We knew that Wiffle ball and freeze tag were the silent killers of the playground, but there's another menace that will spark your child's whimsy, earn their trust then strike them down onto the cruel mulch below. Of course, we're referring to tire swings, and one located in Battery Park City's West Thames Park claimed two tiny victims last year, who "sustained large lumps" after bumping their heads against a wooden beam that supports the swing. Naturally, parental grousing cured the problem, and the swing was taken down until the problem was remedied. Now, the swing is back: DNAinfo reports that it will be re-installed "within the next four to six weeks." Can anyone think of a reason not to keep your child in one of these hermetically sealed bubbles until they're 18? more ›

Good thing those metal orbs were removed in Brooklyn Bridge Park, because yesterday as temperatures reached 102 degrees, certain city surfaces were scorching hot! This photo was taken at the Artificial Turf Field in Manhattan's Booker T. Washington Playground yesterday, showing a 171 degree surface at 11:46 a.m. Geoffrey Croft of the NYC Park Advocates sent the photo along, noting that park surface temperatures are reaching record highs. more ›

Well, more accurately, their parents face the fines if their kids kick their Crocs off their feet. Parents have been complaining how the playground mats heat up so much that their kids' bare feet literally burn, so now the Parks Department is more aggressively enforcing a "Wear Shoes at All Times" policy. A Parks Dept. spokeswoman told the Daily News, "It would be possible to write a summons, but no summonses have been issued." But one parks worker said the crackdown is simply due to the threat of lawsuits from parents. NYC Parks Advocates' Geoffrey Croft scoffed at the tickets, "That would be absurd. Are they going to have the kids sign their names in crayon?" Hey, you never know. more ›