Here's our first Tip Sheet Thursday, on great local public playgrounds. Thanks to all who contributed ideas. 

These are roughly grouped by location, and not at all ranked. Please tell us your favorites in the comments section, and also which great ones I didn't list:

--Meadowood Regional Park, Brooklandville. This big park wins kudos for its multi-age appeal, with bike paths, play equipment, and as (the other) Kate mentioned, bathrooms.

--Oregon Ridge Park, Cockeysville. Not only can you play, but as MGB said, you can go for a hike.

--Rodgers Forge Tot Lot, on the median between Dunkirk and Blenheim roads, Rodgers Forge. This is community cooperation at its best; in addition to the playground and sandbox, neighbors leave lots of old toys and playhouses for everyone to use.

--Annie's Playground, Fallston. This huge playground was built in memory of Annie McGann Cumpston, who died after being hit by a car in Baltimore in 2003. It has a treehouse, amphitheater/outdoor classroom, puppet theater, dragon and elephant slides, baseball area and Memorial Garden, according to the web site. 

--Lyn Stacie Getz Creative Playground, Bel Air. This was the mystery playground that was pictured in the photo the other day.

--Our Playground at Stadium Place, next to the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg YMCA, Baltimore. My kids call this Waverly playground, built by the community several years ago, the "castle park" after its design. There are lots of fun nooks and crannies for imaginative play. The downside: We've sometimes gone only to find it locked, and getting someone from the nearby Y who has the key can be a hassle. 

--Patterson Park, 200 S. Linwood Ave., Baltimore. With urban pioneers (some with kids) flocking to the neighborhood, this wide-open space should only get more fun. There are two playgrounds; the one along Eastern Avenue between Milton and Montford avenues was revamped three years ago. 

 --The two-acre "tire park" in the Hilton area of Patapsco Valley State Park. Several colleagues mentioned how much fun their children have had there on the recycled tires. The only downside, they say, is that it's a little hard to find. (Directions here.) 

--Several colleagues mentioned the tot lot at the south end of Centennial Park in Ellicott City, along Route 108.

--Quiet Waters Park, Annapolis. In addition to the playground, there are lots of trails. Boats can be rented starting in mid-April, according to the web site.

Two things occurred to me as I was compiling this list, and you'll see them as Future Tip Sheets. One is that we need a list of playgrounds that are especially accommodating to disabled children. And the other is that indoor playgrounds, which aren't included here, will be welcome when it gets either unbearably hot or cooler still than it has been.

(Photo of the Patapsco Valley State Park tire playground by Jed Kirschbaum, 2000)