just one day, about 140 volunteers are building a unique playground for some very special children.

It's called the Enchanted Garden - and soon it will be filled with children who may have never played on a playground before.

Piece by piece and screw by screw, this group of volunteers is building a playground - literally from the ground up.

But it's not just any playground - it's specially designed for children with all types of developmental disabilities.

"We had an old, 20-year-old playground that was causing the kids to get slivers and we had bees' nests in it,"said Executive Director Chris Lewis.

Now the more than 100 children who attend the Preschool Learning Center in Springville will be able to play on this outdoor jungle gym, even if they're in a wheelchair.

NEWTON, IL - After spending weeks collecting donations from community members in exchange for their pledges to walk, run or read for specific time periods, Emerson Hough students — along with their families and neighbors — will gather at the school playground Saturday for a Triathafunathon.

“We’re in some very preliminary stages of fundraising for a new playground,” Emerson Hough Principal Jim Gilbert said. “The old fort will eventually need to be replaced. It’s starting to show lots of wear and tear, and we need to create greater handicap accessibility.”

School administrators are in the process of selecting new equipment, and Emerson Hough PTA members have been brainstorming ideas for fundraising activities. Gilbert said PTA members decided to launch the fundraising campaign with the Triathafunathon.

“Instead of selling things, the children make pledges for healthy things they are going to do — read so much a week, run, walk,” Gilbert said. “Kids then solicited donations from relatives, friends and neighbors.”

From 9 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Emerson Hough students will participate in the running and walking segments of the Triathafunathon. Other fundraising activities during this time will include free games, face painting for 50 cents, pumpkin painting for $1, a blow-up slide for 25 cents a turn, snacks and beverages from 25 cents to $1 and a silent auction. Lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and will include a hamburger or hot dog, chips and drink for $2. Games also will continue until 12:30 p.m., when prizes will be awarded to Triathafunathon participants.

Short for web-based seminar, a webinar is an online presentation or seminar with interactive elements -- the ability to give, receive and discuss information. In a webinar, each participant sits at his or her own computer and is connected to other participants via the Internet. The presenter speaks over a standard telephone line, pointing out information being presented on screen, and the audience can respond over their own telephones or over an online chat box.

The last one we had was so much fun for everyone that we just couldn't wait to do another one.

The next KaBOOM! webinar is:

The KaBOOM! Road Map: A Guide to Planning a Great Playground Project
When: Nov. 7, 3p.m. EST
Duration: 60 minutes

For the full list of upcoming webinars, look here.

A memorial playground in Missouri would’ve had a much harder time getting off the ground without the support of 20 local organizations who stepped in to volunteer their time, effort, and money.  The barrier-free playspace, dedicated to a local boy who passed away four years ago, is complete after much collaboration between Boone County Family Resources, the Jack Dylan memorial fund, and all of the community’s helpers, including one construction company who donated about $32,000 in services.  Read more about their hard work and success by clicking here.

What’s the best way to scare up funds for a playground?  Scarecrows, of course!  Students in one CA town are hoping that their entries in the annual Dell'Osso Family Farm scarecrow contest will net them thousands of dollars in prize money that can be used for playground equipment.  They’ve been without a place to play for a year, so cross your fingers, wish them luck, and vote for their creations if you can.  Also, click here to read about their impressive effort and see some of their creepy concoctions!

SLIDELL, LA - Bonne Ecole Elementary students, parents, teachers and staff have raised enough money to build a dream playground in December at the Slidell school and are in the process of thanking their generous donors and supporters.

Volunteers from the National Guard and Bonne Ecole school community will tackle the project Dec. 1 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the school, which had old, unsafe or age-inappropriate equipment on campus.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is set for 3 p.m. and will feature a paper doll chain made by students, said Bonnie Ecole Assistant Principal Kellie Ainsworth.

"Everybody pitched in and did it and made it happen," she said. "We had great support, determination and team work."

NEW ORLEANS - A new group, Kenner Community Dream Builders Inc., has been formed to secure financing and build a playground at Kenner City Park, specifically designed to meet the needs of children with physical or mental disabilities.

Dream Builders was the brain child of Kathy duTreil, who is in charge of grant research and administration for the City of Kenner. With the help of board members Kenner Recreation Director Ken Marroccoli, Kenner Assistant Director of Recreation George Bode and Kenner 5th District Councilman Kent Denapolis, duTreil incorporated the Dream Builders as a non-profit organization to seek money and then design and build the playground

"Each child deserves a chance to play in a safe environment," said duTreil. "There are no other playgrounds in the area that are designed to meet the requirements of special needs children."

The project is estimated to take two years to complete and cost $1.5 million. Money will be raised through grants, private foundations and other fund-raising activities. The money will be used not only for equipment but for surface preparation, a shelter, lighting, fencing, restrooms and a concession area.

TARRANT COUNTY, TX -- Finding the right playground -- especially if you have kids of all ages -- is like shopping for a new car: You have to test-drive a few before you find the right one. Thankfully, Tarrant County is home to hundreds of public playgrounds. But which ones are best? We left that to the experts: kids and an eagle-eyed parent. Note: All playgrounds are covered in wood chips unless otherwise noted.

The mission: Search the area for some of the best playgrounds in Tarrant County

The requirements: Lots of room to romp, shade, restrooms, seating and a place for the baby to play safely

The playground posse: The monkey bar master, age 6; her swingin' sidekick, age 4; a blanket-bearing baby who's just along for the slide, age 20 months; and a picnic-packin' mama, age "never mind"

Feeling inspired to do this in your own community? Use the KaBOOM! Playspace Finder!

CARTHAGE, MO - Some of it was hot, some was not, it was made with chicken, pork, turkey and even sausage, and the responsibility for tasting it and judging it fell on two local celebrities and the principal of the Pleasant Valley School.

Elaine Wurst, with the Pleasant Valley Parent-Teacher Organization, said nine contestants entered the school's first ever chili contest, held Saturday at the school's annual chili feed.

Television personality Alan Matthews, food writer Cheryle Finley and Pleasant Valley Principal Brenten Byrd judged the contest.

The top three of the nine contestants split a pot of $36. For the rest of the more than 100 people who attended the chili feed, it was a chance to enjoy some good food and support a good cause.

Kelly Talley, president of the Pleasant Valley PTO, said the group has used the proceeds from past chili feeds and other fundraisers to buy new playground equipment.

"We've had an awesome turnout, and we're hoping this year to purchase even more equipment," Talley said. "Some of the playground equipment we had was over 60 years old. Last year we raised $1,300 at this event, and if we could raise that, it would be great."

Photo by Jenn Potter on Flickr.

WORCHESTER, MA -- I guess I shouldn’t be so shocked at the venom being spewed at a proposed playground for kids who attend Vernon Hill School and live in that neighborhood.

After all, nobody seems to care anymore about where the children play. Playground equipment such as slides, swings and jungle gyms can only be found at two of the city’s 33 elementary schools.

“We don’t do playgrounds,” Eugene Olearczyk, plant manager for the Worcester public schools, once said.

Fortunately for the kids who attend Vernon Hill Elementary School, a parent found a way to get them a playground. Unfortunately, this parent and the playground are taking a lot grief from certain residents, who frankly need to get a grip.

I took this issue up in my previous column. Briefly, the main points are these:

Now that schools have passed their supplies and extracurricular budgets onto the back of parents, Lin Hultgren and other members of the school’s PTO sought grants and conducted fundraisers to get seed money for a playground adjacent to the school.

The city, which had promised to compensate residents who endured municipal landfill and composting operations in the Quinsigamond Village and Vernon Hill area, chipped in the bulk of the money to build the playground.

But some residents in the Granite Street and Gibbs Street area argue that the former landfill on Ballard Street, now the site of an extensive city composting operation, impacts them the most, and that putting a playground at the Vernon Hill School does nothing for them.

“Oh my God! I never expected all this to happen,” Ms. Hultgren, the parent who got the ball rolling on the playground, wrote to me.

“We only wanted a playground for our children. I expected some valid concerns, which were expressed at the meeting, those of safety, trash, etc., but never in a million years did I ever expect anything like this!”

Read more. It's a really interesting editorial on the importance of play in communities. Then log into the forums and share your thoughts.

TUPELO, MS - Fairpark will get a whole lot kid-friendlier come next year.

The Tupelo Women's Club on Thursday offered to sponsor a playground between the fountain and Tommy Morgan's Coldwell Banker building on East Main Street. It should be installed by next summer, according to Downtown Tupelo Main Street Executive Director Debbie Brangenberg.

The sponsorship was offered during the regular meeting of the Tupelo Redevelopment Agency, the group charged with revitalizing the area that's home to City Hall, the Renasant Center for IDEAs and the Hilton Garden Inn.

Tupelo Women's Club President Michelle Waits said the amount of the contribution is unclear because it will be based on profits from the club's holiday tree program on Nov. 27. Last year, the club raised about $30,000 and split it among various groups.

This year, the 75-member service organization decided to combine its service and philanthropy goals by sponsoring the playground.

The club is leaving it up to TRA to pick out the equipment, and so far, the feeling is it will be a traditional playground with swings, a merry-go-round, a slide and a seesaw.

Photo by dieselbug2007 on Flickr.

LENEXA, KS - For Sunflower Elementary School students, tetherball will never be the same.

Three poles set securely in concrete during renovations to the school's playground — replacing courts of dirt that always flooded when it rained — have made the game a recess favorite recently. The renovations also added two new basketball courts, a new piece of climbing equipment, a safer, mulched play area and a concrete ramp that extends to the base of the hill that holds the playground, making it more accessible to students in wheelchairs than it was before.

These renovations have been funded, for the most part, by a $10,000 grant fourth-grade teacher Linda Irvin received last year for being the Wal-Mart State Teacher of the Year.

“I want the playground to be a place where people want to spend time — a place not just for students during school, but one where parents will bring their kids after school and during the summer,” Irvin said. “This way, everybody is going to benefit (from the grant).”

EAST TAMPA, FL - The Dinosaurs shoveled mulch into wheelbarrows. The Bumble Bees put a bridge together. And the Ice Cream team painted four-squares and mascot gators on the sidewalk.

"This is the creative juices time," said Ice Cream team leader Marty Smith, giving marching orders to about 10 volunteers ready with paint and brushes.

They were among more than 250 KaBOOM! playground volunteers assigned to teams. They put together a new playground last week at Highland Pines Park, 4505 21st Ave. Team leaders in pineapple headbands, mouse ears, top hats and fuzzy antennas directed activities; parks and recreation employee Jon Jones entertained as disc jockey for the day.

It brought out the karaoke in Brian Donnelley, who took the microphone for "I Love Rock 'n' Roll."

"I love doing it for the kids," said Donnelley, who works for a Pasco County Home Depot. It was his third experience building a KaBOOM! playground.

There are photos from the build day here.

WEST SACRAMENTO, CA - Thieves at night stole a 600-pound playground structure from CommuniCare Health Centers in West Sacramento, which recently moved to be in a safer, more convenient location across from the city's police department.

"I think I was mostly angry," program director Karen Larsen said as she recalled the emotions she felt when she came to work Oct. 9 and noticed missing a jungle gym with slide, tic-tac-toe wall and climbing features.

She described how a volunteer construction worker met her that morning with a dreadful look on his face.

"He said, 'Karen, where is the playground?' and my heart dropped. I think I'm still angry. It's the lowest of the low to steal from children ... especially children who have already had a rough beginning."

The new playground, which was under construction, would have served at-risk children up to 5 years old who are part of CommuniCare's perinatal day treatment program. The program works in conjunction with Yolo County Child Protective Services to help mothers receiving substance abuse treatment.

Honestly, is there really that much of black market for 600 lbs of brightly painted playground equipment? There was a mention of securing playground equipment the night before the build day. Log in and share your thoughts and experiences.

STRATHAM, NH — The playground at Stratham Hill Park will soon get a new, more modern look as money rolls in to replace the aging equipment.

The new playground equipment, which will cost just under $15,000, was ordered recently and is expected to be installed by Thanksgiving.

Features of the new equipment, manufactured by GameTime, will include a double wave slide, two swings, and a climbing structure.

"The park is one of the central gathering places in town, and the equipment that's there is not only old but also out of date as far as the new safety codes are concerned," said resident Vicky Avery, who has worked on efforts to raise funds for the new equipment along with Beth Salzman.

The new equipment will replace a large metal slide, swings and a wooden teeter-totter at the park.

In addition to funding from the park ranger's budget and the park association, various events have been held to raise money for the equipment. Other fund-raisers will be held this fall, including the Fire Tower 5K cross country race at the park on Sunday, Oct. 21.

Photo by Ann Althouse on Flickr.

You’ve heard of giving the clothes off your back, but how about giving the sneaks off your feet?  Recently two high schools near New Orleans took part in a unique fundraiser for local playgrounds by donating sneakers that can be recycled into surfacing.  What started as an intermural competition eventually landed both schools a reward, but they’re not forgetting what it was all for.  Click here to read more.

“It will be finished soon” – famous last words when planning a playground.  For Stefani Busansky, “soon” has been pushed back several times now, but she and her Freedom Playground supporters are nowhere close to giving up.  The five-year (so far) project is finally in the construction phases, and locals can’t wait for Tampa’s first universally accessible playground to open to the public.  Read more about the project by clicking here.

WINNIPEG, MB -- Monkey bars, swings and slides are going the way of the dinosaur. A Winnipeg school is the first in Canada to witness the latest evolution of playground equipment.

In August, Pacific Junction School in Charleswood introduced the Evos system -- a playground that looks like a geometry set, only it's more fun and more safe with no pointy compasses.

"We've become a destination playground," beamed Lynda Hofbauer, the parent and lunch-time supervisor who was the driving force behind the school getting the Minnesota-made equipment.

"It was innovative," said Hofbauer, chair of the playground committee. "It's exercise disguised as fun." Last year, the school started looking to replace its traditional equipment, and found something new, better and less expensive, she said.
 
The Evos play structure just came out this year, said Michael Lacroix, a sales specialist at Playgrounds-R-Us, the central Canada distributor of the equipment designed by Landscape Structures Inc. of Delano, Minn.

"Pacific Junction was the first school in all of Canada," Lacroix said.

The new structure was the answer to the prayers of Canadian playground designers shackled by strict new Canadian Standards Association guidelines that came out in 1998, he said.

"They took a lot of fun out of it, becoming so safety-conscious," Lacroix said.

STURBRIDGE, MA — The parents of a 4-year-old boy who drowned at a town-run day camp are trying to bring something positive from their tragedy.

Derek and Christina Frechette are the parents of Christian E. Frechette. In memory of their son, the Frechettes spearheaded a fundraising effort to build a new playground at the Sturbridge Nursery School, 518 Main St.

On the afternoon of July 13, Christian was found in a little over 3 feet of water, next to a dock that extended several feet beyond an enclosed shallow area at Cedar Lake. The boy was taken by ambulance to Harrington Memorial Hospital in Southbridge, where he was pronounced dead.

Christian was attending the Sturbridge Recreational Day Camp with his brother, Cameron, who is 14 months older. Christian also has a younger sister, Ashton. His death was ruled an accidental drowning by the state medical examiner’s office, according to Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr.

Mrs. Frechette, who said Christian “loved life, loved water and loved to play,” said the playground embodies her hopes that something positive can come out of the loss.

“Christian loved playgrounds and he loved to climb,” Mrs. Frechette said. “I know he would love to see it (the new playground) and I’m sure that he will be watching all the kids playing on it.”

Through donations, fundraising and a grant from the national nonprofit organization KaBOOM!, Mr. and Mrs. Frechette raised enough money to build a new “Playworld” playground structure, which is estimated to cost $15,000, she said.

BRIGHTON, CO -- What was nothing more than a brown, bare patch of ground at the Robert M. Shopneck Boys & Girls Club in Brighton at 8 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 2, was ready to host the first football game or soccer match by 3 p.m. that same day.

John Lynch, defensive back for the Denver Broncos, teamed up with 150 volunteers from Home Depot, KaBOOM, AmeriCorps and the Brighton community members to lay sod and build structures for the new football and soccer field south of the club.

Lynch arrived at 1 p.m. and stayed until after the closing ceremonies at 2:15 p.m. He met with volunteers, helped lay several rolls of sod, signed autographs and posed for pictures.

“This has been an awesome experience,” Lynch said during the closing ceremonies. “I wish I could be here to see the kids’ eyes when they walk in here and see this. There is a need for Boys & Girls Clubs in a lot of communities. You know when you’re working on something like this you’re going to have a positive impact on a lot of young lives.”

Photo by JoAnn Knutson

SPAULDING, MI -- After raising funds to pay for the $50,000 project, organizers hope to build it in one day.

Spaulding Township is setting the bar high to get residents involved in building a playground in the Township Park.

The challenge? Complete the project in seven hours.

Spaulding Township Activities and Recreation Team, or START, volunteers plan to erect separate colorful structures for 2- to 5-year-olds and 5- to 12-year-olds from

8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20, at the park, 5825 Cole.

New swings, slides, rock-climbing walls, a bridge and climbing bars will replace worn equipment that youths have used for more than 30 years.

"I'm confident that we can do this; we just need the manpower," said Kathy Kross, 36, public relations chairwoman for START. "This will bring the community together and provides something to keep children occupied."

SPOTSWOOD, NJ - The E.R. Appleby School playground was shut down recently after officials learned that it violated state safety standards.

The playground at the Vliet Street school, which houses the borough's second- through fifth-grade students, was inspected recently under a new state mandate. Violations that came up during the inspection were not worth correcting, so the equipment was taken down entirely, according to Board of Education member Donna Faulkenberry.

Borough Councilman Thomas Barlow said during a meeting last week that some students had to be taken to the hospital after receiving splinters while using the equipment. Councilwoman Marge Drozd said it wasn't the wood per se, but the fact that it hadn't been properly treated and sanded.

Faulkenberry said the height of the decks, the material of the slide and the spacing of equipment were listed among the violations. Also, the swing set was too close to the other equipment.

"There were so many issues and it didn't make sense to just try and fix it," she said.

The playground was built in a community effort about 15 years ago, she noted.

"A lot of rules have been revised since this was put in," Falkenberry said.

KNOXVILLE, TN -- The associate director of a North Knoxville daycare has an interesting message for the person who keeps stealing her playground equipment.

She has posted a sign outside her business that reads: "To whoever is stealing our playground equipment, we hope your child likes the toys as much as ours did. God bless."

The playground toys started disappearing from All About Me Academy two months ago, and recently, another toy was stolen.

The daycare's employees say they think the sign is a great idea, and it might just have an effect.

"I would have done the same thing. I think it's a good idea to let them know we know," said Mary Murray.

"I just think it's wrong because they are taking away from kids. It's not just hurting us. It's hurting the kids," said Kathleen Kimsy. "It's their toys, and if anybody has kids, they'd understand."

ODESSA, NY -- Children will have lots of choices at the Catharine Park Play Day on Saturday.

Presented by the Friends of Catharine Park in conjunction with the KaBOOM! Playful City, USA program, Play Day will be from 1 to 4 p.m. at the town of Catharine park on Grant Road, just outside Odessa.

The wide range of activities is designed for children in pre-school through fifth-grade. All are welcome, and it's free.

Among the activities: face painting, pumpkin decorating, games, crafts, scavenger hunt, storytelling, hay rides and a "ghoul walk."

The Odessa Fire Department, Schuyler Ambulance, Schuyler County Sheriff's Department and the DARE program will have displays.

ALLEN, TX -- School recess isn't what it used to be. But it may be safer.

The playground games and equipment that many parents fondly remember are disappearing. Some schools have shortened recess in the name of academics and banned activities such as tag, Red Rover and king of the mountain as too dangerous.

Teeter-totters and merry-go-rounds are a thing of the past, too. School officials say they're acting in the interest of safety. But critics say the concerns are overblown – and even damaging to children.

Jonathan Purcell, a first-grader at Vaughan Elementary School in Allen, isn't thinking about grown-up stuff. All he wants to do is get a new life out on the playground.

A girl has just tagged him, and now he must touch a piece of playground equipment to restore his super-hero powers and earn some extra lives.

"We just like to run around," Jonathan said.

He's lucky. Vaughan teachers have stopped fifth-graders from playing tag because they got too rough. And nurses reported a decrease in playground injuries.

Dr. Joe L. Frost, an early childhood education expert at the University of Texas at Austin, said he cares about safety. But he fears children are losing "opportunities to develop physically, cognitively and socially" when recess activities are curtailed.

"There seems to be a dearth of information about the value of play," Dr. Frost said. "Kids need places for make-believe play.

"The best playgrounds are not necessarily the playgrounds that have the biggest, prettiest or most expensive equipment."

At Walter Reed Army Medical Center yesterday, the children came out to play.

About a half-dozen youngsters poured onto a rectangle of squishy green turf, hopped onto swings and scrambled over a jungle gym, minutes after a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new playground. Tucked behind Mologne House, a 199-room hotel for outpatients and their families, it is a burst of primary colors amid the brick-and-concrete solemnity of the center where wounded warriors learn to walk on prosthetic limbs or cope again with the trials of everyday life.
 
Toddlers to teens can spend months living in Mologne along with their injured parents, but until now they have had few outlets for their stress. About 40 children live there, said General Manager Peter A. Anderson, but many more visit when school is out.

The alternative to the outdoor playground had been a makeshift play area of toys crammed against the stairs in the building lobby.

Another option had been staring at the fish in the pond behind Mologne. "My daughter was actually counting the fish," recalled Staff Sgt. Renee Deville, who has post-traumatic stress disorder and limited arm motion from a mortar attack in Iraq. Yesterday she sat on a sun-drenched wall rimming the playground, watching daughters Janee, 4, and Amani, 9, hard at play.

"The other day, Amani made a comment that really made me cry. She said, 'I don't want you to be a military mom. I want you to be a normal mom.' How do