Looking for a place to spend a sunny morning or afternoon with your children now that the clouds are rolling away and summer's almost here?
We've done the scouting for you. Over the last month, The Eagle-Tribune visited 57 Merrimack Valley playgrounds, most more than once.
We rated each one on safety, location, cleanliness and, of course, the "Fun Factor." That's the one that covers how cool the slides are, how nice the swings are and how big and unique the playground is.
On this page you'll find five of the best - plus a couple you may want to avoid until they get some attention.
You'll find the rest of the playgrounds on the Web at www.eagletribune.com, plus an interactive map plotting the playgrounds of the Merrimack Valley, Southern New Hampshire, North Shore and Cape Ann. Click on any point to see that playground's rating and to get directions from wherever you are to wherever it is.
Lawrence: O'Connell Park (South Common)
South Union and Market streets
Fun Factor: 4
Cleanliness: 4
Location: 4
Safety: 5
Overall: 4
Like most of the playgrounds in Lawrence, the one at O'Connell Park won't make a child's jaw drop.
What it will do is give children a safe, clean place to play while their parents enjoy the relaxed, pleasant atmosphere of the South Common.
New Balance donated the park to the city last year to celebrate the company's centennial year. Built over a safe rubber surface covered in fresh wood chips, the playground includes two baby swings and two regular swings, all in good condition. On one visit, we found a bit of trash. But a return trip last week found a much cleaner park. Benches are in good condition, and trees provide shade.
The streets around the common are busy, but the playground is set back and fenced on three sides. A Lawrence community police cruiser happened through on patrol during last week's visit.
The city atmosphere and mill buildings that can be glimpsed across the Merrimack River add to the sense that O'Connell Park is a community place and great for families.
North Andover: Drummond Playground
Johnson and Milk streets
Fun Factor: 5
Cleanliness: 5
Location: 5
Safety: 5
Overall: 5
Summer in New England is the payoff to the wet, dismal winter, and Drummond Playground is part of that reward. Located in the Old Center, the playground serves as a large, comfortable and fun meeting place for kids and adults.
As more than a dozen kids ran, jumped and played on the safe, clean wood playground equipment last week, their parents had nothing but praise for the playground.
"I feel like the kids are safe here," said Chrissy Catino, a North Andover mother who uses only the Drummond Playground.
"You always end up seeing somebody you know, which is nice," said Kimberley Jaworski, also of North Andover.
The kids get swings and tire swings, huge slides, a hanging bridge and climbing rings. Wood benches, picnic tables, fresh wood chips and a well-manicured lawn round things out. The playground is immaculate and fenced on three sides, protecting children from passing cars. Athletic fields are nearby.
The white church steeple poking into the sunlight seals the deal. Drummond Playground is the best playground in the Merrimack Valley.
Andover: Bancroft School
15 Bancroft Road
Fun Factor: 5
Cleanliness: 5
Location: 4
Safety: 5
Overall: 4.5
Andover is full of great playgrounds. All the town's elementary schools offer large play structures, each with a different twist.
Andover mom Charlene Gasperoni is more than willing to drive all the way across town to bring her three children to the playground at Bancroft School.
"It's an old favorite," Gasperoni said as her children took to the inventive wooden structure last week. "This one was a unanimous vote today."
The Bancroft playground has a dominating, towering structure with multiple slides and sets of monkey bars, climbing rings and a climbing net. It is clean, cared-for and surrounded by fresh wood chips. There's a smaller version for younger children.
A soccer field and basketball courts are adjacent to the playground, set back from the road in a quiet, peaceful spot.
Haverhill: Winnekenni Park
347 Kenoza Ave.
Fun Factor: 3
Cleanliness: 4
Location: 4
Safety: 5
Overall: 4
Clean, colorful and situated on the edge of Kenoza Lake, the Winnekenni Park playground has the best view of any playground in the Merrimack Valley.
Accenting that is the well-kept lawn and clean playground structure. The actual playground is not huge, but not small either. And the slides, swings, suspended bridge and crawl tube more than make up for the lack of square footage. The park was packed one morning last week, but there was still plenty of parking available.
"I come here because it's actually a smaller park, so I don't have to chase my kids all over the place," Duana Roberts, mother of two boys, said.
The spot is perfect for a quick picnic, and nearby tennis courts add a nice touch, as long as there's a spare adult to watch the kids.
Roberts, of Haverhill, said she makes the 10-minute drive to Winnekenni Park once a week. Parents from other towns may find it's worth the trek, too.
Methuen: Marsh Grammar School
309 Pelham St.
Fun Factor: 4
Cleanliness: 5
Location: 4
Safety: 5
Overall: 4.5
The playgrounds in Methuen aren't the creative wonders found in Andover. They aren't the small, budget-conscious structures found in some cities either.
They are fine, middle-of-the-road playgrounds well-spread around the city. The best is at the Marsh Grammar School, where a high fence and rubber floor keep children safe as they play.
What makes it better than the other playgrounds in Methuen? Simple. It's bigger. It also is easily accessible off Pelham Street, has ample parking and is clean and well-maintained.
No surprises here, no adjoining park. But a safe, clean structure that's big enough to keep kids busy may be all you need to get some quality play time in. People in Methuen looking for a full park should try Veterans Park on Milk Street.
How we graded the playgrounds
Playgrounds were rated on four factors, each assigned a score of "1" (lowest) to "5" (highest).
* Fun Factor: How varied is the equipment? Is there more than one slide? Are there swings? Is there anything unique and creative?
* Cleanliness: How much litter is around? Does the equipment appear to have been washed anytime recently? Is there graffiti?
* Location: Is the playground centrally located or located in a residential area? Is there enough parking? Is it a pleasant setting?
* Safety: Is there any risk of being cut by the equipment? Is wood splintering? What sort of material is beneath the playground? Is there anything a child could fall from? Is there a fence if the playground is near the road?
...And two of need of TLC
Lawrence: Sullivan Park
Winthrop Avenue and North Parish Road
Fun Factor: 2
Cleanliness: 1
Location: 3
Safety: 1
Overall: 1.5
Most local playgrounds scored well on cleanliness and safety. The one at Sullivan Park in Lawrence didn't.
The tiny playground was covered with trash, including broken glass right beneath the play set, which was tagged with gang graffiti and obscenities. A later visit found a slightly cleaner park, though some glass was scattered in the needs-to-be-mowed grass just outside the playground.
Mayor Michael Sullivan said Public Works crews spent May preparing parks for ballgames and will now turn to the playgrounds and promised to "stay on top of this." He said the city must also cnourage park users to pick up after themselves.
Methuen: Lawrence and Chelmsford streets
Fun Factor: 2
Cleanliness: 1
Location: 2
Safety: 3
Overall: 2
This playground needed a cleanup. "It's ironic. They're over there now," Raymond DiFiore, Public Works director, said when called about the graffiti- and trash-covered playground with the missing swings and the tube slide that appeared to have been burned and melted.
DiFiore said a replacement for a broken piece at the playground was on order, but he wasn't sure if it was the slide.
Methuen's playgrounds get a weekly check-up, DiFiore said, but graffiti is a persistent problem.
Other local playgrounds that need help.
* Cogswell School playground in Haverhill appeared abandoned and overgrown with weeds and grass.
* Howard Playstead and Donovan Park in Lawrence and the Portland Street playground in Haverhill.
