The Hudson Valley provides some of the most beautiful, fun and safe playgrounds for your children. Some of them are hidden gems, and we want to share them with you! Also, check out our playground safety check list.
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 seasonal water play area and unobstructed views
of the Hudson River.
The Cold Spring Tots Park is a great little playground for kids under 6. It even has a cute little "Paw Wash" station with hand sanitizer. The Friends of the Tots Park is a group of volunteers that support the park and its ongoing maintenance.
Cronomer Hill Park, off Gardnertown and Powder Mill Road and off Route 32, Town of Newburgh
There are 2 playgrounds in this park, one at each of the locations mentioned. The one off of Gardnertown and Powder Mill Road has a nice structure that even bigger kids can play on plus a smaller structure for the little ones. The playground off Rte. 32 has some swings and a smaller structure.
Yelpers love this park. It's clean and the equipment is kept in good working order. There is a layer of mulch on the ground for safety. There are 2 sizes for the kids, swing set, picnic area and an open field.
Forsyth Park, 157 Lucas Ave., Kingston
This playground has lots of stuff to keep your kids entertained. Slides, a couple of all-in-one structures and more. In addition to the playground this park also has tennis courts, a wading pool, ballfield, pavilion and Forsyth Park Zoo.
MacGhee Park is a classic town park with playground, basketball court, and baseball/softball field.
This unique trail features interactive stations such as a pirate ship, teepee village, musical instruments, fairy houses, butterfly garden, imaginations station, Kindness Rocks - Rock Garden and more special surprises along the trail. This peaceful and easy-hike, full of wonderful surprises, can be enjoyed by all.
New playground equipment has arrived at Plum Point. Kids can now swing to their hearts content and play on the new piece of equipment. Slides, activities and great climbing are all built into this piece. Come and have a great time by the water.
WeePlay 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.
Benedict Farm Park, 1675 State Route 17K, Montgomery
The playground encompasses two different sections: one for children ages 2-5 years old, one for children 5-12 years old. This playground can accommodate over 100 children and is ADA compliant for children with disabilities. The playground equipment components will challenge children and provide beneficial physical fitness.
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.
This park has gorgeous Hudson River views. This playground has a sturdy, all-in-one play structure that will work all of your little ones muscles. Open May 1-Oct. 31. Memorial Day-Labor Day, 8 a.m.-9 p.m.; before Memorial Day and after Labor Day, 8 a.m.-7 p.m.
This fun playground has 2 "Water Misters" to keep your kiddos cool during the hot weather. There are also things for the older kids to do also like volleyball and tennis. It even has a nice picnic area so nobody goes hungry.
Grasshopper Grove, 120 Muser Dr., Cornwall
Located at the Hudson Highlands Nature
Museum’s outdoor discovery center, 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 trees, digging in dirt, balancing on
boulders and creating imaginative worlds with sticks, pinecones and bark.
Admission is free for members, $5 for non-members.
Stanley-Deming Park, South Street, Park Way, Warwick
This is a brand new ADA-accessible playground with a wooden play structure with a ramp that resembles a small town and one that that is great for climbing with a tube slide. There are also swings and a little xylophone.
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.
Stringham Park Playground, 120 Stringham Rd., Lagrangeville
The playground has been newly renovated with brand new equipment. glider, ten spin, swing bays, inclusive swing seat, bumblebee rider, climber, musical instruments, and sensory panels, as well as poured in place rubber surfacing.
Turtle Walk Playground, James Baird State Park, 14 Maintenance Ln., Pleasant Valley
This is a great little playground with new equipment for kids. There is a spot for the little ones to play and lots of climbing equipment for the older kids. A wavy bridge and a unique swinging device round out the fun for the older kids. Even tweens and younger teens will enjoy this spot. Picnic tables in the shade give a nice respite from the sun.
Sally's Dream Park, 186 NY-416, Campbell Hall
Sally's Dream Park is one of the best outdoor play experiences for your children with special needs. The newly redesigned park now offers even more accessibility for children of all ages including ramps, full support swings and unobstructed views from all seating areas. For toddlers and babies, there's also a smaller jungle gym that provides smaller slides and activity walls.
Julie's Jungle, 5 Old Lime Kiln Rd., Hopewell Junction
Julie's Jungle is the first fully- accessible playground in Dutchess county. Inclusivity has been the main focus of this playground since its inception in 2012. Julie's Jungle caters to the needs of all children including those who are able-bodied and those with visual, hearing, cognitive or physical impairments. The state-of-the-art adaptive playground gives children who have been previously excluded the opportunity to participate in outdoor fun while improving their social skills. The grounds also offer ramps and spacious decks, shorter stairs, Braille play panels and even a sensory garden.
Inclusion Playground at Circleville Park, 50 Creamery Rd., Circleville
A fun new park with equipment that can be used by all kids. Lots of safe places for everyone to play. There are 2 other playgrounds in the park too.
James W. Olley Community Park, 97 Sherman Ave., Walden
This park has a playground with an adorable wooden train and cute little playhouses, swings, and a large play structure. There are also pavilions, picnic tables, 2 gazebos, a nature trail, paddle boats, play field, plus a lace and beach.
Fancher Davidge Park, 130 Lake Ave.. Middletown
This park just got brand new playground equipment. There slides, lots of fun stuff to climb on and explore. You can also find a basketball court, War-Memorial pool (in season), 9-hole disc golf course, walking and nature trails, softball field, and green space.
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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 also are 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.
Updated 9/2/2022
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