Adams Park has a great sandbox, large playground structures and swings, and a huge water spray feature in a comfortable and quiet environment; these features combine to make Adams Park a destination. The large sandbox has a sun shade umbrella overhead. There is a smaller play structure for younger children and a much larger, somewhat accessible play structure for older children. There are the standard varieties of swings and a see-saw as standalone elements. And the water spray feature is huge and features many different spray elements. The play area is fully enclosed and has a soft rubberized surface. There are a few benches scattered throughout the area and picnic tables tucked away at the south end of the park. The only downside of this park is that it is quite popular and that sometimes the water spray feature is reserved for groups enrolled in Chicago Park District programming and is therefore not accessible to the general public. Even with these downsides, this is a great destination playground for kids in Chicago.
Algonquin Park is a small neighborhood pocket park in the middle of a quiet street with a great playground. There are two play structures (one for younger kids and the other for older) that features the standard slides and climbing elements. There are a few standalone elements like a see-saw and 'things on a spring' as well as a set of swings near the back of the site. The play area is fully enclosed and the play surface is soft rubber. There are benches, a picnic table, and a drinking fountain in this bright and sunny park. In my mind, this is a perfect neighborhood playground; highly recommend.
Avondale Park is a nice neighborhood park with a fieldhouse, outdoor pool, water spray feature, and a nice playground. The playground is tucked just north of the fieldhouse and includes a large, sprawling play structure and the standard set of swings. There is also a large sandbox and a water spray feature nearby. The play area is fully enclosed and is bright and sunny. There are a few benches and the play surface is wood chips. The nearby fieldhouse provides access to bathrooms and drinking fountains (when open).
The playground at Brands Park is an accessible and solid playground with two main play structures and the standard set of swings. There is a small play structure for younger children and a much larger structure for older children. Several slides and platforms of the larger structure are accessible via a ramp built into the hillside making this somewhat accessible. There are also a few overhead elements - a variation on monkey bars and an overhead slider - attached to the larger play structure. The swings are standard (toddler, adaptive, and belt seat) and there are a few 'vehicles on springs' near the smaller structure.
The amenities here are somewhat above average. There are benches and picnic tables within the fully enclosed play area and the main play surface is soft rubber. The Brands Park fieldhouse is quite close and provides access to bathrooms (when the building is open). Although there are some trees near the playground, the play area itself tends to be bright and sunny. All in all, this is a solid playground with some great amenities.
The playground at Clover Park features bright colors and unique plastic evergreen trees atop the poles of the large play structure. There are a variety of elements for a variety of users - including the standard swing options - in the fully enclosed play area with a surface of wood chips. It is tucked in the middle of a block on Southport and the park features several large trees.
This playground in Clybourn Park features two swing sets and a large play structure connected to several traversing elements. The play area is fully enclosed and offers a few benches and limited shade options. The playground is located near a curve of the CTA Brown Line so this park is good for young train lovers.
This park, named for Latin American poet Julia de Burgos, features just two pieces of playground equipment and a play sculpture that are connected to a theme of nature and bugs in particular. The sculpture is a spider and the large net climbing feature - the focal point of the park - resembles a spider web. The other play element is a climbing structure shaped like a butterfly. The setting is wonderful; this park is an access point to the Bloomingdale Trail (aka "The 606") and there is a painted mural on the embankment titled "Rompeolas: Homage to Julia de Burgos" that is worth checking out. There are benches and a drinking fountain. This isn't your traditional playground but it's definitely worth checking out; highly recommend.
This neighborhood playground is definitely a destination playground. The fully enclosed play area features a soft rubber play surface, an artificial turf field (with the Cubs logo befitting it's location close to Wrigley Field), several benches, and picnic tables covered by large shade umbrellas. The two play structures are both solid; one is designed for younger children and the other is designed for older children and features cues to famous Chicago skyscrapers at the tops. There is also a large net climbing feature and the normal variety of swings. The standout feature of this playground, though, are the water features. There is a three part overhead shower-like sprayer, a misting ring, jets coming from a mosaic wall, and an interactive water table. Given all the amenities, this playground is popular in the summer months and for good reason - this is a great playground.
Renovated in 2022, the playground at Erhler Park is a gem. There are two large play structures with modern equipment as well as a small area with interactive panels for very young park goers. The two large play structures have a variety of slides - including a tube slide and a 'big slide!' - climbing elements, and monkey bars while maintaining a traditional playground look/feel. There are also two sets of swings with the standard Chicago Park offerings: toddler, adaptive with a harness, and belt seat.
The setting is beautiful: there is a large row of trees on the southern edge of the park and the fully enclosed park opens onto grassy areas on both sides. There are benches and a drinking fountain and the play surface is newly restored soft rubber. It's a great playground; highly recommend.
Most recently renovated in 2015, Elston Park contains a small playground with modern Kompan equipment. It features two moderate sized structures with bold colors and geometric shapes. These structures contain slides and climbing elements and a variety of traversing elements (though no monkey bars). There are two sets of swings and a small single mast net climbing structure. The play area is fully enclosed and the the play surface is wood chips. There are some benches and trees for seating and shade.
Evergreen Park is a small neighborhood 'pocket park' that has a small playground that is also a time capsule to another era of playground design. Despite the age (the current structures date to at least 2007 and likely earlier), this playground is well maintained and very functional. There are slides, swings, and climbing elements. The amenities are basic - wood chip surface, a few benches for seating, some shade provided by buildings and trees - but together make for a good, classic playground experience.
Fellger Park is a small neighborhood park with a great playground and water spray feature. This gem of a playground has two main play structures - a larger structure for older children and a smaller structure for younger children - as well as many standalone elements: a see-saw, vehicles-on-a-spring, a clubhouse, and a play train. Rounding out the play elements are two sets of swings and a single pole water spray feature. The non-play amenities are stellar: the play area is fully enclosed and the main play surface is soft rubber. Large trees provide ample shade and there are benches and picnic tables for seating. This is a great playground - especially for younger children - and definitely a worthy destination.
Filbert Park is a tiny neighborhood pocket park with playground equipment designed for young children. Nearly everything is low to the ground making it great for toddlers and preschoolers. The largest play structure is near the entrance with a few slides; moving back into the site there are drum panels, interactive panels, and a small set of swings (one toddler and one belt seat).
The non-play amenities are also designed for younger park-goers; the play area is fully enclosed and has a soft rubber surface. There are benches and picnic tables (with shade umbrellas!) as well as a drinking fountain. The site is quite open and is feet from the CTA Brown Line track. All in all, this is a popular and unique playground designed for young children.
Lucy Flower Park is a small neighborhood park with a sand box, water spray feature, and a playground. The playground has a set of non-traditional elements for older children and a small, more traditional structure for younger children. The sand box has a lattice roof for some shade and the water spray feature is designed to look like a flower.
The non-play elements are wonderful; this site is fully enclosed and has a soft surface play area. There are benches, a drinking fountain, and picnic tables. Trees lining the nearby streets provide some shade. All in all, this is a great playground.
This playground - designed by the firm Site Design - combines modern and traditional elements with a forest theme. Traditional elements like swings and slides are present though some traditional elements have a modern, natural twist: two logs positioned like a balance beam, wooden beams supporting climbing structures instead of the traditional metal beams, etc. Even the playground surfaces mix the modern and natural; the play area surface is a combination of wood chips and soft poured-in-place rubber that is sculpted into hills and mounds and the concrete paths are decorated in bold colors and geometric shapes. The play area is fully enclosed and there are few benches and picnic tables for seating and a few trees dot this otherwise sunny play area.
Grape Park was created in the 1970s on land leftover from the nearby Kennedy Expressway and features a small playground last rebuilt in 2015. The small, triangular site features a moderately sized play structure with a variety of climbing elements and slides as well as a set of toddler swings. This playground has a classic vibe - wood chip surface with a few benches - with an abundance of shade from the trees doting the site. The play area is fenced from the street but not fully enclosed.
Haas Park is a wonderful park with a new fieldhouse, large soccer field, playground, and water spray feature. The playground has two large structures. One structure is designed for younger children and the larger structure is designed for older children and is accessible via a ramp. There is a wide variety of slides, climbing elements, and monkey bars as well as swing sets with the standard Chicago Park swings (toddler, adaptive, and belt seat). The water spray feature is in the same area as the playground and is a 'triple shower sprayer.'
The play area is fully enclosed and is next to a new fieldhouse building that provides access to bathrooms (when open). There are also benches and a drinking fountain in the fully enclosed play area. The main play surface is soft rubber and large trees provide some shade throughout the day. All in all, this is a great playground; highly recommend.
The playground at Hamlin Park is a popular playground for obvious reasons: the massive play area is filled with a towering play structure and a variety of elements. The two-story play tower is the most noticeable, but there is also a smaller structure for younger children, a rope net climbing feature, and a few standalone elements at this site. There is also the standard set of Chicago Park swings: toddler, adaptive, and belt seat.
The play area is fenced from the street and features a few benches around the wood chip covered play surface. The nearby fieldhouse should provide access to a drinking fountain and bathrooms (when open). All in all, this is a great playground and a worthwhile destination.
The playground at Holstein Park is located on the northern end of the park and features two unique play structures, a set of swings, and a small water spray feature. One of the play structures is a somewhat sprawling traditional play structure that features a few slides and climbing elements that is fully accessible via a ramp carved into the landscape. The second structure is quite different and hard to describe. Produced by the Kompan Company, this structure is a set of connected climbing elements; it looks somewhat chaotic and definitely isn't traditional but is an interesting and fascinating addition to this park. To balance out the novelty of that structure, there is a standard set of park district swings (toddler, adaptive, and belt seat) and a standalone see-saw. The water spray feature is quite small.
Beyond the elements, this playground features a few benches, a drinking fountain, and two picnic tables within the play area. It is also close to the fieldhouse for bathroom access (when open). The play area is not fully enclosed but is fenced from the streets. The surface is soft rubber and the nearby park space is dotted with trees creating a quite and shady playground. This is a great playground; highly recommend.
Jonquil Park is a moderate size park in the Lincoln Park neighborhood with a large grassy area and a very respectable playground. The fully enclosed play area features a large play structure for older children, a small structure for younger children, a unique 'obstacle course' featuring Kompan elements, and a few other standalone playground elements. There is also a nice overhead spray feature along with a few benches and picnic tables. You can see CTA trains in the distance while enjoying a great park and playground. The play area is fully enclosed and the play surface is soft rubber; highly recommend.
Juniper Park Playground is a small, neighborhood playground with unique elements and a natural design perfect for younger kids. Aside from a few slides and swings, there aren't many traditional playground elements; instead there is a large sandy area (with a faucet and trough for water play), rocks and logs for climbing, and a large rotating net for climbing. This is also a small water feature. Plenty of benches and a few picnic tables make this a really wonderful playground.
One of the smallest playgrounds in Chicago, this playground features just three elements: a small single mast climbing structure, a spinning conical climber, and a hammock saucer swing. The play area is fully enclosed and the play surface is wood chips. There is a lot of afternoon shade but no benches (though short perimeter walls provide some informal seating).
Solid playground tucked into a small pocket park in the middle of a residential block. There is a single sprawling play structure with a few slides and climbing options. Two sets of swings with the standard offerings (toddler, adaptive with a harness, belt seat) and a few standalone elements: a see-saw and a standalone rope net bridge. The play area is fully enclosed and somewhat shaded by trees and neighboring buildings. The play surface is wood chips and there are a few benches for seating. All in all, a pretty standard neighborhood park and playground.
This playground features a small grassy area, benches, and picnic tables and is situated on a small, triangular lot on a busy stretch of Lincoln Avenue and near the Metra tracks. The playground is fully enclosed and well-maintained and features an area for younger children and an area for older children. The play area is fully enclosed and the main play surface is soft rubber. This is a great little neighborhood playlot.
