Water Spray Features

This project tags playgrounds that have water spray features. As usual, here are a few notes about definitions:

In summary, this site treats water spray features as elements of a playground and not as a separate facility. This site also describes the water spray elements themselves and has some opinions about the playgrounds with the best water spray features.

Playgrounds with Water Spray Features

  • Playground
    Brighton Park Community Campus (Park 596) - Playground
    The playground at the Brighton Park Community Campus is a one-of-a-kind playground and one of the best in Chicago. This site opened in 2023 and features new playground equipment, a water spray feature, and a nature play area. The playground features several large structures that are hard to describe. These structures feature some familiar elements like slides and monkey bars but combine them in unusual ways. The water spray feature is immediately next to the playground and features a variety of jets from the ground and water loops. The nature play area is also in the same area and features a few different 'rooms' with different themes. This site is the new administrative center for the Chicago Park district and the buildings on the east side of the site are the administrative center and the park's fieldhouse. The fieldhouse provides access to bathrooms (when it is open) and the courtyard between the two buildings is a wonderful space with picnic tables. The playground has a soft rubber surface and is fenced from the street but not fully enclosed. There is a drinking fountain there as well as some benches. The site is currently bright and sunny and open. All in all, this is an amazing playground and a true destination playground; highly highly recommend.
  • Playground
    Woodhull Park - Playground
    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.
  • Playground
    Wolfe Park - Playground
    The playground in Wolfe Park contains a small play structure, a set of swings, and a small water feature. The single play structure is quite large and includes a few slides and some unique climbing features. There are also a few climbing, traversing, and overhead elements next to the main structure as well as a standalone see-saw in the area. There is a small set of two adaptive swings in the same area and - curiously - a set of belt seat swings and toddler swings on the other side of the fieldhouse in the northwest corner of the park. The water spray feature is a simple "overhead triple sprayer" that was renovated in 2015 with the rest of the playground. The play area is fenced from the street but not fully enclosed and the surface is wood chips. There are a few benches nearby but the low perimeter wall provides some informal seating. Large trees provide some afternoon shade the the fieldhouse should provide bathroom access when open.
  • Playground
    Wilson (John) Park - Playground
    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.
  • Playground
    Wilson (Frank) Park - Playground
    Wilson Park is a large neighborhood park with a variety of athletic fields, a fieldhouse, a playground, and a water playground. The playground is located near the eastern edge of the park just north of the fieldhouse and is a gem. There is a small collection of equipment that looks like a firetruck. The bulk of the playground is a large, sprawling structure that spans an interesting 'valley' in the soft rubber surface. The larger structure is also accessible via a ramp and features modern elements. There is also a separate "water playground" near the more traditional dry playground. The non-play amenities are solid. There are interesting 'cement blocks' for seating and a drinking fountain near the playground. The nearby fieldhouse provides access to bathrooms (when open). All in all, this is a great playground.
  • Playground
    Williams- Davis Park - Playground
    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.
  • Playground
    White (Edward) Park - Playground
    The playground at Edward White Park consists of two main areas and a water spray feature. The two areas both feature moderate sized structures seemingly designed for school-aged children. There is the standard Chicago Park swings and a simple water spray feature. The amenities are light - no benches or seating in the area - but the equipment seems very new and well maintained. The play area opens directly to the rest of the park and the play surface is wood chips.
  • Playground
    West Pullman Park - Playground
    The playground in West Pullman Park is a solid playground with some great trees. There are two play structures, a set of swings, and a small water spray feature. The structures are standard in the best sense of the word and come with many of the standard elements: slides, monkey bars, and other climbing elements. There are a few nice amenities - soft rubber surface, benches, access to bathrooms in the nearby community center - but the trees are the standout feature. Beautiful trees - both in the playground and the rest of the park - provide beautiful shade. Again, solid playground with some great trees; highly recommend.
  • Playground
    West Chatham Park - Playground
    On the north side of West Chatham Park, you'll find a delightful playground and water playground. The playground is standard in many ways - a single large play structure with a few standalone elements and swings - but is also really well done. The water playground is a huge area with a variety of different water spray elements. These playgrounds open into the rest of the park and feature benches and picnic tables for seating as well as trees for shade. Both areas are fully enclosed and removed from traffic making them great places to spend some time. Highly recommend.
  • Playground
    Wentworth Park - Playground
    Located in the middle of Wentworth Park, on the east side, is a great playground and water spray feature. The playground includes two structures - a moderate sized structure for younger children and a large, sprawling structure for older children. The larger structure features a variety of climbing elements and slides and is partially accessible via a ramp. There is a set of swings with the standard options (toddler, adaptive, and belt seat) as well as a 'triple shower' water spray feature. The playground is fenced from the street and the rest of the park but is not fully enclosed. There are benches and a drinking fountain near the play area with the nearby fieldhouse providing access to bathrooms (when open). The play surface is soft rubber and although there are trees near the playground, the playground itself is bright and sunny. All in all this is a great playground; highly recommend.
  • Playground
    Weisman Park - Playground Park
    Weisman Park has a great playground, wonderful water spray feature, and lots of seating and shade. There are two main structures at this playground - one small structure for very young children and another structure that is larger and for older children. There is also the standard set of Chicago Park swings (toddler, adaptive, and belt seat), a small playhouse, and a four person see-saw. The water spray area is also excellent: a triple water sprayer, a "loch ness mister", and water jets from a mosaic covered wall. The play area is fully enclosed and the main play surface is soft rubber. There are several picnic tables and benches for seating and the site offers some shade. All in all, this is a wonderful playground; highly recommend.
  • Playground
    Washtenaw Park - Playground
    This small playground is located in Washtenaw Park and features a large play structure suitable for older children, a few standalone elements, and a simple water spray feature. The play area is fenced but not fully enclosed and the play area is sunny with wood chips as the main play surface.
  • Playground
    Washington (Harold) Park - Playground
    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.
  • Playground
    Washington (George) Park - West Playground
    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.
  • Playground
    Washington (George) Park - Northwest Playground
    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.
  • Playground
    Montgomery Ward Park - Playground
    The playground at Montgomery Ward Park is a gem. There are two traditional play structures. The smaller structure is quite small for younger children and the larger structure is designed for older children but is still rather low to the ground and safe for younger climbers. There are also two large, standalone rope net climbing elements on either side of the park. Lastly, there is a large set of standard swings, a rail slide built into terrain of the park, and a few standalone elements. Oh - there is also a water spray feature: a triple overhead sprayer. The amenities of this playground are solid too. The play area is fully enclosed and the surface is soft rubber. There are picnic tables (under shade umbrellas!) and many small, concrete cubes that can be used for seating (though, strangely, no benches that I can recall). The playground is bright and sunny without much shade though there are lots of trees in the grassy areas surround the playground. All in all, this is great playground; highly recommend.
  • Playground
    Walsh Park - Playground
    The playground at Walsh Park is a great playground that has two wonderful and unique structures. There is a huge play structure consisting of two towers that are connected by a fully enclosed rope net bridge. The climbing elements are all inside the towers and each tower has a large curving tube slide so while there is no chance of a high fall from the tall structures, it still takes courage to climb and cross them (for child and for parent!). The second structure is harder to describe but resembles a dome with rope netting on the exterior with a variety of climbing elements inside. This is slightly smaller but still a challenging elements for kids who like to climb. Finally, there are some swings (toddler, adaptive, and hammock-style saucer swings), a small curving climbing wall, and a unique pipe drum musical element. There is also a water spray feature in this playground! Small jets of water spout from the ground for a duration of time after a button is pressed. This water feature is quite integrated into the play area (i.e. hard to keep kids away) so probably good to plan accordingly. This playground is located at the eastern end of the 606 trail and despite it's central location actually seems quite removed from the hustle and bustle of the city. That being said, it's also a very popular playground that is used by school and camps groups so it can get crowded. The play area is not fully enclosed but it is fenced from the street. There are large, flat rocks set around the area as benches as well as two picnic tables for seating. The play area itself is bright and open though there are trees dotting the area for some shade and the play surface is wood chips. All in all, this is a great playground - especially for somewhat older children - and definitely a worthwhile destination.
  • Playground
    Wallace Park - Playground
    Wallace Park contains a non-traditional playground and very traditional water spray feature. The playground is not a typical play structure and slides - and there aren't even traditional swings at this park! Instead, there is a collection of rope and net climbing elements, two saucer swings, and a collection of rope/net traverse elements. The water spray feature - on the other hand - is a very traditional 'four sprayer'. The play area is fenced from the street and the play surface is wood chips. There are a few benches for seating and trees for shade. All in all, this is an interesting playground.
  • Playground
    Violet Park - Playground
    Violet Park is a small neighborhood park with a large playground structure, two sets of swings, and a water spray feature. The playground structure is quite large and contains a few slides, climbing elements, overhead elements, and traversing elements. The swings sets are standard for Chicago parks and the water feature is a standard 'four sprayer.' Large trees on the west side of the play area provide some shade and there are also a few benches for comfort. The play surface is wood chips and the play area is fenced from the street but not fully enclosed.
  • Playground
    Veterans' Memorial Park - Playground
    Veterans' Memorial Park has a small playground on the southern edge of the park as well as a water spray feature and set of swings. The main play structure is somewhat dated - the current equipment has been in place since at least 2011 - but is overall still functional with a variety of slides, climbing elements, and interactive panels. This playground is also somewhat accessible to wheelchair users with a ramp to the main structure and a soft rubber surface. The small set of swings is standard (toddler, adaptive, and belt seat) and the water spray feature is also a standard 'triple sprayer.' There are benches around the perimeter of the play area as well as a small park building with access to bathrooms and drinking fountains (when open). Although the equipment is dated, this is still a decent playground.
  • Playground
    Unity Park - Playground
    The playground at Unity Park is a huge asset to the Logan Square neighborhood. It features huge elements: a huge play structure for younger kids, a huge climbing net structure, a huge play structure for older children, and a huge water spray feature. The area for younger children is quite large and features a light nautical theme with a ship bow and mast. Older children could play on the large climbing net structure and the dedicated area with a variety of elements. And the nearby spray feature is massive and features four large overhead sprayers. There are also the standard variety of swings in this fully enclosed playground. The play surface is wood chips and there are a few benches and picnic tables scattered around this small park. Those interested in history and/or wish to hear a catchy song should check out the audio documentary "Meet Me at Unity Playlot" by Long Haul Productions (available on SoundCloud here: https://soundcloud.com/longhaulpro/unity) because it tells the history of this park as well as features a song written about the park.
  • Playground
    Union Park - Playground
    The playground at Union Park is a huge playground with a water spray feature and a range of other elements. There are several rope net climbing elements including a 'wooden plank bridge' and a huge multifaceted climbing structure. Interestingly, this site uses equipment made from at least two different playground manufacturers - though perhaps this is only interesting to someone who writes detailed reviews of playgrounds! There is a small, traditional structure with a few slides and climbing elements from the company "landscape structures." There is also a more post-modern looking play structure for older children from the "Kompan" company based in Europe. There is a small set of standard swings as well as a few standalone elements. The water spray feature are some water loops that provide a gentle mist of water. The play area is not fully enclosed but opens into the rest of Union Park and is fenced from the nearby streets. The play surface is soft rubber and there are a few benches and a drinking fountain. The fieldhouse and the pool are nearby and should provide access to bathrooms (when open). There are a number of trees in the area that should provide some shade - especially in the afternoon. All in all, this is a great playground and definitely a destination to visit.
  • Playground
    Tuley Park - Playground
    The playground at Tuley Park is a solid neighborhood playground with two play structures, the standard Chicago Park swings, and a water spray feature. The larger structure, designed for older children, features long ramps and a few slides and climbing elements. The smaller structure is quite small and definitely meant for younger children. The water spray feature is a solid 'triple shower sprayer' next to the playground. The playground is located just south of the fieldhouse (which should provide access to bathrooms when open) and is fenced from the street but not fully enclosed. There are benches and a drinking fountain in the area and the play surface is soft rubber. There are a few trees nearby but the playground itself is bright and sunny.
  • Playground
    Trumbull Park - Playground
    Shade and slides. These two words describe the playground in Trumbull Park. There are other features as well - monkey bars, rope/net climbing elements, swings - but the number and variety of slides as well as the quality of shade provided by the large mature trees are the defining factors of this playground. There is also a water spray feature directly north of the playground (and a pool in the same park!). The playground is on the east side of the park next to the fieldhouse (which provides access to bathrooms when open). The play surface is wood chips and there are a few benches for seating around the playground.
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