Child’s Play

When the August weather is absolutely brutal, my kid and I head to the 91st Street Hippo Playground in Riverside Park. Nestled at the foot of a hill and crowned by a canopy of honey locust trees, the Hippo, as we call it, is a (free!) refuge from the unrelenting swelter. Bucolic yet boisterous, the playground has gurgling springs that draw in children and caregivers alike. On a good day, maybe 150 people will fill the space, their laughter and harmless gossip ricocheting off the forest floor. Birds stop to rinse themselves in the water, squirrels rummage through tote bags, everyone has a good time. Kids industriously pour water into and out of buckets while others run and chase new friends across the different play areas. In a far-off muddy corner, intrepid explorers lift the rubber flooring in search of worms. If a summer thunderstorm cycled through the night before, the sandpit becomes a giant wading pool as the bravest jump feetfirst in an attempt to make the biggest splash. If nothing else, the social energy of the playground distracts us from the heat, creating …