Playgrounds with Wood Chips
A playground classic: wood chips. This page lists (and maps) Chicago Park playgrounds that use wood chips as a play surface.
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Abbott Park - PlaygroundAbbott Park's playground is located in the northeast corner of the park and features a large play structure. This structure includes a few slides and some unique climbing elements. There is also a variety of swings (toddler and tire; belt seat and molded plastic with harness) and a see-saw and a car on a spring. The play area is not fully enclosed but the playground is set away from the street. The play surface is wood chips and low perimeter walls provide some seating. There are two water spray features just to the north of the playground. -
Ada Park - PlaygroundThe playground in Ada Park is located in the northwest corner of the park and features a large play structure suitable for older children. There are several large slides and challenging overhead elements as well as a few climbing and traversing features. There are two sets of swings with the standard Chicago Park options (toddler, adaptive, and belt seat). There is a water spray feature nearby - but it is integrated with the pool and not the playground. The play area opens to the park but is fenced from the street. There are benches and a picnic table and the wood chip covered play area is heavily shaded by large, mature trees. All in all, a solid playground. -
Altgeld Park - PlaygroundRenovated in 2013, this small playground is located in the northwest corner of Altgeld Park and features a large play structure designed for older children. This structure includes a few slides, climbing elements, rope bridge, and monkey bars. In a separate area, the playground also contains a small playhouse, a see-saw, and the standard set of swings. The play area is fully enclosed and the play surface is wood chips. The site has some large trees that provide some shade and a small, covered pavilion for additional shade. -
Anderson (Louis) Park - PlaygroundAnderson Park is a small park with a great little playground. The playground is somewhat standard but is also wonderful. There is a single large play structure with a few slides, climbing elements, and plank bridge (thought, strangely, no monkey bars). There is a standard set of swings (toddler, adaptive, and belt seat) and 'four sprayer' water feature. The setting is wonderful - sharing a site with two public schools and a fieldhouse - and it gets wonderful shade from the large, mature trees towering overhead. There are benches and a drinking fountain and access to bathrooms (when the fieldhouse is open). All in all, this is a great little playground. Highly recommend. -
Andersonville Park - Playground ParkAndersonville Park offers and nice, shady playground with a large structure for older children and a variety of swings. The large play structure is two platforms connected by a variety of climbing and traversing elements along with a few slides. The swings - toddler, adaptive, belt seat, and tire - are located near the back of the playlot. The play area is fully enclosed and the surface is wood chips. This park is also deeply shaded by large trees and there are a few benches, low walls, and a picnic table for seating. -
Armstrong Park - PlaygroundArmstrong Park - named for Lillian Hardin Armstrong, a jazz musician and composer who was married to Louis Armstrong - is a large park with a large playground. The playground features an area for younger children with a small play structure and toddler swings. The rest of the site features an assortment of standalone elements for older children; some are connected but there aren't standard ladders to raised platforms in this park for older children. The rest of the park is beautiful with trees, ballfields and a walking path, but the area surrounding this playground is somewhat strange. The play site itself is a large wood chipped area that lacks seating (like benches or picnic tables) and shade. There is a shade pavilion nearby that offers some respite, but the size and general emptiness of the play area are somewhat strange. So while I have some quibbles with the design choices of this playground, I still think it's a decent neighborhood playground. -
Arthur Telscer PlaygroundThis playground - one of 10 in Lincoln Park! - is named the Arthur Telscer Playground and features a play structure, sandbox, and water spray feature. The play structure is relatively small and is designed for younger children. The is also a collection of overhead and climbing elements nearby that should prove challenging to older children. There is also a set of swings with the Chicago Park standards - toddler, adapative, and belt seat - along with a few standalone elements including two animal sculptures. The water spray feature is a simple 'four sprayer' and there is a sandbox (usually with a few leftover sand toys). This playground is heavily shaded and fully enclosed with a few benches for seating. All in all, this is a solid playground; highly recommend. -
Ashmore Park - Playground ParkAshmore Park is a tiny neighborhood park on a residential street with a great little playground. There is a large structure with all the basics (slides, climbing elements, a variation on monkey bars, etc.) and some interactive panels. There are various swings including a toddler, belt, adaptive, and tire variations. The non-play amenities are okay with some exceptional shade from the large tree on and surrounding the site. There are benches, a drinking fountain, and a small table with a chessboard on the surface. The play area is fully enclosed and the play surface is wood chips. All in all, this playground is a shady and quiet spot to spend a day at the park. -
Aspen Park - Playground ParkAspen Park is a small pocket park with a nice playground. There is a metal climbing element near the the entrance, a standard set of swings (toddler, adaptive, and belt seat) near the rear, and a sprawling play structure in the middle that includes a few slides, climbing elements, and monkey bars. The setting and non-play elements are standard; the play surface is wood chips and there are a few benches and a drinking fountain. -
Aster Park - Playground ParkAster Park features a large and sprawling set of playground equipment and a small water spray feature. The play structure has equipment for a range of kids including slides, climbing elements, and monkey bars. The water spray feature is a standard 'four sprayer.' In most respects, it's a standard Chicago Park: wood chips surface, enclosed play area in the middle of the block, and decent shade from trees and neighboring buildings. -
Austin Foster Park - PlaygroundAustin Foster Park - aptly named because it is at the corner of Austin and Foster Ave - is a moderately large park with a few athletic fields and a nice playground. The playground is located at the park's southern edge and features two sprawling structures with lots of equipment. The non-play amenities include benches, a drinking fountain, and a picnic table. The location is right off a busy stretch of Foster Ave, so there is a fair amount of street noise. The play surface is wood chips and there the playground is fenced from Foster but not fully enclosed. All in all, despite the location, this is a good playground with lots of play elements. -
Austin Park - PlaygroundThis playground is located in narrow Austin Park near the corner of Lake and Mayfield and just north of the CTA Green Line tracks. The equipment in this park is standard for Chicago playgrounds but larger than most. It contains a large climbing structure designed for older children with a few slides and climbing features as well as a climbing net and small climbing wall. On the same block, just further west, there are two large water features: one water spray area and one water playground. So while they aren't integrated into the playground they are quite close. The play area is not enclosed but it is shaded by large trees to the south. There is a bench near the park and bathroom access via the fieldhouse building near the water features. The play surface is wood chips.