The playground in Norwood Park features a large play structure for older children as well as a bunch of swings. The equipment, surface of wood chips, and scattered benches and picnic table make this a standard playground.
North Mayfair park contains a small playground with lots of shade and seating. The main play structure is good sized and features lots of slides and climbing elements. There is the the standard set of swings (toddler, adaptive, and belt seat) and a little play house area. The park itself is tucked away on a quiet side street and is shaded by large trees. The play area is fenced from the street but not fully enclosed and the surface is wood chips. There are plenty of benches as well as two picnic tables with built in shade roofs. All in all, this is a great neighborhood playground.
In the southwest corner of Normandy Park, there is a solid neighborhood playground. There are two play structures with a variety of elements as well as a set of swings. Other important details: the play area is fenced from the street but not fully enclosed, the surface is soft rubber, and the playground gets some shade throughout the day. There are benches and a drinking fountain and the nearby fieldhouse provides access to bathrooms (when open). All in all, this is a good neighborhood park.
I would say the playground in Ninebark Park is a unique playground with somewhat strange and non-traditional elements. However, in visiting this location, I spoke with a neighbor who hated the equipment at this park and I'm going to honor that interaction with this review. This neighbor complained there weren't any slides at the park - and she is right! There isn't a traditional structure at this park but rather a collection of climbing elements. The only standard elements were the swings and the simple 'four sprayer' water feature.
The non-play amenities are basic: a few benches and a play surface of wood chips for a bright and sunny site.
This playground - one of two in Nichols Park - is located on the west side and is designed for younger children. There is a small, somewhat traditional play structure, swings appropriate for younger children (toddler and adaptive) and a few standalone elements including a spinning bowl and a 'drum set.' The play area is wood chips and while it is fenced from the street it is not fully enclosed and instead opens into Nichols Park. Trees provide some shade and a few benches provide some seating.
This playground - one of two in Nichols Park - is located on the east side of the park and seems designed for older children. Rather than a traditional play structure, this playground is a collection of various climbing and traversing elements as well as a few standalone elements (including a zipline!). The playground is fenced from the street but is not fully enclosed and instead opens directly into the park. Although there aren't benches of picnic tables, the low perimeter wall provides some seating. Large trees provide some shade to the area and the play surface is wood chips.
Tucked in the middle of a residential block, Nelson Park is a tiny Chicago Park with a neighborhood playground. There is a single play structure with one slide that is connected to a variation of monkey bars as well as several traversing/climbing elements. This park also offers a variety of swing options: toddler, belt seat, and a tire swing. The play area is fully enclosed and is bright and sunny and the play surface is wood chips.
This playground in Murray Park features a number of standalone elements and a large play structure designed for younger children. The standalone elements include a curving climbing wall and monkey bars, a balance beam, and spinning seat. The play structure includes another set of monkey bars as well as some slides. There are also two sets of swings with traditional belt seat, molded plastic seat, and toddler options. Immediately north of the playground is a water feature with a seahorse spraying element. The playground is not fully enclosed but is fenced from the street. The surface is wood chips and trees and benches provide some shade and seating. The nearby fieldhouse also provides bathrooms. This is a standard neighborhood park in the best sense of the phrase.
The playground at Munroe Park features a small structure for younger children, a larger collection of elements for older children , the standard set of Chicago Park swings, and a small water spray feature. The collection of elements for older children features a rope net climbing element, geometric climbing walls, and other metal climbing elements.
The play surface is soft rubber and there are a few benches and a drinking fountain in the area. The play area opens to the rest of the park but is fenced and fully enclosed from the street. Some trees to the south provide some shade and the park fieldhouse provides access to bathrooms (when open). All in all, this is a good neighborhood playground.
Mulberry Park is tucked away off a quiet side street and features two large play structures and a small water spray feature. The play equipment seems somewhat dated - it was last renovated in 2015 - but it is still very usable. The play structures are both somewhat sprawling structures with a variety of slides and climbing elements. The water spray feature is a triple shower sprayer. The non-play elements are adequate; there are a few benches around the play area and the main play surface is wood chips. All in all, this is a decent neighborhood park.
Renovated in 2015, the Mozart Park playground offers modern and well-maintained elements to a variety of users. There is a larger play structure for older children and a small structure for younger children in a play area covered with wood chips. There are a few benches in the area and it near both the Mozart Park field house and the Metra train line.
The playground in Mount Greenwood Park is a massive and sprawling site with a huge variety of play elements and areas. There is a water spray feature with water jets from the ground and a single pole water sprayer right inside the entrance. There is an area for younger children with a few low slides that is accessible via a ramp. Nearby, the soft rubber surface is mounded into a series of humps and dips with a few slides and a net climbing feature. This elevated area leads directly (via a barrier free ramp) into the larger play structure for older children. Connected to this play structure is a huge variety of overhead elements (i.e. variations on monkey bars) and climbing/traversing elements. There are also two sets of swings with the usual Chicago Park varieties. Again - this is a massive and sprawling site.
The amenities are also really solid. There is ample seating with both benches and picnic tables. The play area is set off the street and is fully enclosed from the street with just one entrance and exit. The play surface is soft rubber and very accessible; a child in a stroller or someone uses a wheelchair could access most parts of the playground. There are some trees around the perimeter of the play area but most of the playground is bright and sunny. Lastly, there is an impressive amount of art in this playground! Both in the form of tile mosaics and intriguing, interactive music elements (way more interesting than the typical bongo drum play element!).
I highly recommend this great playground!
The playground at Morgan Field Park is a basic and traditional playground. I don't mean that as an insult but merely as descriptive. This playground has the essential elements - large play structure with slides, various climbing elements, monkey bars, standard Park District swings - without much else. Set in the middle of a small field and surrounded by grass, and with wood chips as the main play surface, this playground is a standard neighborhood playground.
The playground in Moran Park features the standard set of swings, some traversing/climbing elements, and a large play structure for older children. The play surface is wood chips and there are a few trees and benches in the area for shade and seating.
Moore Park features a nice playground and small water spray feature. The playground is fully enclosed and includes a small structure for younger children, a collection of climbing elements for older children, and a set of swings (toddler and belt seat). The water spray feature is two water spray arches located just outside the playground area. The non-play features are very nice: benches and picnic tables for seating, a drinking fountain, access to the park district building (when open), with a soft rubber play surface. There isn't much shade in the play area - but this is still a solid playground. Highly recommend.
Monument Park is a small neighborhood park with a playground featuring decent shade trees and wood chips underfoot. Standard playground equipment with a train play structure suitable for the location adjacent to the Metra tracks. The play area is fenced but not fully enclosed and there are a few benches for seating.
Monticello Park is a small neighborhood with a large play structure for older children. There are a few slides and a number of bridges and platforms in this park as well as the standard set of swings. The play area is fully enclosed and has a few benches and one drinking fountain. Trees on the eastern side of the playground provide some morning shade and the western side features a basketball court.
Montgomery Park consists of two play structures and a set of swings. The structures are standard Chicago Park structures: a variety of slides and climbing elements. The swings are also standard: toddler, adaptive, and belt seat. The wood chip play surface is bare in places and the equipment could use a cleaning. There is some shade from large trees and a few benches but the non-play amenities could be improved. All in all, this is a pretty standard neighborhood playground.
"Moccasin Ranch Park" is named for a collection of stories titled "Moccasin Ranch" written by Hamlin Garland in 1909 when he lived at 6427 S Greenwood just a few blocks from this park. Curious name aside, this park is a nice neighborhood pocket park with a large play structure and some swings. The structure includes a few slides and various climbing elements. There are three swings - a toddler swing, belt seat swing, and adaptive swing. The play area is fenced from the street but not fully enclosed. There are benches and a drinking fountain in this bright and sunny site.
Minuteman Park, situated on a somewhat awkward lot next to Midway airport, features a great little playground. The playground includes a collection of elements for older children, a small play structure for younger children, and a set of swings with the typical Chicago Park offering: toddler, adaptive, and belt seat. There is also a standalone 'triple top and bottom spinner' which is pretty neat. The playground is located in the southeast corner of the park and is fenced from the street but not fully enclosed. The play surface is soft rubber and there are both benches and picnic tables for seating.
The playground at Miller Park is dino-mite! It's 'dino-mite' largely because there is a large set of "dinosaur steps" as part of the main play structure here (along with other slides and climbing elements). There is a tire swing but, interestingly, no other swings on this small site. There are a few other standalone elements but the large play structure is the main feature of this quiet and somewhat shady park. The play area is wood chips and although it is fenced from the street it is not fully enclosed. There are a few benches and a drinking fountain.
Millard Park features a basketball court and a playground last renovated in 2013. The playground includes a large play structure from Kompan and a set of swings making it a somewhat modern version of a very traditional playground: one slide, a few climbing elements, and basic swings. 'Traditional' could also describe the amenities: wood chips and a wood bench and not much else. The building to the south provides some shade but there isn't much shade on this site otherwise.
Tucked away in a quiet residential area, Micek Park offers a solid playground and water spray feature. The playground has two structures - one is quite small and designed for younger children and the other is significantly larger with a variety of slides and climbing elements. There is also a set of swings - toddler, adaptive, and belt seat - that are standard in Chicago Parks. The water spray features are a "triple shower sprayer" and a "single pole sprayer" both good for delivering a good soaking on a hot day.
The amenities are somewhat modern and include a soft rubber play surface and a set of three picnic tables. The playground is fenced from the street but opens directly to the rest of the park and is not fully enclosed. And although there are large trees near the playground, the playground itself is bright and sunny. All in all, this is a very nice playground; highly recommend.
Miami Park, situated on the corner of 28th and Trumbull, features a great little neighborhood playground. The single play structure is accessible by a ramp and features a variety of slides and climbing features. There is a small set of swings at the back of the site, a four person see-saw, and a little 'horse on a spring' - this site packs a lot of equipment into a small site. The playground is fully enclosed and features a soft rubber play surface. There are benches and trees for seating and shade as well as a drinking fountain for water. This is a classic neighborhood playground; highly recommend.
