Wallace Park contains a non-traditional playground and very traditional water spray feature. The playground is not a typical play structure and slides - and there aren't even traditional swings at this park! Instead, there is a collection of rope and net climbing elements, two saucer swings, and a collection of rope/net traverse elements. The water spray feature - on the other hand - is a very traditional 'four sprayer'. The play area is fenced from the street and the play surface is wood chips. There are a few benches for seating and trees for shade. All in all, this is an interesting playground.
The Grove Playground is a small neighborhood pocket park with a decent playground and a few swing options. The main play structure is good size with a few slides and climbing options; attached the the structure is a collection of traverse and overhead elements to challenge older children. This park offers toddler, belt seat, and a tire swing. The park is shaded by beautiful trees and has a drinking fountains but - strangely - I don't recall any benches. The play area is fenced from the street and the play surface is wood chips.
The playground in Scottsdale Park is tucked into the shady northwest corner of the park. This playground features a medium-sized play structure, a string of connected climbing/traversing elements, and the standard Chicago Park District swings. The play area is fenced from the street but is not fully enclosed. The play area is heavily shaded by trees and the play surface is wood chips. There are a few benches under a shade pavilion as well a drinking fountain. The nearby fieldhouse should provide bathroom access (when open).
On the northside of Jackie Robinson Park and shaded by large trees, there is a huge and wonderful playground. It is a single large structure that sprawls and soars; it sprawls to include a variety of ramps and climbing elements and soars to great heights with a three story central core. There are a few standalone elements and the standard set of Chicago Park swings but the huge structure is the main attraction.
The amenities are solid too. Both benches and picnic tables offer ample seating. The play surface is soft rubber and the play area is shaded by large, mature trees that opens directly to the rest of the park. A small comfort station nearby provides access to bathrooms (when open).
All in all, this is a wonderful playground; highly recommend.
Robichaux Park contains a large playground and a water spray feature. The playground contains a variety of climbing elements, slides, and even a circle seat zipline and seems designed to challenge older children. There is also a standard set of Chicago Park swings: toddler, adaptive, and belt seat. The water spray feature is a standard 'four sprayer.' The overall setting is beautiful with large trees nearby (though the playground itself is bright and sunny). However, I don't recall seeing any benches near the playground; added these would greatly improve the site. A nearby fieldhouse should provide access to bathrooms and a drinking fountain (when open). All in all, a good playground that could be a great one with a few benches and picnic tables.
This small, neighborhood playground is in the northwest corner of Ridge Park and was renovated in 2013 with modern playground equipment including a variety of monkey bars, slides, and the standard mix of swings. This playground also has a small train play area and overlooks the Metra tracks so might be good for a child interested in trains. The surface is wood chips and there are a few benches around the perimeter.
The playground Rainey Park is located on the north side of the park and features a small play structure, a large selection of swings, and some standalone elements. The play structure is relatively small and features a few slides and traversing elements. For swings, this park has toddler, adaptive, belt seat, and tire swings. There is also a see-saw, spinning sphere, and large overhead spinning element. This playground is not enclosed but is set back from all traffic. The play area is somewhat shaded and the play surface is wood chips.
The playground at Oakdale Park is a gem and shows how combining equipment, amenities, and nature makes for a great playground experience. The playground equipment is solid but not vastly different from other playgrounds; there is a moderate play structure with slides and climbing elements, a smaller 'play dinosaur' designed for younger children, and a set of swings (toddler and belt seat). There is a small water spray feature a little ways away as well.
The non-playable amenities are also solid: there are ample benches and the play surface is soft rubber. Perhaps the best feature is that the playground is surrounded - and shaded!- by large, mature trees. I might be bias in favor of trees and shade, but this site is a reminder that getting the basics right - equipment, amenities, and surroundings - can create a wonderful playground; highly recommend.
There is a great playground and water spray feature located in the northeast corner of O'Hallaren Park. The playground features two play structures - the larger one accessible via a ramp - that are both shaded by large, mature trees. The play surface is soft rubber and the play area is fenced from the street (though not fully enclosed). There are benches for seating and a nearby Park District building should provide access to bathrooms (when open). The water spray feature is located in a sunny opening a short walk from the playground. All in all, this is a great park; highly recommend.
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.
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!
Tucked just off a quiet cul-de-sac, the playground at McKiernan Park features some interesting - although perhaps somewhat dated - playground equipment. There are two structures - one smaller and one larger - that offer some of the standard play elements: slides and a few climbing elements. There is a small swing set, a few standalone elements, and a simple water spray feature. There are benches and a small table near the play area as well as a some large trees providing some shade. The play area is fenced from the street and opens directly into the park and the play surface is artificial turf. The small park district building nearby should provide access to bathrooms (when open).
Marshfield Park contains a small playground and a water spray feature. The playground contains two structures (one small and one large), a few standalone elements, and the standard set of Chicago Park swings: toddler, adaptive (with harness), and belt seat. The water spray feature is a standard 'four sprayer.' The playground is fully enclosed and the play surface is wood chips. This playground lacks shade and seating options; adding one or both would greatly improve the site.
The playground at Lee Park provides the basics - slides, swings, climbing elements, benches - in a somewhat shady site. There is a small yet sprawling play structure for younger children and a few connected elements to challenge older children. There is a overhead slider, a see-saw, and the standard set of swings. The site is heavily shaded by large trees but still somewhat exposed to a busy stretch of 87th Street. The play area is fenced from the street but not fully enclosed and the main play surface is wood chips. There are a few benches and low perimeter walls for seating and a drinking fountain.
Lamb Park is a small park near the roar of I-57 that features a playground divided into two 'rooms.' One room is for younger children and features a small structure and - unsurprisingly - the other other room is for older children and features larger equipment. There are two varieties of swings - toddler and belt seat - and a few standalone elements as well. The play area is fenced from the street but no enclosed and the surface is wood chips. There are a few benches for seating and lots of trees for shade throughout the day.
The playground at King Park is a small but delightful little playground. There is a single compact play structure with a variety of slides and climbing elements. There are a few standalone elements, an area with interactive panels for younger children, and the standard Chicago Park swings (toddler, adaptive, belt seat). There is a small 'four sprayer' water spray feature. The setting and non-play amenities are nice: the play surface is soft rubber and there are benches and a drinking fountain nearby. The play area is fenced from the street and bordered by nice shade trees. All in all, a very nice neighborhood playground.
The playground at Kennedy Park is located near the northeast corner of the park and features some large play structures, the standard set of Chicago Park swings, and a small water spray feature. There is a small play structure for young children and a much larger and sprawling structure for older children. A few standalone elements and two sets of swings round out the play area. There is also a small water spray feature with a gentle misting pole. The play area is set away from the street and is fully enclosed. There are benches, picnic tables, and a drinking fountain and the main play surface is soft rubber. All in all, this is a very solid neighborhood playground.
The playground at Hurley Park is a modern and clean playground featuring an area for young children, an area for older children, and the standard variety of swings. The surface is soft rubber and there are several benches as well as a natural area on the west side of park marked as a "bird and butterfly" sanctuary with large trees.
The playground at Hayes Park is located near the northeast corner of the park and is divided into three area. One area includes a moderate sized play structure and swings for older children. The second area includes play elements and swings for younger children as well as a sandbox. And the third area - between the two play areas - is a water spray feature. The non-play amenities are somewhat lacking - no benches or drinking fountains - and the nearby trees provide only limited shade.
Graver Park features a nice playground, water spray area, and picnic area in a quiet setting. The playground - named the Barbara Vick playground - includes a moderate sized play structure with a variety of slides and climbing elements, two set of swings (toddler, adaptive, and belt seat), and a few standalone elements. The main play surface is wood chips and there is a sand box. A short distance away is a large water spray area with a variety of water elements and - next to that - is an area with several picnic tables. There is also a fieldhouse that should provide access to bathrooms (when open). Both the playground and water spray area are fully enclosed. Additional seating and shade would improve this site, but it is still a great play area; highly recommend.
Foster Park has a great playground and a huge water playground. The playground is located near the northwest side of the park and includes a large play structure with several large standalone elements, including a zip line, arched climber, and large metal climbing structure. There are also standards like slides and monkey bars and a variety of swings: toddler, adaptive, belt seat, and tire.
The general setting and non-play elements are great; it's a classic playground with a wood chip play surface and wooden benches with easy access to the fieldhouse.
The water spray features - more accurately called a water playground - are impressive. I visited in October (so nothing was on) but it was one of the largest water playgrounds in the city.
All in all, this is a great playground with a wonderful water playground; highly recommend.
Euclid Park features a nice and somewhat shaded playground and small water spray feature. The playground is located near 98th and Parnell and contains a large and sprawling play structure with a variety of slides, climbing elements, and overhead challenges. The site also contains the standard Chicago Park swings: toddler, adaptive, and belt seat. A little further into the park - near the fieldhouse - is the small water spray feature: a 'four sprayer.' The non-playable amenities are classic: wood chips, wooden benches, some shade, and a drinking fountain. The play are is fenced from the street but not fully enclosed; the fieldhouse should provide access to bathrooms (when open). All in all, this playground gets high marks across the board.
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.
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.
