The playground in Archer Park is a wonderful little playground. Set on the eastern side of the park, this site contains two structures and a large set of swings. There is also a nice water spray feature closer to the fieldhouse. The play area is removed from traffic and includes benches, picnic tables, and a drinking fountain. The surface is soft rubber and the equipment is modern and well maintained. Highly recommend.
Back of the Yards Park features a sprawling set of playground equipment as well as a small water spray feature. The playground is a basic and classic Chicago Park playground with wood chips and a few scattered park benches.
Brighton Park features a nice playground that gets the basics right. There are two play structure, one smaller and one larger, swings and a few standalone elements. Nothing fancy or novel - just a standard playground in the best sense of the term. The playground gets some good shade from nearby trees and has a few benches around the soft rubber surfaced playground. Play area is fenced from the street but not fully enclosed. All in all, a decent neighborhood playground.
The playground in Carpenter Park features a large play structure with a few slides and climbing features, the standard set of swings, and a zipline with circular seat. The play surface is wood chips and there are a few benches around the perimeter of the park.
The playground in Kujawa Park was renovated in 2015 and features a large play structure, small water spray feature, and plenty of benches. The play structure is large structure with the standard slides and monkey bars as well as some climbing/traversing elements. There is a small set of swings (toddler, adaptive with harness, and belt seat) and a standalone climbing structure. There is also a unique wooden fence built The water spray feature is a small 'four sprayer.'
The park itself has great tree coverage (especially on the south end) with plenty of benches. A small plaque notes this is a "community reading garden" and that seems an appropriate description for that space. The play area is fenced from the street but not fully enclosed and the main play surface is wood chips.
From 1971 until 2021, this site was known as Catalpa Park. The City renamed the park to honor Chester Frank Kujawa who was a WW2 veteran who resided in the Archer Heights area before his death in 2016.
The playground of Cornell Square Park is located on the eastern side of the park. Renovated in 2014, the playground features modern climbing elements made of ropes and netting and a small play structure that features a slide. The play surface is soft rubber and is treated as a play element with a large valley on one side and a small "tunnel" that runs under the play structure. There is also a water spray feature and the standard set of swings. The play area is not fully enclosed but it is fenced from the street. There are few benches and a drinking fountain near this sunny and modern playground.
Davis Square Park, a historic park that opened in 1905 to provide social services to the neighborhood, is still open and is still providing services and amenities to the neighborhood. The playground area features a play structure and an assortment of playground equipment for climbing and traversing. Rounding out the equipment, there is a small set of swings as well as a large "four sprayer" water spray feature. There are some of the classic playground features - benches for seating, a drinking fountain, a play surface of wood chips - without any additional frills or comforts. The playground is situated near the southeast corner of the park and just south of the fieldhouse that provide bathroom access (when open). All in all, this is a normal neighborhood playground in a large and historic park.
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 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 Gage Park - located near the south edge of the park - is a large and heavily shaded playground with some solid elements. There is a small structure for younger children and a much larger structure for older children with a variety of slides. that is accessible via a ramp. There is a small set of swings with the usual Chicago Park varieties but - interestingly - no monkey bars of any kind. The play area is enclosed and heavily shaded by large trees. The play surface is soft rubber and there are benches scattered around the perimeter of the playground which is both set back from the street and fully enclosed. All in all, this is a solid neighborhood playground.
Hale Park features a great playground. There is a single large structure with a variety of slides and climbing elements suitable for elementary school aged children (which is appropriate given that the site seems shared with the nearby Hale Elementary School). There is also a circle seat zip line and a few other standalone climbing and spinning elements.
The non-play amenities and general setting are great. Hale Park is a large, open space with a modern fieldhouse. The playground has a play surface of wood chips and the nearby fieldhouse provides drinking fountains and access to bathrooms. All in all, this is a classic Chicago Park playground, an asset to the neighborhood, and a worthwhile destination.
Hale Park also features a water spray area to the north of the playground; but this is separate from the main playground.
The playground at Hamilton Park is located on the northside of the park and features two play structures. The larger structure is designed for older children and features a series of ramps, slides, and other climbing elements. The smaller structure is nearby and is designed for younger children. There is also the standard set of swings and a water spray feature. The play surface is soft rubber and there are a few benches and a drinking fountain in the area. Large trees just to the south provide some shade throughout the day.
Ryan Harris Park is named for an 11 year girl who was murdered in 1998 and features a large playground as part of that tribute. There are two large play structures. The larger structure is for older children and features a number of unique overhead elements and traversing elements. The smaller structure is designed for younger children and features two slides. There are also the standard set of swings and a seahorse sprayer water feature at this site. The surface is soft rubber and there are a few benches dotting the area.
The playground in Hermitage Park features a large and unique net/rope climbing element, a large and somewhat accessible play structure, a rail slide, and the standard set of swings. There is also a unique and modern water spray feature in this park. The play surface is soft rubber that is sculpted in places for a unique terrain. There are also a few benches, a drinking fountain, and some shade making this a comfortable park.
Hoyne Park has a few athletic fields and a classic playground. The playground is a huge and sprawling structure that never gets too high off the ground but offers a lot of different slides, climbing elements, and monkey bar variations. Complementing the structure is a set of standard Chicago Park swings. The setting is quite nice; the park is on a quiet residential street and bordered by a train embankment creating a pleasant sense of place. Additional amenities - like benches or picnic tables - would improve the park. There is a fieldhouse at this site but it did not appear open. All in all, this is a solid neighborhood playground.
This small playground features two play structures and the standard set of swings. One play structure is designed for younger children and the second, much larger, play structure is for older children and features a few slides, a rope net bridge, and monkey bars. The playground is shaded by large, mature trees and offers a few benches for seating.
The playground at Edward Kelly Park is located near the northeast corner of the park and features a large play structure, a set of swings, and a few standalone elements. The equipment is standard playground equipment with slides, climbing elements, and monkey bars. The amenities and settings are standard too: the play surface is wood chips and there are a few benches for setting. The park itself is nice with two large athletic fields. All in all, this is a standard neighborhood park and playground in the best sense of the term.
This park - officially named Vicki M. Kucinski and Rosebeth Murphy Park - features a decent playground and a small water spray feature. The playground sits on 33rd Street across from a fire station has one large play structure, a set of swings, and a 'four sprayer' water spray feature. Nothing terribly exciting here - just a standard Chicago playground. The non-play elements - a drinking fountain and benches, wood chipped play surface, and a few large trees - are also rather standard within the city. But that's not an insult - this is a fine park.
The playground at Lawler Park features a large net climbing structure, a moderate size play structure, swings, two water spray features, and lots of benches. The large standalone net climbing feature looks like a "web in a sphere" and has a few climbing panels and a large pole attached to the main structure. The other play structure is more traditional and features a lot of slides. There are the standard park district swings and a few standalone elements. The water spray features include a 'triple shower sprayer' and a 'loch ness mister' (my name for the small set of arches and tubes that mist water made to look like a water creature.)
The play area is fenced and set back from the street but is not fully enclosed. The main play surface is soft rubber and there are lots of benches surrounding the play structures. The nearby fieldhouse provides bathroom access (when the building is open) and there is a drinking fountain nearby. There are some trees near the playground but overall this is a bright and sunny playground. All in all, this is a great playground; highly recommend.
Renovated in 2015, the playground at LeClaire-Hearst Park is divided into three separate areas: an area for younger children, an area for older children, and a small water spray area. The area for younger children features a small play structure with a slide and several climbing elements as well as toddler swings. The area for older children is more sparse and features some climbing elements and a slide as well as belt seat swings and a small zipline. The water spray feature is set in the middle and consists of a single water spraying pole. The play area is fenced from the street but is not fully enclosed. Low perimeter walls provide some informal seating but the site would be improved by adding benches and picnic tables. The play area is bright and sunny (though there are many trees and shady spots nearby) and the play surface is wood chips. The nearby fieldhouse provides access to bathrooms (when open).
Leland Giants Park - named for the African-American baseball team that played in Chicago in the early 1900s - contains a playground with large and modern equipment. The single play structure features a variety of slides, climbing and traversing elements, and other features. The play area is somewhat enclosed and quite sunny; there are a few benches in the area for seating.
This small playground is technically part of Lily Gardens Park though it is also located just to the west of the much larger Hamilton Park. This playground features a unique large net tunnel climbing feature, a small play structure for younger children, a teeter-totter, and the standard set of swings. The play surface is wood chips and there are a few benches and trees for seating and shade.
Lindblom Park has a large and sprawling playground. In addition to a large set of the traditional swings, this playground features a smaller set of elements for traversing and climbing and a large set of elements that comprise a more traditional playgrounds with slides and platforms. There are a handful of benches in the play area set a ways off Damen. The play surface is wood chips and there is some shade from nearby trees.
This small and sunny park contains a respectable playground. Beyond the standard set of swings, there is a large play structure for older children with several slides and a few climbing/traversing elements. There is also a standard "four sprayer" water spray feature nearby. The park gets full sun all day but there are a few benches for seating. The play area is partially enclosed and the surface is wood chips.
