I have a toddler and the local parks are nice but very crowded (sometimes with unsupervised rowdy kids). The elementary school playgounds are also nice but usually have only a family or two playing. The school playgrounds near my house have gates with locks, but are consistently left open. I feel guilty playing there, like I am trespassing. I couldn’t find any policy on the school district website nor could I find any reference to it being illegal. Is it OK to play at school playgrounds during non school hours where you live?
So long as you don’t have to jump a fence to do it, yes fine. Loads of families use our local school playgrounds on the weekend.
I’d guess the locks are more for when the schools are in session and the school kids on the playground, but it wouldn’t hurt to call and ask the schools.
Houston Independent School District has a Spark School Park Program. In which school playgrounds are developed & then offered for public use when school is out.
Travis Elementary is in my neighborhood; I haven’t “played” on the dinosaur bones, but I’ve definitely checked them out. And the school kids aren’t the only ones who can enjoy the mural by local artist Beans Barton. (Oh look! Beans Barton & The Bipeds play at Dan Electro’s Guitar Bar tonight!)
The soccer field at Hogg Middle School (Go Razorbacks!) is often busy on weekends. Who knew that grownups can play sports for fun?
I love my neighborhood.
If school has been out for more than two hours, it’s open season. Enjoy yourself.
It’s normally fine.
Sure, but around here it’s frowned upon to use the playgrounds after dark. Probably not an issue with a toddler.
I would think that if it were prohibited, they’d have a “No Trespassing” sign posted. One of our local elementary schools has a sign specifically stating that community members aren’t allowed to use the playground during school hours.
When my kids were younger we’d go play on the elementary school playground all the time. Even when they were students we’d go after hours sometimes because it was close.
Think about it, it’s designed for young kids to use! it’s not like you’re letting them run around in the Louvre or jumping on couches.
Our elementary school is really close by and out kids spent huge amounts of time over the years playing there afternoons and weekends. There’s even an adult exercise trail-thing so they’re expecting non-kids to be there. Just avoid it when school’s in session or some other activity is going on.
Yeah go play. That is what it is there for.
Yeah, we do this all the time. Have at it.
Not only that, it’s been publicly funded. I think it’s great to get some more use out of it. 
And really, the worst case situation is someone in authority comes by and asks you not to use the playground. You say “Whoops, my bad, I thought it was open to the community” and go on your way. They aren’t going to haul you to jail or write you a ticket.
I live across the street from an elementary school, and people use the playground (and the field) all the time. It is permitted based on the signage.
We used to do it at our elementary school. We were students, but we’d use it on weekends/summers. Also when I was older, a young cousin of mine visited us and we took her to the elementary school one summer, and it was all good. Plus, people use the track who don’t belong to the school, either. I assume it’s all good.
As a teacher, I’d be really happy to have some parents with toddlers playing there after hours. The more you’re there, the less the graffiti artists are there.
In my city, a lot of the schools are surround (or at least bordered) by a city park which includes the playground equipment, so around here, it’s more or less a moot point. But there are some schools that have playground equipment that aren’t technically parks, but people use them all the time.
Go ahead! Have fun!
The playgrounds at schools and other publicly-funded facilities are designed for the use of the school as well as the general public (if they weren’t, they’d have fences and padlocks).
If the school/municipality didn’t want the public to have access, it would be restricted. If an outdoor play structure (or basketball court, or tennis court) has no obstructions to access and no signs prohibiting use, feel free to use it. (It may have signage that says, “Closed after Dusk” or something like that, for safety.)
As long as you don’t have to scale a fence or pick a lock to get in, enjoy!
As teenagers we used to hang out at playgrounds at night. We were good kids though.
During the day I can’t imagine anyone having a problem with kids using the equipment.