Walter’s Boundless Playground at the Shoppes of Farmington Valley

Cut to the chase.  Take me to the Momsense.

Do you remember the post about Bruiser’s first haircut?  Poor thing.

I took him to Snip-its at the Shoppes at Farmington Valley.

Well, since that visit several months ago, we have discovered a few more goodies at this great shopping destination.  For one, you just heard last week about the Baby Boot Camp fitness classes available at this site.  Looks like a fun way to meet other moms and get a good workout all at the same time.  But there is also a workout, energy-burning activity available for the wee ones right in this shopping center.  A little oasis amidst the sea of asphalt . . .

Yep.  Right there, in the middle of the shopping center’s parking lot is Walter’s Boundless Playground.

Ingenious?  Well, maybe it isn’t the most amazing thing I have ever seen, but I was pretty happy when I discovered it there.

The playground is located right across the street from Snip-its, so it has now become a part of our haircut outings.

Here is a quick map to show you the location.  Basically, when you pull into the entrance to the shopping center, head straight until the road dead-ends and then make a left.  You will see the playground on your right near the Bank of America atm and close to the Barnes and Noble store.

The day I took these pictures, our newest addition was only about a week old.  I had scheduled in advance for us to get some newborn and family pictures taken right after her birth and realized right before the scheduled shoot that Bruiser’s hair was in need of a little maintenance.  Fortunately, Snip-its is a place where you can just walk-in, so no appointment is necessary.  Then, while you wait for your turn, the kids can play on this little playground.

So, this playground is one of the smallest I have been to, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in functionality.

The playground is fully fenced-in with child safety locks at each entrance.

All of the equipment is small in size and works well for the littlest adventurers.  There are benches where the adults can have a seat and relax a little while the kids play.  And best of all, it is small enough that you can pretty much keep an eye on your kiddos while you relax on previously mentioned bench.

See.  Here I am just relaxing with baby girl.

Even if you are not using the playground as a distraction before hair cuts, you can really combine an outing to this playground with all sorts of activities and make a nice morning or afternoon out for your family.  Here are some options …

Combine an outing to the playground with:

• Barnes and Noble story time (Tuesdays and Saturdays)
• Lunch at one of the many restaurants in the shopping center (definitely need a tiny diner series post for at least one of these places!)
• Shopping (of course)
• Baby Boot Camp

So, if you need to get some shopping done or are just looking for a morning adventure, this unique shopping center playground is a great option.  In my research on the playground, I found this press release from 2009 when it first opened.  In the release they said,

This inclusive, Boundless™ playground, will be the first in Connecticut, and the United States, constructed within a shopping center; a first for our company, WS Development; and hopefully, as we set the standard, the beginning of many for the shopping center industry.

I couldn’t agree more.  This playground is great and such a welcome addition to the shopping center.  I certainly would love to see more of these little playgrounds popping up in shopping centers all over Connecticut!  Are you listening Blue Back Square?

Have you been to Walter’s Boundless Playground?  Let us know!  Share your comments below.

THE MOMSENSE:

Walter’s Boundless Playground

Located in The Shoppes at Farmington Valley

110 Albany Turnpike, Canton, Connecticut

FarmingtonValley@wsdevelopment.com

http://www.theshoppesatfarmingtonvalley.com

Get directions here:

Enter your starting address:

Hours:

Monday – Saturday:  9:00 am to sunset

Sunday:  10:00 am to sunset

Admission:

FREE

Playground Features:

• Handicap Accessible
• Fully fenced-in play area with safety latches on all entrances
• Playscape for children ages 2-5
• Slide
• Groundcover of artificial turf
• Musical instruments
• Benches

Hints & Tips:

• There are no restroom facilities outside.  Utilize the facilities in one of the stores or restaurants if needed.  (Barnes and Noble may be a good option.  According to Brenda at Baby Boot Camp, B&N has a baby changing table in their restroom.)
• Combine a trip to the playground with shopping, eating out, or trying out the story time at Barnes and Noble
• The playground is located smack dab in the middle of a parking lot, so you can easily park close to the playground and most likely would not need a stroller to get multiple kids from the car to the play area.
• There were a few trees around the play area which provide some shade, but most of the playgound is in full sun (so bring sunscreen and hats)

Playground Rules:

• Adult supervision required
• Shoes or sneakers must be worn at all times
• No running, pushing or shoving
• No food or drinks allowed
• Please keep the playground clean
• No dogs – other than services dogs – allowed in the playground
• The playground closes at dusk and in inclement weather

Coming up: Apple season is early this year! Check back on Thursday for one of our top picking picks. And yes, there will be fritters

Want to keep up with all our Out and About Mom adventures?

Check back every Tuesday and Thursday as we dish up more Momsense for getting out and about with your little ones. Don’t have time to check back in? Let us send you an automatic notification of new posts straight to your email inbox by signing up here. Also, you can like us on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with the latest posts and get some extra tidbits we share only through those sites.