SF Officially Reopens 180+ Outdoor Playgrounds
Mayor London Breed Announces Reopening of Playgrounds in San Francisco
Wednesday, October 14, 2020
Playgrounds are now open with new signage and public health guidelines
Mayor London N. Breed, San Francisco Recreation and Park Department General Manager Phil Ginsburg, and Director of Health Dr. Grant Colfax today announced the City’s outdoor playgrounds are now open including 6 newly renovated playgrounds.
San Francisco’s more than 180 public playgrounds will have signs reminding families of capacity limits and other guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Recreation and Park Department monitors will be stationed at the City’s busiest playgrounds for the first two weekends of operation to educate families about the new rules and ensure health guidelines are followed.
Playgrounds are reopening with limits on the number of children and adults who can enter based on the size of the playground, and limits on the number of children who can use playground equipment at once. Additionally, hand washing stations have been placed at the 51 playgrounds without restrooms.
San Francisco Playground Rules
To comply with State regulations…
- Playground visits must be limited to 30 minutes when others are present.
- Visitors of all ages must stay 6 feet away from non-household members and everyone 2 and older must wear masks.
- To maximize the number of children who can play, only one adult may accompany each child.
- Eating and drinking are not allowed
- Visitors should clean their hands before and after playing. Hand washing stations have been placed at the 51 playgrounds without restrooms.
- Adults must actively supervise children at all times and avoid non-essential cell phone use.
- If a caregiver must take a break, children should stay by their side until they can resume.
- Children younger than 2 must remain within arm’s reach of a caregiver and are not allowed on play structures that hold more than one child at a time.
Tips for playing safely
The San Francisco Department of Public Health offers families the following tips to play safely:
- Go to the playground during days and times when there are fewer people.
- Choose playgrounds within walking distance of your home instead of taking public transportation.
- Choose smaller playgrounds with fewer people over larger playgrounds that can hold more people.
- If your child is crying and cannot be consoled, remove them from the play structure or playground until they are calm, since loud crying can produce a large number of respiratory droplets.
- If anyone in your household is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, do not visit a playground.
