Hi fellow travelers! I hope you all are exploring! I know it has been a while since I have posted, but summer has literally just started for my family and June is turning out to be a crazy month. I think every one of my children’s friends were born in this month. Birthday parties will be our main event for the month, but when I want to just let my kids get some energy out and not really invest in a lot of work to entertain the kiddos, I usually look to city parks and neighborhood playgrounds. In the past I stayed away from playgrounds, just because it can get so hot and there usually isn’t much shade, plus they can be crowded. But this year I have been a fixture at several of them in my neighborhood, especially in the afternoons. But what are some really fun places to bring your kids to play for an hour or two and for FREE? Read on to see what spots make my list!
When I go to a playground or city park I am looking for a few things that make me feel like I can hang for a while. One, is that the ground is not covered in rocks, gravel, wood chips or is unfinished and covered in mud. I am not a fan of picking sand, gravel and wood chips out of my kids shoes or clothes. Plus, it provides my youngest with an opportunity to throw the ground at other kids, which means we have to leave the park. I need a park that has a soft, rubber pad or at least rubber mulch. Two, is that my kids can play on the equipment without me having to climb up there with them. I like to supervise from afar, knowing that they can manage the slides, ladders, and swings without it being to intense. Three, I don’t like parks that are too close to busy streets. I want a place that is insulated from heavy traffic and if my kids run around I am not screaming at them, because they are about to run into the street. So, with all that criteria are there parks that fit the bill?
The first park I want to mention is Silo Park in Greenwood Village, CO. I have been to this park several times, due to the fact that my parents live close to it, but there are really two parks very close to each other that I enjoy. Silo Park has a large Barn that is next to the park, it’s a great place to have parties and take shelter when you want to get out of the sun. It’s usually booked for gatherings, so you need to call in advance to use it. They also just remodeled Silo Parks playground equipment so it’s brand new and offers more to do. There is also a large green space next to it so kids can run and play. A little farther down there is an open space park with a playground called Tommy Davis Park, which I am not a fan of because there is zero shade, but, there is a small lake and you can walk around the park on tree lined paths and it’s really beautiful. Plus the kids can run because it is not close to the road. https://www.greenwoodvillage.com/349/Silo-Park
Another place I love, is farther north in Thornton, CO, the Denver Premium Outlets is a great place to shop, but they also have an amazing playground that my kids love. If you walk all the way down the main promenade past Old Navy, you can see the playground. They have an enormous slide and a climbing gym to keep the kids busy while you shop. I don’t get up here often because I live so far south, but I do think this shopping mall playground is fantastic. Take a little jaunt up here to shop and leave your kids with your partner, while you peruse the stores, everyone will have a great time! https://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlet/denver
Colorado Springs, CO has some pretty stunning natural areas to play, Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak, and the list goes on, but there are also some playgrounds that will entertain the kids for hours. The Swing High Playground at Memorial Park near Prospect Lake, is universally accessible and can accommodate all ages. It has a nature inspired design and is not too complicated for kids to navigate and it has a cushy rubber ground which I like.
I of course can’t forget to mention Belleview Park, or airplane park as my kid call it. I blogged about this park before when I talked about train rides in Colorado. While, I am not a fan of the playground, there isn’t much shade and the equipment gets very hot, it’s just a great place to have a picnic, wade in the creek and of course ride the train! The train costs a few dollars but the rest of the park is free. https://www.englewoodco.gov/parks-recreation-library/parks/belleview-park-attractions
