A few weeks ago, my family and I went to check out the newly renovated playground at Northeast Park, part of the Park Ridge Park District. This neighborhood park is obviously a kids' favorite.
As with most of the parks we've visited, there are two play structures (pictured above)--one for older kids and one for younger kids. I'm pretty sure the older kid's structure is the tallest one we've see yet, with a ginormous slide! This area is recommended for 5 to 12 year olds. My three year old daughter has never been hesitant to go on the bigger structures--until now. Maybe it would have been different if there were fewer kids around. But here's the deal. There are stairs that go about half way up. Once you get half way, your options are ladder or rope ladder to get to the top and the slide. So parents, if your little ones go up and don't want to come down, it's going to be a climb to retrieve them. But all of the older kids were having a blast! There is a shaded section underneath the play structure where kids can hang out, as well as a merry go round and a big disk swing.
The younger kids play structure, aimed at 2 to 5 year olds, is a little more typical of the parks we've seen. It has a couple of slides, a couple of climbing elements and some interactive features like gears to turn and a steering wheel. There are also a couple of toddler swings, a couple of regular swings and a seat swing. But my daughter's absolute favorite was the double swing that has both a toddler seat and an adult seat connected by a metal structure so you can swing on it with your child. Take a look at the video below. This was so much fun for my daughter, and as a parent, you definitely get a bit more of a work out swinging for two!
Between the two play areas, there is a covered area with picnic tables for the grown-ups to sit on or to grab a snack. Although there are trees in the vicinity, they don't really provide shade for the playground structures, so heat may be an issue in the summer months.
The park also has tennis courts, basketball courts, a pickle ball court, a soccer field and a lacrosse field. There are sports teams that practice on the fields and there were tennis lessons taking place when we were there on a sunny Tuesday afternoon. Although the website suggests there is a drinking fountain, we did not find one after walking the perimeter, and the only bathroom available is a porta potty. So bring your own snacks and drinks, and keep visits short if you don't want to use a porta potty.
Park Details:
- Northeast Park is located at 801 N Washington Ave, Park Ridge, IL 60068.
- The park is open daily from dawn until dusk.
- Street parking is available in the surrounding neighborhood.
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