The playground at Woodhull Park is located in the northeast corner of the park and features two play structures and a small water feature. The smaller structure is designed for younger children and includes a few slides and climbing elements. The larger structure also includes slides as well as a variety of climbing elements with monkey bars and other traversing elements attached. Most platforms of this structure are also accessible via a ramp and the main surface is soft rubber making this play structure somewhat accessible. The water spray feature nearby is small and features a single bent pole water sprayer. The area is fenced from the street but not fully enclosed. There are a few benches and trees for seating and shade.
Wilson Park contains a solid playground and water spray feature. There are two play structures - one for younger children and one for older children - and a small water spray feature. There are a few benches and a park district fieldhouse that provides bathroom access (when open). The play area is fenced from the street but not fully enclosed and the play surface is soft rubber. The play equipment and the amenities make this a solid neighborhood playground.
This playground - south of the intersection of 27th and Federal Street - is likely a 'shared site' between Williams Park and Drake Elementary (the local signage was not clear). Regardless, this is a shady site with some wonderful playground equipment. The play area is fully enclosed and features a soft rubber play surface.
This park - named Williams-Davis Park in honor of Hattie Kay Williams and Izora Davis - contains a wonderful playground at the western edge of the pedestrian footbridge over DuSable Lake Shore Drive. The main play structure is quite large and features a number of slides and climbing elements and interactive panels. It is also accessible via a ramp for those using wheelchairs or in strollers. There are also a number of interesting standalone features: a single mast net climbing structure, a somewhat abstract climbing structure, a spinning bowl, and a large see-saw. There is also a standard set of park district swings. In the same play area is a water spray feature with two water loops and some jets from the ground.
The play area is fully enclosed and the play surface is soft rubber. There are a number of benches in the play area and a few picnic tables just outside the enclosed area. While there is a drinking fountain, there is not much shade for this playground and it remains bright and sunny most of the day. All in all, this is a wonderful playground; highly recommend.
The Wentworth Gardens playground is tucked behind the field house building and just north of the outdoor pool. In this quiet location, you'll find a moderately sized play structure with just a few slides, climbing features, one overhead element, and one hammock style saucer swing. The surface is soft rubber and there are benches for comfortable seating.
The playground in Harold Washington Park has a lot to offer. There are two large play structures - one more traditional with slides and steps and the other less traditional with a large rope/net climbing element. There are also two sets of swings including toddler swings, molded bucket swings with a harness, belt seat swings, and a hammock swing with a spider web seat. There is also a water spray feature and a large sand play area. Aside from the sand area, the main surface is wood chips and the play area is fully enclosed. There are mature trees, benches, and picnic tables providing shade and places to sit and eat.
This playground - one of four in Washington Park - is located just of the Washington Park pool and is a wonderful space. The playground is quite large with multiple areas full of equipment: an open area with 'animals on springs', a sprawling and accessible play structure for younger children, a more standard structure for older children, a non-traditional set of climbing elements, swings, and a water spray feature. All in all, great play elements.
The non-play elements are also high quality. The play area is fully enclosed and is shaded by large and beautiful trees. There are benches and small picnic/game tables for seating and the pavement itself is designed and imprinted with quotes and other graphics The play surface is soft rubber and the nearby pool facilities should provide access to bathrooms (when open).
Really great playground - highly recommend.
This playground - one of four in Washington Park - is located on the east side of the park just north of 55th street. It features a large and sprawling play structure with a variety of swings. The structure is pretty standard and offers lots of standard play elements (slides, climbing elements, monkey bars) and overall works quite well. There are swings - toddler, adaptive, belt seat, and a tire swing - as well as a few small standalone elements. The amenities are just the basics: a few wooden benches and a play surface of wood chips. Nearby trees provide some shade but the playground itself is bright and sunny.
This playground - one of four in Washington Park - was renovated in 2022 and is a wonderful playground. It includes a single large play structure, a large set of swings, a few standalone elements, and a water spray feature. The structure has a nature theme and features a variety of slides and climbing elements. The swing set includes the standard swings: toddler, adaptive, and belt seat. The swing set also includes two 'double swings' - one with two belt seats and one with a belt seat and a toddler seat. The standalone alone elements include some interesting musical elements and the water spray element is a 'loch ness mister' and an spray element shaped like a flower.
The entire area is enclosed and features nice amenities like benches, picnic tables, a drinking fountain (with a bottle filler!), and a bike rack. Washington Park is a beautiful setting and the area is surrounded by tall trees; these trees provide some shade but the play area is also quite open and sunny. All in all, this is a great playground and worth checking out - highly recommend.
This playground - one of four in Washington Park - has a solid play structure and would be improved with additional amenities. The play structure is a single, sprawling structure with lots of options: slides, climbing elements, monkey bars, an overhead slider, etc. There are also two sets of swings with the standard Chicago Park options: toddler, adaptive, and belt seat. The play surface is wood chips and - although there are some fences to create a sense of space - and the area is surrounded by beautiful trees. However, other basic amenities - benches, picnic tables, drinking fountains - are lacking; adding these would greatly improve the site.
Ping Tom Park is one of the best parks in Chicago and the playground, while somewhat standard, does not disappoint. It contains two play structures and a number of small, standalone elements, as well as swings and seating. The smaller play structure is designed for younger children and is quite small and accessible. The larger structure is somewhat sprawling and including a variety of elements: monkey bars, climbing elements, slides, and more. No element is truly remarkable or unique but the entire play structure is above average. There are a few unique standalone elements and a standard set of swings.
The play area is entirely enclosed and the playground set near the middle of the park and is removed from cars and traffic. However, this park is near three (3!) active train lines including the CTA Orange Line, Metra and Amtrak trains (which cross the South Branch of the Chicago River on a bridge) and an active freight train line. So despite the distance from cars and traffic, this is playground has great views of trains and river traffic. The play area contains a number of benches and picnic tables and is shaded by several large trees making it a comfortable to sit and gather. The surface of the playground is soft rubber.
Outside the playground, this park has other amenities worth exploring as a family: a large pagoda near the river, two large murals on the 18th Street overpass, and a natural area on the north side of the park. All in all, this is a great playground in a great park; highly recommend.
The playground at Till-Mobley Park features a large play structure with several slides, climbing elements, and overhead elements. There is also a spinning sphere and the standard set of Park District swings (toddler, adaptive, and black belt). The play area, covered in wood chips, is not fully enclosed but it is fenced from the streets. There are a few benches in the area for seating and a drinking fountain near the basketball court.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
Located in the northwest corner of Rosenblum Park, this playground features a huge rope/net climbing element, a large and accessible play structure with a variety of components, a standard set of swings, and a water spray feature. The play area is not enclosed but it is fenced from the street. The play surface is soft rubber and there are benches dotting the perimeter of the play area.
The playgrounds at Rainbow Beach are located toward the northwest corner of the park and are two fully enclosed play area next to each other. They both feature unique net/rope climbing structures and a variety of swings: toddler, belt seat, and hammock saucer swings. The play surface of both is wood chips and though there aren't benches in the immediate area the low perimeter walls offer some informal seating. Situated away from traffic and with great views of Lake Michigan, these somewhat small playgrounds are gems and are worth the trip.
Railroad Junction Park is a shady and small neighborhood park with a great playground. This playground includes a standard set of swings (toddler, adaptive, and belt seat) as well as a large play structure with a variety of slides and climbing elements. The play area is fenced from the street but is not full enclosed. The play surface is wood chips and a highlight of this park is the shade created by large, mature trees. There are also benches surrounding the play area making this a comfortable park.
Prairie Wolf Park is a nice neighborhood pocket park with a playground and water feature. The playground is somewhat non-traditional; the structure consists of a few slides connected by climbing and traversing elements and not bridges or platforms like other sites. The water feature is a small 'four sprayer' with jets from the ground. The surface is wood chips and playground gets some shade from the large trees on the site. The play area is fenced from the street but not fully enclosed There is a shade structure and drinking fountain near the entrance.
Poplar Park contains a small and unique playground as well as a water spray feature. The playground contains just a handful of elements: a single mast rope net climbing structure, a large platform with climbing nets and unique metal pods, and an interesting assortment of swings (adaptive, belt seat, and hammock style saucer). No slides or monkey bars at this site! The water spray feature is a standard 'four sprayer'. This unique park features a few standard amenities - a drinking fountain and benches - as well as great shade from the towering trees on the site. All in all, this is an interesting little 'pocket park.'
