Bowdoin Park, 85 Sheafe Rd., Wappingers Falls
With its nature center, hiking trails, and handicapped- accessible playground with swings, slides, tunnels and climbing apparatus, it is easy to see why this 300- acre park is beloved by all. Highlights also include a water play area and unobstructed views of the Hudson River.
Wee Play Tot Park, Robert Cahill Dr., Beacon
This toddler friendly park aimed at children ages 0-6 years sits at the base of a magical forest of trees and is one of the many great features of Memorial Park in Beacon. The play area features swings, slides, climbing structures, ride on toys and various toddler toys.
Hasbrouck Park, Mohonk Ave., New Paltz
The Main attraction of this playground is the large wooden, castle style structure that allows kids to exercise their imagination as well. With nooks and crannies to climb, this fenced- in playground has a wood chip ground cover, a sandbox, slides and swings.
Grasshopper Grove, 120 Muser Dr., Cornwall
Opened in 2013, Grasshopper Grove is a half- acre safe, accessible nature play space where young children can run down hills, balance on logs, use their imaginations and develop their motor skills. Natural elements give young children the opportunity to find adventure and appreciate the wonder of nature by climbing on fallen rees, digging in dirt, balancing on boulders and creating imaginative worlds with sticks, pinecones and bark. Admission is free for members, $3 for non-members
Thomas Bull Memorial Park, 211 State Rt., 416, Montgomery
The 20-acre park is home to Sally's Dream Playground, a beautiful handicapped accessible playground with plenty of share, ramps and platform bridges, swings and even some play instruments and puzzles.
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Here are some things to consider when searching out the best playground for your kids:
East Fishkill Recreation area
- Concrete, asphalt, and blacktop are unsafe and unacceptable. Grass, soil, and packed-earth surfaces are also unsafe because weather and wear can reduce their capacities to cushion a child's fall.
- The playground surface should be free of standing water and debris that could cause kids to trip and fall, such as rocks, tree stumps, and tree roots.
Robert E Post Park Kingston
- There should be no dangerous materials, like broken glass or twisted metal.
- The surfaces may be loosely filled with materials like wood chips, mulch, sand, pea gravel, or shredded rubber. Wood chips containing chromated copper arsenate (CCA) treatment are not recommended since the material can pose a potential health hazard.
Benedict Farm Montgomery
- Surfacing mats made of safety-tested rubber or rubber-like materials are also safe.
- Rubber mats and wood chips allow the best access for people in wheelchairs.
- Loose-fill surface materials 12 inches deep should be used for equipment up to 8 feet high. The material should not be packed down because this will reduce any cushioning effect.
Sally's Dream Thomas Bull Memorial Park Montgomery
- No surfacing materials are considered safe if the combined height of playground and the child (standing on the highest platform) is higher than 12 feet.
- The cushioned surface should extend at least 6 feet past the equipment. Additional coverage may be needed, depending on how high a slide is or how long a swing is.
- If there is loose-fill over a hard surface (like asphalt or concrete), there should be 3-6 inches of loose-fill like gravel, a layer of geotextile cloth, a layer of loose-fill surfacing material, and then impact mats under the playground equipment.
Memorial Park Beacon
Keep in mind that even proper surfacing can't prevent all injuries. Also, the greater the height of the equipment, the more likely kids are to get injured if they fall from it.
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