Kids in Lower Manhattan now have a new and improved place for splashing around. Pearl Street Playground, located near the South Street Seaport, reopened 2012 after a two-year makeover. In addition to swings, slides and a shaded seating area where parents can rest their weary legs, the spot has an oyster-shaped sand-and-water play space – a nod to the former oyster shell heaps that once lined the waterfront.