Renovated in 2022, the playground at Erhler Park is a gem. There are two large play structures with modern equipment as well as a small area with interactive panels for very young park goers. The two large play structures have a variety of slides - including a tube slide and a 'big slide!' - climbing elements, and monkey bars while maintaining a traditional playground look/feel. There are also two sets of swings with the standard Chicago Park offerings: toddler, adaptive with a harness, and belt seat.
The setting is beautiful: there is a large row of trees on the southern edge of the park and the fully enclosed park opens onto grassy areas on both sides. There are benches and a drinking fountain and the play surface is newly restored soft rubber. It's a great playground; highly recommend.
This tiny park, named Edmonds Park in honor of Molly Edmonds who was a long time neighbor and informal caretaker of this park, features a nice playground with a large play structure for older children and a smaller structure for younger children. There are also a few standalone elements like a spinning saucer and two tire swings. The play surface is wood chips and the mostly enclosed play area has a few benches and a drinking fountain. A notable feature of this park is the large, mature trees that provide shade throughout the day.
The playground in Edison Park features a large play structure with the theme and logo of the Chicago hockey team. The large play structure features a variety of slides and climbing elements though no monkey bars or overhead elements. There is a standalone single rope traverse and a set of swings: toddler, adaptive, and belt seat.
It's a classic playground with a wood chip play surface, a few benches, and some afternoon shade from large trees. The nearby fieldhouse should provide access to bathrooms (when open). All in all, an interesting playground with a Chicago sports theme; highly recommend.
This playground sits between Edgebrook Park and the local Chicago Public School (called, of course, Edgebrook Public School) and this seems like a shared asset between both organizations (i.e. might be used exclusively by school children during school days and not a great location for an outing with younger children during the school year). Despite this preamble, this is a great little playground. There is a modern collection of climbing elements for older children and a smaller, more traditional structure, for younger children. The surface is soft rubber and there are a few benches and trees around the perimeter creating a nice ambiance. Overall, this is a solid playground worth visiting on a non-school day!
The playground in Eckhart Park is located near the southwest corner of the park and features swings, two play structures, and a water spray feature. The swings are standard (toddler, adaptive, and belt seat) and the play structures are large without being too high or challenging making them suitable for younger children. The water element is some 'water loops' that let out a gentle trickle of water. The play area is fully enclosed and features a soft rubber surface that is mounded in places. There are a few benches and a drinking fountain and the nearby fieldhouse provides access to bathrooms (when open). There are a few trees in the area but the playground itself is bright and sunny.
The playground at Eckersall Park is located on the east side of the park and features a large play structure and several standalone elements. The play structure is somewhat large with a structure providing some shade above. There are a variety of elements including slides, net triangles for climbing, and a set of monkey bars. The standalone elements include a large metal traverse and a zip line with a circle seat. There is also the standard variety of Chicago Park District swings. The play area is fenced but not fully enclosed. There are a few trees and benches providing shade and seating and the play surface is wood chips.
This small playground - one of two in Dvorak Park - is located on the south side of the park near 21st and May. I try to never talk bad about a Chicago Park playground...but the one on the northeast side of the Dvorak Park is far superior. Yet this single small structure still stands and invites small kids to slide, climb, and traverse the monkey bars. The surface is soft rubber and the play area is fenced from the street and has a few benches in the bright and sunny area. But with a true destination playground in the same park, this one does not compete.
This playground - one of two in Dvorak Park - is located in the northeast corner of the park and is a great playground. The play area is packed with elements: a very tall structure with a long curving slide, connections to smaller platforms with a roller slide and other climbing elements, a large rope net climbing structure, overhead monkey bars and an overhead slider, and lots more. The entire site seems designed for older children and climbers but there are elements for younger children as well. There is also a large set of standard swing (toddler, adaptive, and belt seat) to complete the offerings.
The play area is fenced from the streets but is not fully enclosed and the main play surface is wood chips. This playground has a lot of seating as well as a lot of shade from large, mature trees surrounding the site. There is also bathroom access via the fieldhouse building (when open) and a large water spray feature (again, when open) next to the pool just south of this playground.
This site is packed with interesting equipment and is full of shady spots and plenty of seating; this makes it a great neighborhood playground and, in my mind, definitely a destination playground.
The playground in Durso Park was renovated in the last few years and features new equipment with elements suitable for a wide range of children. There is a large play structure for older children featuring a few slides and climbing elements as well as interesting overhead elements like a curving set of monkey bars and an overhead slider. The play structure for younger children is considerably smaller but very clean and modern. There are a few additional standalone elements as well as the standard set of Park District swings. The playground is fenced from the street but is not fully enclosed and the play surface is wood chips. There are a few benches and a few large trees providing some shade.
This small playground features a small structure for younger children, a larger structure for older children, a zip line, monkey bars, and a traversing element in addition to standard swings. The surface is wood chips and the play area is bright and sunny.
Dunham Park is a large neighborhood park with several athletic fields, a fieldhouse, an accessible playground, and small water spray feature. The playground features a large accessible play structure for older children and a smaller structure for younger children. There is the standard Chicago Park set of swings and a small water spray feature. The location in a quiet residential neighborhood with large trees makes for a great setting. The play area is fenced from the street but not fully enclosed and the play surface is soft rubber. There are benches and a drinking fountain and the nearby fieldhouse provides access to bathrooms (when open). All in all, this is a great neighborhood park.
This playground - one of two in Dunbar Park - is a shady oasis in the city. This playground features an area for younger children, a large area for older children, swings, as well as a water spray feature for the summer months. The surface is a soft rubber and there are plenty of benches around the perimeter of the fully enclosed play area. Mature trees to the south create a comfortable shade on summer days. Highly recommend this playground.
This playground - one of two in Dunbar Park - is a great playground for a climber. Most of the equipment in this playground uses cables and nets for the main climbing structures and is therefore somewhat unique among Chicago playgrounds. Although there are limited options for young children, older climbers will likely enjoy the challenge of the two large climbing structures, rope bridge, and single curved slide.
The small playground in Drexel Park features a variety of swings, a large play structure designed for older children, a couple variations on standard monkey bars. There area also a few standalone elements including a variety of drums and the standard set of swings. The play area is mostly enclosed and though there aren't benches, the low ledge around the perimeter of the play area provides some seating.
This playground - one of five in Douglass Park - is in the north side of the park near Roosevelt and Sacramento. It features a large, modern play structure designed for older children including some unique elements like a triple twisting metal climber and another large climbing structure. There are also several low to the ground traverse elements and a variety of swings: toddler, belt, molded plastic with a harness, and saucer swing. The play surface is wood chips and, although there are trees dotting the surrounding grassy area, the play area is quite sunny.
This playground - one of five in Douglass Park - is in the west side of near 15th and Albany and features a large, modern play structure designed for older children. This structure features a few slides, climbing elements, and a large set of monkey bars in addition to the standard set of swings. The play surface is wood chips and there are a few benches scattered around the perimeter.
This playground - one of five in Douglass Park - is located on the east side of the park near 14th and California and is perhaps the largest of the playgrounds. There are two distinct areas - one for smaller children and the other for older children - and both contain large, age-appropriate play structures, swings, climbing elements, and a few other standalone elements. The play surface is wood chips and there are a few benches and a drinking fountain.
This playground - one of five in Douglass Park - is in the southwest corner of the park near 19th and Albany. According to the Park District website, this playground is named " Sunshine Daydream Playground, in honor of a Grateful Dead song." Fittingly, this playground features a musical theme with a "music station" comprised of several panels with interactive musical instruments, a spinning cello, a piano climbing arch, and a climbing wall with musical notes. There are also modern climbing elements and the standard set of swings. Next to these elements, there is a small, modern water spray feature with two "misting poles" and two cement play animals. The play surface is wood chips and there are a few benches and large grassy areas and matures trees surrounding this playground.
This playground - one of 5 in Douglass Park - is located in the southeast corner of the park near 18th and California. The play area is mostly enclosed and the play surface is wood chips. There are two sets of swings and a large play structure with a few slides and many options for climbing and traversing. There is also a small water feature in the play area - a standard concrete area with four sprayers.
The playground at Dooley Park is a small site with well-loved but well-maintained equipment. The Chicago Park website doesn't provide information about the last renovation of this playground, but Google Streetview shows this same equipment in place since at least 2007. However, the main play structure is still quite functional with a variety of slides and climbing elements.
Because I'm bias in favor of shade, soft rubber surfaces, and benches - this site gets high makes because it has all three. The play site is also fully enclosed. All in all, this is a great neighborhood playground; highly recommend.
Donovan Park is a large, active park with a variety of athletic fields/courts (baseball/softball, basketball, and volleyball) as well as a nice playground and water spray feature. The playground is located in the northeast corner of the park and includes a standard set of swings and a long and narrow play structure with slides, climbing elements, and monkey bars. The water spray feature is a standard 'four sprayer' that is located near a small park district building. The open and sunny play area is fenced from the street and the play surface is wood chips. There are a few benches and a drinking fountain and the park building provides access to bathrooms (when open). All in all, this is a nice neighborhood park.
This neighborhood playground is definitely a destination playground. The fully enclosed play area features a soft rubber play surface, an artificial turf field (with the Cubs logo befitting it's location close to Wrigley Field), several benches, and picnic tables covered by large shade umbrellas. The two play structures are both solid; one is designed for younger children and the other is designed for older children and features cues to famous Chicago skyscrapers at the tops. There is also a large net climbing feature and the normal variety of swings. The standout feature of this playground, though, are the water features. There is a three part overhead shower-like sprayer, a misting ring, jets coming from a mosaic wall, and an interactive water table. Given all the amenities, this playground is popular in the summer months and for good reason - this is a great playground.
Dogwood Park is in the middle of a residential block and features some unique playground equipment designed by Kompan. These striking structures are designed with bright colors and bold geometric shapes and both seem designed for younger children. An addition to these structures there are a few swings (toddler, molded plastic, belt, and a saucer swing with spider web seat) and a few other standalone elements. There is also a simple four sprayer water feature near this playground. The surface is wood chips and the play area is fenced but not fully enclosed. There is a single bench for seating near the entrance to this playground.
Small Dobson Park contains a playground with two play structures and a standard set of swings. One play structure is designed for younger children and the other is designed for older children. The larger play structure contains a few slides, climbing elements, and traversing elements. The play area has a wood chip surface and is fully enclosed. There are a few benches in the play area and a few trees providing some shade.
