A Playground Adventure at Josh’s Jungle

Cut to the chase. Take me to the Momsense.

Last week I told you about my adventures at The Cookie Workshop in Trumbull, CT. That was such a fun activity–my kids loved it! But after they were finished eating all those cookies, my boys needed to do some serious running around to burn off all that sugar energy! Lucky for us, we passed a FANTASTIC playground on our way home 🙂

I first found out about this playground from one of our readers, and I was surprised that I’d never heard about it before. Well, that could be because it’s actually a pretty new playground on the CT playground scene. At just under two years old, Josh’s Jungle, located in Hamden, CT, was built largely by the dedication of Jennifer Tramontano, mother of Josh Tramontano. Josh uses a wheel chair and as a young boy he wished for a playground where all kids could play and have fun together–not just kids in wheelchairs.

Let me tell you, his wish has come true! Because this is one of the best playgrounds we’ve ever visited. No kidding! And every child, from your tiniest tots to your seasoned climbers, will have a ball here!

Eight Reasons Why Josh’s Jungle is a Winner!

1. It’s fully fenced with a latching gate, so you don’t have to worry about little ones making a run for it.

2. Synthetic padded surface–looks like concrete but it’s really a squishy pad– makes falls a little less worrisome and means no mulch for toddlers to stuff in their mouths (woohoo!). Plus it’s easy to wheel around–whether it’s a wheelchair or a stroller.

3. The whole playscape is connected by a network of ramps, so kids with a wide range of climbing abilities are able to explore just about everywhere.

4. The entire structure is enclosed with railings or other barriers, so you don’t have to worry about your kiddos toppling from above as they wander around.

5. Slides–both big and small and lots of ’em!

6. Fun games, challenging climbing opportunities and plenty of unique features to discover.

7. Benches–very important for the ultimate in playground multi-tasking: sitting, supervising and socializing!

8. Surrounding (and shady!) picnic areas–including picnic tables–so you can pack a snack or bring your lunch.

And there’s even a large, convenient parking lot just steps away!

So whether you live locally, or just plan to make Josh’s Jungle a stop on your next road trip, you won’t want to miss this playground adventure!

We’re slowly making our way around the state in search of great playgrounds! If there’s one in your area that we haven’t covered yet, please let us know by leaving a comment below or sending us a note at outandaboutmom@gmail.com

Josh’s Jungle

Town Center Park

2761 Dixwell Avenue, Hamden, Connecticut

Find out more about this park on Facebook!

Hours:

• I don’t know for sure, but I would assume daylight hours (although the park has other areas with nighttime activities like outdoor concerts so there are some lights).

Pricing:

• FREE!

Details:

• Stroller Friendly: YES. 
• Coffee Mug Friendly: YES.
• Restroom: YES. I only saw porta-potties in this area, but Town Center Park is a large park so there may be other areas with restrooms. (One of our wonderful readers mentioned that there are also restrooms in the nearby Miller Library that you can use as well. Thanks, Laura!)
• Baby Changing Station: NO.
• Parking: YES. There is a big lot nearby.
• Food for Sale: I did not see any. Although I did see that the park hosts a food truck festival (here’s info from last year’s event, which was in June). And there’s also a Farmers’ Market in the Miller Memorial Library lower parking lot (which is right outside the playground! Thanks to our fabulous reader Jamila for letting me know!) on Fridays from 11:00am-3:00pm in the summer/fall months (mid-June to mid-October).
• Outside Food Allowed: YES.
• Cash Required: NO.
• Dress Code: NO.
• Age Recommendations: All ages and abilities are welcome! This is a particularly good playground destination if you have a toddler.
• Evening/Weekend Hours: YES.
• Discounts: Not needed.

• The Little Green Tambourine – Located in Canton, CT, this healthy living creative arts studio offers a variety of opportunities for kids to learn and play.
• Connecticut Children’s Medical Center – The state’s only free-standing hospital that offers comprehensive, world-class health care to children. Based in Hartford, Connecticut Children’s also provides services at several locations throughout the state.
• The Independent Day School – Located on a rural campus in Middlefield, CT, this private pre-school, elementary and middle school serves families from over 20 communities.
• Mandell JCC – The Mandell JCC, Zachs Campus, 335 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford, CT, welcomes and serves families and individuals of all ages, stages, backgrounds and faiths. Our fitness, wellness and recreation, arts and culture, camp, early childhood education programs, classes, clubs and services are open to all. You Belong Here!

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And don’t forget about our SPECIAL PROMOTION to celebrate the launch of our BRAND NEW BIRTHDAY PARTY VENUE DIRECTORY!

 

Want to keep up with things to do with kids in Connecticut?

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