Oh how I loved Indianola... thank god my parents were progressive enough to realize that not all…read morekindergartners were meant to sit in rows of desks! Indianola is an alternative school that allows kids to be kids - you start each day on the "carpet" as a group and then go to work stations around the classroom depending on what you want to pursue. Age groups are mixed, diversity is omnipresent and creativity ensues! I was mapping constellations in 3rd grade and did a project on Kwanzaa in 4th... not your run-of-the-mill elementary school experience. And try finding a better school motto than "friends are like rainbows." Can I go back to school here now? Please?

I went to Indianola Elementary from 1955 - 1961. Then it was more traditional in some ways, but…read morethere were students from the neighborhood, which was relatively poor, and students whose parents were professors at OSU. There was a section of the school for deaf and hard of hearing students, and kids were bused in from Fort Hayes Army Base. So it was a diverse, lively, nurturing place. But the picture here is Indianola Junior high, which is off of Fourth Street.

Update: on a later visit, found another big, nice playground on the back corner of the school…read more More for bigger kids- more open, more climbing stuff. Not much shade. Between the two, an excellent place for kids.

Review for the playground only!…read more Came on a beautiful spring day, after school. Lots of kids on the playground- but it's so big it wasn't crowded. There are two playsets, one for smaller kids and one bigger. Plus, other areas: climbing stuff, music, swings, exercise equipment, etc. Loads to do. Only a few benches for tired adults, but that's the norm at schools. Beautifully kept grounds and equipment. Parking is not very close. Baby K loved it and we will be back.

I had a good first impression of this k-5th grade school. My kin moved to the area for the school…read moresystem. There was plenty of crossing guards to handle the heavy foot traffic. The principal stood out front with the teachers, greeting the wee, to not so wee, ones. It had a very welcoming atmosphere.

Review for playground only. And what a playground: huge, multiple areas, stuff for little and big…read morekids. All the classics plus lots of new-style climbing stuff. Plenty of tables and benches, with shade, for tired parents. Wood chips everwhere. Loads of green space nearby for kites, etc. Courts nearby. K had a blast. I had places to sit and relax. Street parking near the playground; a lot on the other end of the school I think. Really great park/playground.

This review is for the playground only. As you can see, it is located at a school, so you'll need…read moreto time your visit for non-school hours/times of year. The playground is huge and fantastic, and it is located in close proximity to Sunny 95 Park, creating a really nice large space for play. The playground features a large merry-go-round, several traditional swings, seven different slides, an obstacle course that includes climbing, jumping, and strategy to complete, and this neat large net to climb and explore. There is also a Safety Town type set up that's very cute, featuring things like a fire station and police station play areas, and tiny streets with signs that kids can ride their bikes and scooters on and practice the rules of the road. We actually stumbled across it during a visit to Sunny 95 Park, so we had parked over there and walked over, but it looked like the school also has parking available. There are benches and picnic tables available around, and the picnic tables have some wonderful shade under the trees.

St. Mary is a great school- excellent academically, a reasonable value for a private school, and…read moregreat staff. Lots of activities and fundraisers throughout the year: Christmas tree sale, food truck fest, a gala, etc. And, a huge expansion/renovation this year. A beautiful new cafeteria, completely rebuilt classrooms in the big building, and more. A new playground and play area out front, study alcoves, gifted area, computer stations, etc. Well thought out and flexible. The teachers and students are thrilled.

We love this school! The staff is so awesome. Caring, friendly, compassionate. They really care…read moreabout each student. The principal takes the time to learn each students name, and recognize their family. They do a lot of fun activities throughout the year. A really great community of people!

We were just here for the playground. Actually two small playsets, with lots of fencing to corral…read morekids but open for the public on weekends. A bit sketchy, and the playsets were not too much of a much, but Baby K liked them. Handy parking. A basketball court. Meh.

We had a great experience at Joyland. Our daughter attended preschool and kindergarten there. The…read morepeople there are nice and my daughter loved it. Very happy with our experience. They offer flexible schedules and a great child teacher ratio for kindergarten, 16 to 1. We will miss them all.

Review is just for playground!…read more I thought this whole building was the high school, but this end is an elementary school, and of course it has a playground. On a weekend, plenty of parking. And a pretty amazing playground. Big, modern, lots of different things to do. Shade. Places for parents to sit. Kid K loved it. Some shade. Playing fields nearby.