Amid new slides, swing bars, and volleyball, basketball and tennis courts, third and fourth graders Eric, Charlie, Sabrina, Nathaniel, Kayanna, Marquis, Tamia and Elizabeth were bounding about excitedly on a frigid pre-winter morning outside P.S. 93 in the Bronx.

The once asphalt-paved and rarely used former schoolyard is now a new field of dreams, and these young students had an extra-special cause for celebration: their schoolmates helped design the playground–pint-sized running track and soccer field included.

Student participation is the formula that has worked for this playground and at least 13 new school-based playgrounds throughout the city built under the supervision of the non-profit Trust for Public Land.

Landscape architects introduce students to the basics of playground design. Students request features for the playground but must remain within space and budget limitations. Next, they were shown slides and took trips to other schools to gauge what their playground could look like. They were given tools to measure the land and they were given templates resembling a miniature playground.

The students’ wish list included swings, monkey bars, rock climbing, courts for handball and a playground maze. They quickly learned the art of compromise, said Melissa Martinez, the program director of Phipps Community Development Corporation, which served as the community sponsor for the project.

Among the benefits of this approach: children learn through playing and develop imagination, creativity, reasoning, problem solving, motor and social skills, not to mention an appreciation for the environment, according to the Trust.

Architects also consulted closely with the community. The goal, according to the Trust, is to listen and ensure that the space is developed in accordance with the community’s needs. At P.S. 93, the design and consultation process with students, faculty and community took about three months. Construction began in the spring and concluded with an official opening in late November. The final result was a pleasing outdoor space offering a variety of recreational activities including the possibility of having a picnic lunch beneath the gazebo– when the weather warms up of course. Best of all for the students, all the outdoor activities are just a few steps from their classrooms.

Eric has seen his dream of a basketball court come to life. But he is even more excited because “there is so much we can do.”

In the shadow of the Bruckner Expressway’s speeding cars and trucks and despite the freezing temperatures, Eric and his schoolmates’ enthusiasm and excitement was apparent as they celebrated with their parents, faculty and invited guests with a ribbon cutting ceremony to launch their new playground.

The final cost was $1 million, with portions funded by the city Department of Education and private dollars donated by the Dell family, the personal computer maker.

The exuberance was not contained to the students as a fourth grade teacher commented on how much they could do with the playground. Perhaps Anthony best described it when he said he wanted rock climbing because “trees break.” He didn’t get his rock climbing wish, but the basketball courts was just great, he said. After all, he had “helped” design it.