Swingin' Spots

For children, the playground is an adventure. A new experience with magical elements ("Wow! That's the biggest tree in the whole world!" exclaimed one boy recently at a Cabin John park). The seemingly ordinary moments of exploration -- digging, climbing, swinging -- that begin to shape the person that child will become.

For parents, it's an escape from the same old back yard or the confined spaces of a small, yardless city house. Even more: "This is our social life," Beth Scofield said as she sat at a sunny picnic table at Washington's Stanton Park with her friend Cameron Taylor. Both work from home. Both spend parts of their days at the playground. And both, on this sunny Friday morning, had happy kids bouncing from grass to slide to animals on springs.

With hundreds of playgrounds to choose from in Maryland, Virginia and the District, everyone has their favorites. Not a comprehensive list by any means, this is a sampling of several that are worth a look, whether they are in your neighborhood or to be saved for that crisp, fall nothing's-planned Saturday afternoon.

Maryland

In the world of playgrounds, Centennial Park (10000 State Route 108, Ellicott City) is a doozy.

That's because not only are there three playgrounds waiting to be climbed on, hidden in or danced around, but also the park has many things to do, so you can spend an entire day here.

Chris Hudgens was at the South Area playground on a recent weekday with his 3-year-old daughter, Bailey. With a climbing wall, nine slides for toddlers and older children, monkey bars, swinging steps and that wonderful squishy rubber ground cover, the South Area playground is a colorful haven sure to tire out little ones.

Although it was her first time at this playground, Bailey was a brave bundle of energy, scrambling across swinging bridges and up a climbing wall, keeping her dad nearby with a watchful eye and steady hands.

"I tempted her away from Chick-fil-A by saying we're going to a real playground," he says.

Dawn Hood, a full-time nanny for four siblings, comes here from their Federal Hill home in Baltimore. They park by the boat ramp and walk over, then usually eat a picnic. By the time they get back to the house, the kids pretty much pass out. A nanny's dream.

My toddler, Sam, had a blast walking up the steps of the climbing structure, watching the rowdy day-camp kids with their water balloons and listening to a 9-year-old jamming on a guitar. Then we traveled down the path to watch the geese in the water near the boats. Yes, you can rent those, but only during the summer months. Don't fret. There are plenty of other options, including fishing. Or hiking or biking on the trails, or picnicking, or grilling or . . . well, you get the idea.

If you're looking for a magical playground, you can find it at Cabin John Regional Park (7400 Tuckerman Lane, Rockville).