Seattle Playgrounds Are Open

Families with antsy kids, rejoice! Seattle Parks and Recreation announced that playgrounds and play areas in Seattle parks officially reopen on Tuesday, Oct. 6.

If you've walked by any local playgrounds in the past few months, you've likely seen kids at play anyway. But many more families have stayed home, carefully following rules to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Well, now it's official. Kids and families can romp to their hearts' content at play areas and playgrounds in City of Seattle parks, starting Tuesday. As with everything, there are new rules to follow. Read on for both rules and tips for families heading to the playground. And note that play equipment at playgrounds is not being regularly cleaned or sanitized by parks staff.

Safety rules for use of playgrounds at Seattle Parks

• Everyone must wear a mask, except those ages 2 and younger or with a disability precluding use of a face covering.
• No more than five kids are allowed at a time on a single piece of play equipment, such as a play structure, a merry-go-round or a set of swings.
• Kids and adults should stay 6 feet away from others outside their immediate family.
• Food and drink are not allowed on play equipment so that masks stay on.
• Kids should wash their hands thoroughly both before and after playing on playgrounds.

Tips for families heading to the playground

Parks and Rec issued these tips for keeping playgrounds open:

• Visit less busy neighborhood parks. The busiest play areas around the city are those at Green Lake, Seward Park, Magnuson Park, Discovery Park, Lincoln Park, Gas Works Park, Carkeek Park and Jefferson Park. If you encounter a crowd, move on to a different playground.
• Aim for less busy times: Mornings and weekdays are less crowded than afternoons and weekends.
• Keep an eye on your kids, especially the little ones who may not be able to adhere to the rules on their own.

This tip is from us: Everyone wants schools to reopen and for life to get back to as normal as we can get it. Please, be respectful at the playground and follow all of these rules and tips to do your part for our community. Thank you!

Playground status for other nearby cities:

• UPDATE City of Bellevue playgrounds are now open.
• King County Parks' playgrounds are open.
• City of Tacoma playgrounds are open (with safety rules in place similar to those listed above).
• City of Everett playgrounds remain closed.
• City of Kent playgrounds are open.
• City of Renton playgrounds are open.
• City of Redmond playgrounds are open.
• City of Shoreline playgrounds remain closed.
• City of Lynnwood playrounds are open as of Oct. 1.
• Many municipalities or counties in the South Sound and South King County opened playgrounds over the summer, including Puyallup, Fife, Covington, Maple Valley, Auburn, Pierce County, University Place and Orting.

Some specialty playgrounds have reopened:

• The playground at Lake Sammamish State Park is open; this is a state park and a daily or annual Discover Pass is required to park.
• Kids' Trek nature playground at Northwest Trek has reopened. Book a timed-entry ticket to Trek's Wild Walk experience to visit the playground.

You know we love playgrounds as much as life itself and lots of you do, too. Peruse all our playground content, but note that you'll want to check the exact jurisdiction to know if a specific playground has officially opened. Mask up, bring your hand sanitizer, be smart and let's all enjoy these fall days at the playground!