Ready for Summer Series: Playgrounds in Connecticut

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So today I’m continuing our Ready for Summer Series with a little rundown on the playground scene here at Out and About Mom.

We’ve been blogging now for almost two years and during that time we’ve dragged I mean taken our children to over 25 playgrounds in Connecticut!  We’ve had so much fun exploring the outdoor scene across our state and want to make sure you know all that there is to offer.  Take a look at our handy-dandy list below and make sure to click on the links for the full playground review.

Also, help out your fellow moms (and dads) by telling us about your favorite playground.  Just leave it in the comments section below.  We might even be able to add your favorite destination to our summer outing plans.

So, bookmark this post for reference all summer long and get out there and enjoy our beautiful Connecticut summers.  Happy playing!

AVON

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Buckingham Road is a lovely spot with tons of activities for kids of different ages, including a separate toddler-sized playscape, a gigantic big kids’ playscape (with five slides!), a sandbox, swings, picnic areas and more. Oh, and did I mention that it’s completely fenced-in? Score!

 

CANTON

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Walter’s Boundless Playground at The Shoppes at Farmington Valley transforms a morning of errands (like a visit to Snip-Its) into a fun outing for the wee ones.  This playground is tiny but full of fun and convenient to many of your favorite stores.  Plus, it is completely fenced-in!  I like to stop here after an outing to the Little Green Tambourine or the Valley Sports Center.

 

CLINTON

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The playground at Clinton’s Town Beach is the perfect summer destination. A beautiful beach and an awesome playscape. Does an outdoor adventure get any more picturesque than this? We don’t think so! Plus, you can make it a day trip with a little shopping and lunch nearby.  Go during the off-season to avoid the parking fee.

 

COLCHESTER

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RecPlex Playground is a perfect destination for kids young and old.  It features a playscape for the toddler crowd and one for the elementary crew.  It has regular swings and baby swings.  There is a walking trail and a picnic area where the kids can grab lunch or a snack.  For the older crowd there is a skate park and climbing equipment nearby.  Plus, a spray pad is open during the summer.

 

GLASTONBURY

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Addison Park in Glastonbury has a fabulous Boundless Playground with three separate playscapes, including one shaped like a plane! There is also a picnic area, and water activities in the summer months. Plenty of parking, nearby restroom facilities, plus benches for mommies and swings for babies make this a hot spot for playdates.

 

Buckingham Park is a toddler-friendly hideaway in Glastonbury with a pint-sized playscape and plenty of shade.  The playground’s sandbox, baby swings and benches, make this a great playground for a variety of ages.  Plus you can head right across the street to Highland Park Market for a little post-playground grocery shopping or to grab some lunch.

 

The Playground at Ross Field is one of the town’s best kept secrets–until now! This completely fenced in playground is a preschooler’s paradise and includes, among other things, a giant sandbox filled with toys, swings, and two playscapes. Plus plenty of benches where mommies can sit, supervise, and socialize.

 

HARTFORD

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Bushnell Park in downtown Hartford is a wonderful public space with plenty of green grass, a smaller-scale playscape, and the pièce de résistance: the carousel. The playground also contains a few water features, so prepare to get a little wet!  (FYI.  This post is mostly about the Winterfest event at Bushnell, but it does contain a picture of the playground and general information on visiting the park.)

 

Goodwin Park on the Hartford/Wethersfield line is well-known for its Holiday Light Fantasia event in the winter months, and for its golf course in the warmer seasons. But did you know about the great Boundless Playground? Neither did we until a friend clued us in. It has a synthetic padded surface (no mulch to find its way into little mouths!) and a small toddler playscape too.

 

MANCHESTER

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Wickham Park on the Manchester/East Hartford line has three playgrounds, an aviary, a nature center, gardens, trails, fields, picnic areas and more. There’s even a snack bar on weekends during the open season. Oh, and did we mention that the main playground is completely fenced in, shaded with trees, AND located right near restroom facilities? We’ll see you there!  Check out both of our posts on this great destination: Post #1: Main Playground, Nature Center, and Aviary and Post #2: Sensory Garden, Picnic Areas (with playgrounds), and Fitness Trail.

 

MYSTIC

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River Park Playground is a great stop on your next shoreline visit.  If you love taking a trip to Mystic as much as I do, you will be excited to learn about this completely fenced-in playground located within walking distance to downtown.

 

NEW HAVEN

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East Rock Park in New Haven is known for its hiking trails, but it also has lots for tots too. There’s a large playground plus plenty of space to run around. It’s even got a covered picnic area so it’s the perfect spot for an outdoor lunch.

 

NEW MILFORD

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Young’s Field in New Milford has many amenities including a fantastic playground with some of the most exciting slides we’ve seen yet (if you don’t believe us, just ask Bruiser and Sparkles). The park is stroller accessible, and there are also picnic tables and benches. Plus, great ice cream and more in downtown New Milford, which is within easy walking distance.

 

NEWINGTON

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Mill Pond Park is home to Our Children’s Place Boundless Playground, a giant set of playscapes with the perfect mix of activities for little and bigger kids. Plus an enormous enclosed sandbox, picnic tables, benches, and baby swings.

 

ROCKY HILL

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Elm Ridge Park has something for everyone in the family (there’s even a dog park for your four-legged children). Two playscapes with a separate toddler play area, baby swings, a covered picnic area, pool, skatepark, fields, and more. There’s also a great summer concert series.

 

SIMSBURY

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Rotary Park is a Boundless Playground with oodles to explore. There are plenty of options for sliding and climbing, plus a large sandbox, baby swings, and picnic tables too. Another plus? It’s mostly enclosed with a fence, so you don’t have to spend the whole time chasing down escaping kiddos.

 

SOUTH WINDSOR

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Nevers Park is home to My Friend’s Place, which is another great Boundless Playground. This playground has separate playscapes for big and little kids, baby swings, a sandbox, covered picnic pavilion, and more. Plus, there are plenty of benches with good views of the play areas so you can relax while your wee one burns off some energy.

 

WETHERSFIELD

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Mikey’s Place playground at Standish Park is the best of both worlds with a fenced-in pre-schooler playground and a larger playscape for older kids. It’s got lots of swings, tons of slides, a large sandbox, and even a puppet theater. Plus, plenty of shady green space perfect for a picnic.

 

Mill Woods Park Playground offers both small and large playscapes, regular and baby swings, and bouncers.  In the summertime, trees offer shade and picnic tables offer a great place for lunch or a snack.  Make it a double feature by checking out the Eleanor Buck Wolf Nature Center (which is right down the road) either before or after your playground outing.

 

WEST HARTFORD

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Jonathan’s Dream – This playground is currently closed due to a major refurbishment.  As soon as it is back up and running, we will be sure to let you know!

 

 

The Miracle League Playground is less than a year old and that wonderful style of boundless play (which means it is perfect for children of all ability levels).  I especially like that the ground cover is perfect for my crawling 8 month old.  I don’t have to worry about her putting a random piece of mulch in her mouth here!

 

Solomon’s Path Boundless Playground on the Solomon Schechter Day School campus has lots of slides and interesting things to climb. It also has plenty of swings (baby and regular), and lots of fun activities tucked into the playscapes. This one’s only open when school’s out though, so be sure to check our post for the schedule details before you go.

 

The Solomon Schechter Day School also has a fenced-In playground on its campus. We call this one the “Secret Playground” and it’s only open during non-school hours too. But it’s worth checking the schedule because this preschooler-sized playground is completely fenced in and small enough that you can supervise while enjoying a seat. If you’ve got multiple little ones or you’re expecting another, this one should definitely be on your list.

 

Wolcott Park has the perfect toddler playground. It’s bright and colorful with baby swings, a sandbox, and a fun “castle” element to the playscape. But you want to know the best part? It’s fully fenced-in. Like we said, perfect!

 

WINDSOR

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Northwest Park has a lot to offer on its’ 473 acres, the playground is just a start.  There are also walking/hiking trails, a barn with animals, a pond with fish and ducks and plenty of other nature to explore.  The setting is beautiful and it has a lot to offer families with kids of all ages.

 

Want more information on OAAM destinations? Click here for links to all the places we’ve been.

Know of a great CT park or playground that needs to be on this list? Let us know by commenting below.

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