Andersonville Park offers and nice, shady playground with a large structure for older children and a variety of swings. The large play structure is two platforms connected by a variety of climbing and traversing elements along with a few slides. The swings - toddler, adaptive, belt seat, and tire - are located near the back of the playlot. The play area is fully enclosed and the surface is wood chips. This park is also deeply shaded by large trees and there are a few benches, low walls, and a picnic table for seating.
Ashmore Park is a tiny neighborhood park on a residential street with a great little playground. There is a large structure with all the basics (slides, climbing elements, a variation on monkey bars, etc.) and some interactive panels. There are various swings including a toddler, belt, adaptive, and tire variations.
The non-play amenities are okay with some exceptional shade from the large tree on and surrounding the site. There are benches, a drinking fountain, and a small table with a chessboard on the surface. The play area is fully enclosed and the play surface is wood chips. All in all, this playground is a shady and quiet spot to spend a day at the park.
Aster Park features a large and sprawling set of playground equipment and a small water spray feature. The play structure has equipment for a range of kids including slides, climbing elements, and monkey bars. The water spray feature is a standard 'four sprayer.' In most respects, it's a standard Chicago Park: wood chips surface, enclosed play area in the middle of the block, and decent shade from trees and neighboring buildings.
Austin Foster Park - aptly named because it is at the corner of Austin and Foster Ave - is a moderately large park with a few athletic fields and a nice playground. The playground is located at the park's southern edge and features two sprawling structures with lots of equipment.
The non-play amenities include benches, a drinking fountain, and a picnic table. The location is right off a busy stretch of Foster Ave, so there is a fair amount of street noise. The play surface is wood chips and there the playground is fenced from Foster but not fully enclosed. All in all, despite the location, this is a good playground with lots of play elements.
Berger Park has a wonderful playground with views of Lake Michigan. There is dedicated area for smaller children close to the lake with a nautical theme and a larger structure for older children that is accessible via a ramp. This playground has a rubberized surface and the equipment seemed new and well maintained. There were plenty of benches and a few picnic tables. This is a great playground; highly recommend.
Bromann Park is a busy park on a busy corner of Chicago that fits a lot of equipment and amenities into a very small site. There is a standard set of swings, a collection of climbing/traversing elements, and a moderate size play structure accessible via a ramp. The amenities are solid: there are benches and picnic tables in the fully enclosed play area as well as a drinking fountain. The play surface is soft rubber and there is a lovely mural on the wall forming the north side of the park. All in all, this is a great little park - highly recommend.
The playground in Broncho Billy Park has a small structure for younger children, and larger and accessible structure for older children, the standard set of swings, and a water spray feature. The play area is fully enclosed and the surface is a soft rubber and there are a few benches along the perimeter of the park for seating. In total, this is a 'standard neighborhood playground' in the best sense of the phrase - a solid playground for a variety of ages and uses.
The playground in Oscar Brooks Park is a small site with standard playground equipment. There is a single structure with a variety of elements and the Chicago Park standard swings: toddler, adaptive, and belt seat. The play area is bright and sunny and the play surface is wood chips. The nearby fieldhouse provides access to bathrooms (when open) and the park also includes a water feature located near the southwest corner of the park.
The small Brynford Playlot Park contains a small playground structure suitable for a range of children and a variety of swings (belt seat, molded bucket seat, toddler, and tire). The play area is fully enclosed with wood chips underfoot. There are a few benches, a drinking fountain, and a small picnic tables. This park is sandwiched between two buildings and on a rather busy stretch of Pulaski; however, a large mural on the north side of the park and some flowers on the eastern side try to soften some of this harshness.
About half of Buena Circle Park is a large grassy area and the other half is a playground. The playground half features three main area: a large, tall rope/net climbing structure with a few connected elements; a more traditional play structure, and an area for swings: toddler, adaptive, belt seat, and a saucer swing. The equipment is new, modern, and well maintained. The non-play amenities are somewhat standard for a Chicago Park: the surface is wood chips and there are a few benches and a drinking fountain. A few large trees provide shade throughout the day and the entire park is fenced from the street. The nearby CTA tracks pass quite close to this park - thrilling rail fans or perhaps creating too much noise for others. Overall, this is a great neighborhood park; highly recommend.
The playground at Buttercup Park features a large play structure for younger children, a collection of climbing elements, the standard set of swings, and a small water feature. The most traditional play structure is actually two small structures connected by a set of low monkey bars; both structures contain a few climbing elements, interactive panels, and slides which create a nice somewhat traditional experience for younger children. The other main element is a collection of climbing and traversing elements made of metal, rope netting, and suspended rings that seems designed for older children. There is also a small water feature in the park with water jets from the ground. The swings - toddler, adaptive, and belt seat - are standard.
The play area is fully enclosed and features a soft rubber surface that is mounded in places that transforms the surface itself into a play element. There are not traditional benches but decorated low perimeter walls provide plenty of seating and large mature trees provide plenty of shade. All in all - this is a great neighborhood playground and good destination.
Tiny Carmen Park is tucked between two large buildings and shaded by large trees making this a quiet and hidden spot in the Uptown neighborhood. The playground has some traditional elements - the standard varieties of swings, for example - but also features some unique and modern elements like a flexible black belt bridge and twisted net structure. The play area is fully enclosed and the surface is wood chips. There aren't benches or tables but the low perimeter walls provide some seating.
This playground in small Cedar Park packs a big punch: a large play structure for older kids, a separate smaller structure for younger climbers, new water spray features, and a few benches and picnic tables. The large play structure is notable because it includes a few climbing elements that are relatively unique in Chicago Park playgrounds. Parts of the large play structure can also be accessed via a ramp from the soft rubber play surface making this playground somewhat accessible. The water features are in the same fully enclosed play area and are both relatively gentle spray elements. The playlot is shaded by large trees and there are several benches and a picnic table for seating. This is a great smaller playground because it offers great equipment, water features, seating, and shade; highly recommend.
Chase Park features a running track, outdoor pool, and a really great playground. The playground is located in the southwest corner of the park (Ashland and Leland) and features two main play structures as well as two sets of swings. The smaller play structure is designed for younger children and the larger is designed for older children; the larger structure is accessible via a ramp and sprawls outward with a few climbing and traversing elements.
The non-play amenities are great. The entire play area is fully enclosed (important because Ashland is quite busy) and the surface is soft rubber. There are benches and picnic tables inside the play area with a drinking fountain just outside the gate and access to bathrooms via the fieldhouse to the north. There is also decent shade from the large trees surrounding the site. All in all, in terms of play equipment and amenities, this is a great playground; highly recommend.
This playground is located on the northside of Chippewa Park and features a large structure for older children and a variety of swings. The play surface is wood chips though there is also a sand area as well as a large grassy area south of the playground with a simple water spray feature. The play area is not fully enclosed but is fenced from the street sides. There are a few benches in the playground area and a picnic table near the water spray feature.
Solid playground with two structures, a large set of swings, and a small water spray feature. The two play structures are both somewhat standard but offer a variety of slides and climbing elements. The swings are the standard Chicago Park varieties (toddler, adaptive, and belt seat) and the water spray feature is a single pole water sprayer. The playground is fully enclosed, somewhat shaded, and with a play surface of soft rubber. There are a few benches and a drinking fountain in the play area with the Clarendon Community Fieldhouse providing access to bathrooms (when open). All in all, this is a very solid neighborhood playground; highly recommend.
The small and shady playground in Cochran Park features toddler and belt seat swings, a medium sized play structure, two variations on monkey bars, and an overhead glider. The play area is fully enclosed with an artificial turf surface and is shaded by large and mature trees. There are a few benches around the perimeter of the park as well.
D'Elia Park is a tiny neighborhood pocket park with a small playground. Designed for younger children, this site features an area with interactive panels, a see-saw, toddler swings, and a small play structure with a few slides. The site is a classic playground with a wood chip play surface shaded by large trees. There are a few benches and a drinking fountain near the entrance of the fully enclosed site. This is a wonderful little park for young children.
The small De Julio Park features a playground most recently renovated in 2014 with a large play structure for older children, a swing set, and a few standalone elements. The large structure features a few slides as well as a variety of climbing walls and nets. The playground itself is well shaded by mature trees with a few benches doting the play area. The main play surface is wood chips though there is also a grassy area around the perimeter of the playground.
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 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.
Last renovated in 2015, the playground at Emmerson Park includes two moderately sized play structures, a set of swings, and a simple 'four sprayer' water spray feature. The park itself is somewhat small but nice with large mature trees and some grassy spaces. There are benches and a small fieldhouse provides access to bathrooms (when open).
The playground at Eugene Field Park has two play structures, a set of swings, a water spray feature, and some above average amenities making it a great spot near the Chicago River. The large play structure features a ramp from the soft rubber surface making it accessible to people using a wheelchair. This structure isn't very tall but is somewhat sprawling with two variations of monkey bars attached as well as two slides. The other structure is quite small and is designed for younger children. The water spray feature includes two elements: two water loops that produce a gentle mist and 'triple shower sprayer' with a bit more intense spray. Both are set in a concrete area with a row of benches under a simple shade pavilion.
In addition to benches, there are a few picnic tables in the play area. The play area isn't quite fully enclosed but is set back from the street and fenced from the nearest streets. The play surface is soft rubber and large trees provide some shade - especially in the afternoon and evening. All in all, this is a great playground with some solid amenities; highly recommend.
Though not connected to this playground, the natural area just north of the North Branch (follow the pedestrian bridge near the fieldhouse) or the Nature Play Area a few blocks to the east are also worth checking out.
Forest Glen Park is a small park with a moderate sized play structure seemingly designed for preschool ages children. That is, it's larger than most toddler play areas but without challenging elements geared for older children. It's a well-maintained area with a soft rubber play surface with a ramp leading to the play structure. There are a few benches and a drinking fountain in the somewhat shaded park. This park also features views of the nearby Metra trains.
