Boston playgrounds reopen after months-long coronavirus lockdown

Playtime has finally returned to Boston.

Mayor Martin Walsh on Monday reopened city playgrounds and splash pads that have sat vacant for months — off-limits during the coronavirus lockdown.

Parents and kids reveled in the chance to once again climb, slide and swing.

“It’s very exciting. It feels great to be out and about and have some type of normalcy,” said Vania Burke, as she pushed her daughter, Olivia, on a swing at the Titus Sparrow Park in Boston’s South End.

Parents and caregivers say it’s been challenging to find ways to keep kids healthy, happy, and active during the pandemic, especially with schools shuttered and play dates off the calendar.

“It’s been tough,” said nanny Kristen Lane, who looked on as 2-year-old Ellery Haught dug around in a sand box. “She’s an extrovert, so she loves interacting with kids. As an adult, you can only do so much.”

The city closed all playgrounds early in the pandemic, leaving families in the city with even fewer options for playtime.

“You’re not going out anywhere. We just sit in the house, and it’s very hard to burn off her energy, to go out and play,” parent Belay Tessema said of his 10-month-old daughter, Maryize.

“I’m glad it’s open now,” he said, pushing Maryize on the swings.

It’s also forced many already busy parents to take a more hands-on approach with their kids around the clock, with fewer places to go and blow off steam. Burke said she’s been juggling her job in health care with two kids, but she’s grateful they have each other as playmates.

City officials ask people to continue social distancing as much as they can as they return parks and playgrounds. Adults and children older than 2 must wear face coverings while playing, and are encouraged to stay 6 feet apart. Visitors are encouraged to sanitize hands before and after visiting parks.

Parents say at some point, it’s tough to keep kids socially distanced on the slide or in a sandbox. Kids sharing multiple surfaces, from swings to monkey bars, gives them some pause.

“I’m a little bit nervous, but I think the virus is lessening. I hope we’re moving in the right direction,” Burke said. “When we come home, we’re going to do good hand washing and hope for the best.”

Lane said she tries to stay optimistic and take the pandemic “day-by-day” with the two children she looks after, but she worries about the future.

“Come September, it will be interesting with back-to-school, and flu season comes back around, what will happen,” she said.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/2Y41uOR