Taylor-Lauridsen Park contains an athletic field, a new fieldhouse (completed in 2010) and a nice playground. The playground includes areas for younger children, a larger structure for older children, the standard set of Chicago Park swings, and a 'loch ness mister' water spray feature. The play area is fully enclosed near the northwest corner of the park and the play surface is soft rubber. There are benches and a drinking fountain in the play area and the nearby fieldhouse provides access to bathrooms (when open). All in all, this is a solid neighborhood playground.
Last renovated in the fall of 2014, Sycamore Park contains a large and somewhat standard playground and set of swings. The play structure is large and features most of the standard equipment: slides, climbing elements and ladders, and a set of monkey bars. The swings are also standard (toddler, adaptive, and belt seat) and a circle seat zip line is the park's most unusual element.
The setting and non-play elements are also standard: the play surface is wood chips and there are benches for seating. There is a drinking fountain and tall, mature trees provide some shade.
Sweet Clover Park is a tiny neighborhood pocket park with a decent playground. The playground has two small structures, a drumming area, and a standard set of swings: toddler, adaptive, and belt seat. The non-play amenities are mediocre; there is plenty of shade from nearby trees and buildings and a drinking fountain but there aren't any benches or picnic tables for seating. The play surface is wood chips and it is not enclosed from the street. In many ways, this is a standard Chicago Park playground.
This small playlot features a traditional play structure, a sprawling set of climbing/traversing elements, a standard set of swings, and a few standalone elements. There location and amenities are all quintessential playground features: a play surface of wood chips, fully enclosed by the standard black Chicago fence, shaded by trees, surrounded by buildings, with a few benches and picnic tables for seating. This classic playground is a great asset to the neighborhood - highly recommend.
Supera Park is a super park! There are two play structures that are each designed to look like boats - complete with ship bow ladders and tall masts and sails. There are the standard set of swings as well as a sandbox. The play area is fully enclosed and the soft rubber play surface is shaded by large trees. There are benches and picnic tables for seating as well as a drinking fountain. A really great playground that is definitely worth checking out - highly recommend!
Sun Yat-Sen Park contains a wonderful little playground. There is a single large play structure with a variety of slides and climbing elements as well as a set of swings and a few standalone elements. Although the setting is next to the Stevenson Expressway (and the noise from the traffic can be loud), this little park has solid amenities and great trees. There are benches and tables near the western end as well as a drinking fountain. The play area itself is shaded in the afternoon and has a surface of wood chips. All in all, this is a great neighborhood playground.
Summerdale Park is a tiny pocket park with a small playground. The play structure is relatively small with a couple of slides; there is a set of climbing/traversing elements connected to the main structure. The site is very barebones - just wood chips and some wooden benches - although it is quite shady. The play area is fenced from the street but not fully enclosed.
Sumac Park is a small neighborhood park with a great playground. The small playlot contains a small structure for younger children. There is also a somewhat non-traditional set of climbing elements for older children (think climbing nets and metal structure and not traditional ladders and slide). There are also a few interactive panels set low to ground for imaginative play for a variety of ages. The playground is heavily shaded by large trees and the play surface is soft rubber. There are benches and a drinking fountain as well making this a comfortable spot to stop and play.
Strohacker Park is a moderate sized neighborhood park with a nice playground on the northern edge. The playground is divided into two main sections - one for younger children and one for older - with a water spray feature between them. Both sections feature modern and standard equipment including slides, climbing elements, and monkey bars. The water spray area features recently updated elements including the 'loch ness mister' and misting poles.
The non-play elements are standard but nice - there are some wooden benches around both play areas (though there could be more seating) and the play surface is wood chips. Both sections get good shade and a park building should provide access to bathrooms and a drinking fountain (when open). All in all, this is a good neighborhood playground.
This playground - one of two in Stout Park - is located in the southeast corner and is designed for older children. There are some swings - belt seat and adaptive with harness - and a four person see-saw as well as a large play structure. The structure includes a vertical climbing net, corkscrew slide, curved slide, and other climbing elements. The play surface is wood chips and the play area is enclosed (and opens to the rest of Stout Park). There are some benches built into the low perimeter walls for seating and large trees provide some shade.
This playground - one of two in Stout Park - is located in the northeast corner of the park and is designed for younger children. It features a small play structure, low-to-the-ground monkey bars, two toddler swings, and a little play house. The play surface is wood chips and the play area is fully enclosed (and opens to the rest of Stout Park). There are a few benches and the area is heavily shaded by large trees.
The playground at Stars & Stripes Park is a wonderful playground tucked in a quiet park. It features a large rope climbing structure, a play structure with a variety of slides and climbing elements, the standard set of swings, and a small water feature. The playground is on the western side of the park and is quiet and features views of the nearby train line. There are benches and a little shade but the play area is bright and sunny. The play surface is soft rubber and the water feature and the play structure are both somewhat accessible to people using wheelchairs. The playground opens to the rest of the park but is fully enclosed from the street. All in all, this is a standard Chicago Park playground in the best sense of the phrase and is worth checking out.
The playground at Ellen Gates Starr Park is a nice playground with a water spray feature. The play structure is moderate in size and features a few slides and a few overhead elements. There are are a few standalone elements, a set of swings, and a "triple shower sprayer" water spray feature. Aside from the play elements, this site includes a drinking fountain, a few benches, and a few trees providing some shade. The play surface is wood chips and the play area is fenced from the street but not fully enclosed.
Stanton Park contains a wonderful and sprawling playground featuring a huge variety of elements and some great amenities. There is a smaller structure for younger children, two net climbing elements, and a huge play structure for older children that sprawls on the ground and towers vertically. There is also an above average selection of swings and a small water spray feature.
In my opinion, the location is both odd and wonderful - the playground is located in the middle of Stanton Park near the Skinner Classical School and the large fieldhouse/natatorium making the location surprising quiet and removed from traffic. The play site opens directly to the rest of the park (i.e. isn't fenced in) and the play surface is wood chips. The north end of the playground is fairly shady while the south end is quiet sunny (though large umbrellas over some picnic tables provide some shade).
All in all, this is a wonderful playground and definitely worth a visit; highly recommend.
The playground in Spruce Park is a quiet and shady playground with play equipment designed for a variety of children. The main play structure is somewhat sprawling and features a variety of elements including slides and climbing features. It is pretty low to the ground except for one for one section accessible only by some difficult climbing elements; this keeps the area safe for younger children while also challenging for older climbers. There are also a few natural elements: rocks for climbing, a fake hollow log, and an acorn seat.
The play area is heavily shaded by large, mature trees. The main play surface is wood chips and the area is fenced from the street but not fully enclosed. There are a few benches and a drinking fountain near the play area.
Renovated in 2015, this playground is the centerpiece of tiny Spikings Farm Park. This structure is made by Kompan and features a few slides and climbing features as well as the standard set of swings. The play area is fully enclosed and the main play surface is wood chips. There are a few benches and a drinking fountain near the entrance of this bright and sunny park.
The South Lakeview Park playground features a solid array of elements separated into areas for younger and older children. These two play structures are modern and feature a variety of equipment; there is also a dinosaur play structure, a see-saw, and a variety of swings. The play surface is well-loved soft rubber and there are several benches and picnic tables for seating.
This small neighborhood pocket park features a solid playground and water spray feature. There is a single play structure of moderate size, a set of swings with the standard swings, and a spinning saucer. The water feature is a standard - four sprayer from the ground in a circle. The play area is fully enclosed with a bench and a drinking fountain. All in all, this is standard neighborhood playground in the best sense of the term.
The playground takes up the entirety of Snapping Turtle Park and offers a large play structure with two slides and some unique climbing elements. There is also a small set of swings at the back of the site. The playground is fully enclosed and the main play surface is wood chips. There are a few benches and a drinking fountain as well as some large trees that provide some shade.
The playground is Wendell Smith Park is located in the southeast corner of the site and features some interesting and non-traditional play elements. There isn't a single, large structure with multiple platforms and ladders; rather there is a collection of climbing and traversing elements arranged near each other. There are also a few standalone elements and the standard set of Chicago Park swings: toddler, adaptive, and belt seat. The playground itself is somewhat shaded by large trees and has a few benches for seating. The play area is fenced from the street and the play surface is wood chips.
Smith Park features a wonderful playground and water spray feature on the eastern side of the park. There is a large and sprawling play structure, another structure for younger children, a huge set of swings, and a small water spray feature. The equipment is somewhat dated but generally well maintained with a variety of slides and climbing features. The amenities are also solid: benches and picnic tables, a soft rubber play surface, a small water spray feature, access to bathrooms via the fieldhouse off Grand Ave, and some decent shade make this a great place to spend a day. Highly recommend.
This large playground is located on the east side of Skinner Park and and features a water spray feature, an area for younger children, a huge area for older children, and the normal variety of swings. The area designed for older children is particularly large and there are several mosaics and a large climbing animal (a dragon!) that make this playground stand out from others. There are benches and a few picnic tables in the fully enclosed play area and the play surface is soft rubber.
Sintic Park is a small neighborhood park consisting entirely of a large playground. There is a large play structure with a few slides. Connected to that structure, there are overhead and traversing elements for older children. There is also a smaller structure for younger children as well as a few standalone elements. Lastly, there is a standard set of swings (toddler, adaptive, and belt seat). The playground is also pretty standard in terms of amenities: the play surface is wood chips and there isn't much shade. Low perimeter walls provide some seating but there aren't benches or picnic tables for actual seating - though there is a drinking fountain. All in all, this is a pretty standard Chicago playground - not that that's a bad thing.
The playground at Simons Park features a variety of swings (toddler, molded bucket, belt, and tire) and a large play structure with a wood chip base. There is also a standard water spray feature next to the playground as well as a few benches and a drinking fountain in the play area.
