Playgrounds

View Playground Map current as of 3.22.14 in a full screen map

View Wee Play in PA Playground Map in a full screen map

(*denotes a playground that does not currently have a posted review)

Reviews are posted according to region below - please scroll down until I can get my act together to insert jump page breaks :)  

Also please accept my apologies for any weird font/typeface issues- I spend a ridiculous amount of time formatting things to be nice then Blogger seems to mess it up - trying to fix that while banging my head against the desk. 

West Chester Playgrounds

East Goshen Township Park
Robert E. Lambert Park  
Shadyside Park  
West Bradford Park / Broadrun Park  
John O. Green Memorial Park  
West Goshen Community Park  
Everhart Park  
Hoopes Park*  
East Bradford Park 
Marshall Square Park  

Downingtown Playgrounds

East Brandywine Park*  
Bell Tavern  
Kerr Park / Sky’s the Limit Playground  
Lloyd Park  
Johnstown Park  
East Ward School Playground  
Marsh Creek State Park  
Shamona Creek Park  

Kennett Square
Anson B. Nixon Park  

Glenmoore
Springton Manor Farm & Park  

Malvern / Frazer
Battle of the Clouds Park  

Upper Main Line
Wilson Farm Park- Devon, PA
Freedom Playground - Haverford PA*

Exton / Lionville
Albert C. Miller Park *  

Chester Springs / Kimberton / Phoenixville
Kimberton Community Park *  
Reeves Park Phoenixville *  

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Playgrounds that have been mapped and are NOT in Chester County but are possibly worth losing a nap for: 
(Please note I have not yet reviewed the playgrounds listed below)

Delaware County  

• Concord Township Dream Playground*
• Media, PA Tot Lot*

Philadelphia

• J.S. Jenks School Playground*
• Smith Memorial Playground*

Lancaster

• No playgrounds currently mapped

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WEST CHESTER, PA

East Goshen Township Park  
East Goshen Township / West Chester, PA

Access: Multiple entrances located on Paoli Pike – both are well marked. Park is located between North Chester Road and Township Line Road.

Parking: Tons of parking in multiple lots.

Features: 55 acre park with a large playground area with swings, multiple climb on and in toys, ride on toys, huge play structures that are nice and low as well as a pirate ship, a Viking ship, a plastic tree house, a truck and 3 sand play areas.

The park also has paved walking/jogging trails (a .9 mile loop I believe), pavilions, basketball courts, athletic fields, beach volleyball court, Tennis Courts and lots of areas for hanging out. There is a small creek that runs through the park as well.

Website: East Goshen Township Parks Department: CLICK HERE

Park Map: CLICK HERE

Age Range: Walkers and up but the equipment seems better suited for the under 6 set – I have seen kids about 8 and up on the playground and they seem bored and overrun by little ones.

Cleanliness: For the most part I think this is a very well kept park. I have yet to see it teeming with trash, even after group visits. It does get pretty sloppy after a rainstorm though – not great drainage around the playground area so be prepared for muddy feet and rear ends. They keep the grass areas well mowed though.

       

Crowds: This play area tends to get PACKED. I have seen it absolutely overrun with what seems like millions of kids and also perfectly dead with just a few families wandering here and there.

Potties: Located far away from the play area – a true hike if you have a newly potty trained child be warned you will be hoofing it up he hill to the entry end of the parking lot- tough. Plus its so far away you will need to bring all of your stuff with you if you have no one to watch it- total pain.

Potty Cleanliness: Surprisingly good. No smell of urine any of the times we have been here and the overall cleanliness and trash etc. that is typical of park potties has been almost non-existent the times we have used the potties here.

        Playground Material: Wood, metal, plastic with wood mulch and grass. 

   

        Review / If you go:  

This is a cool playground - I liked that the equipment was mostly geared for younger kids- it is for the most part low to the ground but still fun enough that 3-6 years olds can have a blast but I also don’t have to freak out watching my 15 month old climb a huge tower to get to a slide. The Pirate ship is cool but the ramp is steep to get up to it. The truck seems cool but is kind of a weird thing- its an awkward narrow ladder up and then to get to the slide you really have to step up (there isn’t a step) so it can be awkward for the under 3 age. I love that there are multiple sand areas – they are always a big hit.

One of the few drawbacks of this playground is that aside from the fact that it gets very sloppy after big rains there is a creek right next to the playground. Seems nice enough but when you have younger kids who have a mind of their own it is tough to keep them away from.

There used to be a huge shade tree right in the middle of the playground but it has since been taken down after I started writing these posts/reviews. The tree was one of the few areas of respite- now there is only one tree left and it is home base for EVERYONE from the sun so be prepared to not hoard shady grass space. Truthfully, we only really do playgrounds in the morning in the summer anymore- mainly because of the heat-  So while I haven’t experienced a true scorcher here I would take note to bring extra sunscreen and water, as there are no water fountains that I could find.

This park also has United Way / Born Learning activities posted around the perimeter of the playground. Things like Hopscotch are painted on the path and directives such as jump around and dance and some other fun silly things are on the signs. Very cute - kind of like an exercise course for kids. Of course, I have never actually seen any kids DO these but the concept is great.

BONUS #1: If you are looking for a combination mission of mommy walk then play like I look for this is a great place as in addition to the .9 mile loop around East Goshen Park you can also cross over (can be treacherous) Paoli Pike and walk the paths of Applebrook Park. (Check out my review of Applebrook Park under Walks and Stroller Rides for the dirt on this).

BONUS #2: A lot happens at this park as– Thursday Farmer’s Markets (3:00-7:00 PM weekly in the summer); Community Days; Preschool Entertainment Activities in July; movie nights; and lots of holiday celebrations. It is a good local hub for fun stuff. 

*****

Robert E. Lambert Park

West Goshen Township / West Chester, PA

Access: Off of Pottstown Pike between Greenhill / Sunset Hollow Roads and The Chestnut Grove / St. Agnes Cemeteries.  

Parking: Kind of tricky- the closest place to park to the play equipment is actually the Wawa Parking lot but there are signs posted that only Wawa customers can park there. There is a main parking lot which is accessed off of the Pottstown Pike Entrance (which I think is the only entrance) but honestly, it was confusing so I just parked at Wawa, ran in to get some snacks just to be a legit “customer” then walked down the stairs to the play area.

Features: Play area, Skate park, tennis courts, Off-leash dog park, Athletic fields, Tables/chairs & pavilions.

Age Ranges: Better for 4 or 5 year olds and up

Website:  I could only find dedicated pages for the Skate Park: CLICK HERE and the Dog Park: CLICK HERE

Park Map: CLICK HERE

Cleanliness: It was very clean for the most part. Plenty of trash cans around and we visited on a maintenance day so everything was being mowed / leaf blown.

Crowds: We went around 10:30 am on a Tuesday and we were the only ones at the play area. The Skate park had 2 guys skating and no one was at the dog park. I would imagine on the weekends it gets mobbed with the athletic fields and use of the dog/skate parks / tennis courts etc., but we didn’t see a soul.

Potties: There are potties right in the building next to the play area / skate park. I didn’t check them because to be honest we weren’t there that long and I was having a rough day appeasing the kids so we cut our trip short.

Potty Cleanliness: TBD

Playground Material: Rope nets, plastic and metal with rubber mat flooring.

Review / If you go: 

I drove by this park and HAD to check it out- from the road I thought that there would be more than the insanely cool spider net to climb and the big Gray infinity climber but oddly that is pretty much all you get save for a few other small distractions.

This place would be great for the semi older set who are curious climbers (there is a cool trampoline thing in the middle of the net) or have the ability to navigate the infinity climber.

I love playgrounds with rubber mat flooring and the flooring at this one is in great shape and hasn’t been beaten up too much which is nice. My crazy kids are climbers so the ground material is always something I take note of.

The tennis courts are right next to the play area so if you DO have older kids it would be very easy to let them play while you play tennis – bonus.

The Skate Park looked clean and pretty neat but, I am not a skate boarder so I wouldn’t be able to tell you if it is actually challenging. Apparently there is a $5 fee to skate or you can purchase a season pass for $50.

The dog park looked small but cute- some agility equipment and a shaded gazebo but as I said above- no dogs there when we were there so nothing to gauge it on.

Because of the difficulty of the equipment I cant say we will be back until the boys get much older but I wouldn’t kick it off the list- having a Wawa right there is a huge bonus and it is sort of in a mid way location but not really near too many places we go to so it would have to be a dedicated trip for this one.

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Shadyside Park 

West Bradford Township / West Chester, PA
 

Access: Entrance is off of Shadyside Road– park is located at the corner of Shadyside & Glenside Roads in West Bradford Township.

Parking: One main lot that accesses all facilities. The lot is not shady at all so your car will be a scorcher in the heat of the summer.

Features: 2 side by side playground areas, paved walking path, baseball fields, soccer fields, tennis courts, beach volleyball, 2 bocce courts, street hockey rink, horseshoes, basketball courts, pavillions, BBQ’s on 31+ acres

Age Ranges: Walkers and up

Website: West Bradford Township Parks & Rec Page: CLICK HERE

Park Map: None available

Cleanliness: This park is usually in good shape however when camp groups use it in the summer, birthday parties and sports groups use it on the weekend they tend to leave a pretty decent mess in the pavilion areas which seems status quo for anywhere these days. I haven’t personally seen the park immediately after a baseball game or when all fields and courts are in full use on a saturday but I have seen it the Monday morning after a busy weekend and it isn’t too bad in general terms. 

Crowds:  Standard rush during the after school hours during the school year and mornings in the summer can bring groups of 30+ kids on a school bus(yikes) but in general and since the West Bradford park is also nearby it is mostly a bunch of immediately local families. I do know people who travel to use it though.

Potties: The potty building is located right next to the playground which is great- no trekking for potty breaks here. Plus that allows you to leave your stuff parked while you pop in.

Potty Cleanliness: Blech- I hate these potties but I have seen worse. There are no seats on the potties, just those gross stainless bowls so I recommend packing a potty seat if that grosses you out as much as it does me.  

Playground Material: Plastic and metal with wood chip / mulch ground cover.

Review / If you go: 

We live in walking distance of this playground so we go a lot and are very happy with it. The 2 play areas are only separated by a concrete path so it is easy to watch younger kids on the tot lot side and mid range to older kids on the “5 and up” side. Although - my brut of a 1 year old cruises the big kids side too with no problem.

The swings are located right next to the equipment, as are the tennis and basketball courts, which is nice.

It is not very shaded yet as the trees are not that old so the equipment gets pretty hot early on.

Like many playground this playground gets BEES and WASPS! Mostly at the top of the big slide on the “big kids” side of the play area so be warned.

I have never seen anyone use the bocce or beach volleyball courts yet so the kids all love to play in the sand there but it is pretty hard packed sand and can pool with water after big rains.

There are some pretty good-sized hills at this park, which makes for great winter sledding (if we ever get real snow again).

There is a paved walking path that is usually pretty busy that surrounds the fields and park. It is BRUTAL to walk pushing a single stroller let alone a double so be prepared – I am a serious stroller pusher/walker and I nearly had a heart attack – I am pretty sure it is these hills that sent me to Physical Therapy this last spring for hip problems- they are THAT good. The full loop is just under 1 mile so you will need to do multiples is you are looking for more significant mileage. 

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West Bradford Park / Broadrun Park

West Bradford Township / West Chester, PA

Access:  Entrance is on Broadrun Road – same driveway as the entrance to West Bradford Elemenetary School- just keep driving past the school buildings and you will get to the park entrance.

Parking:  Large circular paved parking lot – lots of spaces but far away from the playground equipment.

Features: 2 play areas (tot lot and 5-12 age lot), weird gymnastics area (see below for more on this), basketball courts, tennis courts, street hockey rink, fishing pond (see below for more), walking path, pavilions, BBQ’s etc.

Age Ranges: Walkers and up

Website: West Bradford Township: CLICK HERE

Park Map: None  

Cleanliness: Pretty clean and well enough maintained.

Crowds:  We went at 4:30 on a Tuesday and we were not only the only ones at the playground but we were practically the only ones at the entire park. The distance of the parking lot to the play area and the fact that it was 90 degrees and maybe 85% humidity might have had something to do with this though – also see below in the review section re: equipment.

Potties: The potty building is located closer to the basketball court and hockey rink (parking lot area) than the playground (much further out) so hit it on your way to the play area because you wont want to make a mid play potty break run. You cant even see it from the playground so those surprise potty stops will be a total hassle.

Potty Cleanliness: I didn’t get a chance to look inside as there was a storm coming but will update if we go again.

Playground Material: Wood, plastic and metal with wood chip/mulch floor and grass between play spaces. 

Review / If you go: 

Given its proximity to our house and an elementary school I was really hoping that this playground would be better than it is. The park itself is pretty - save for the gross looking pond (which I wouldn’t fish in even though the sign says you are allowed) - but the play area was "a hole".

The equipment is beyond outdated to the point where the plastic on the slides is not only cracking but is split and warped at the end- enough for my 15 month old to get a massive scrape on his arm at the end of a turn. Aside from aesthetics which aren’t everything its just a worn out set that could really use replacing with something snappier, better designed and newer. 

There are 4 equipment play areas for the most part. One tot lot set that also has a climb on/in wooden Jeep, a 5-12 year old kind of playset & swingset, a cool new piece of equipment (why stop there West Bradford??) that spins around (liked that a lot but it looks like only 2 kids can really use it at once) and then there is a gymnastics kind of area that has a balance beam and a few other things - IT WAS DISGUSTING (see next comment).

The gymnastics area (and I know it has rained a lot recently) was something I would avoid

the gross area

like the plague. I am not a grossed out mama but there was at least 4-6 inches of mud that could potentially act like quick sand, standing water in the torn up bits with bugs and all around something that I prayed my littlest wouldn’t find as he loves to sit his rear right down in festering disgustingness exactly like this. Was NOT impressed with it.

There are tons of pavilions here and West Bradford does a free Movie Night series during the summer as well as West Bradford Day in the spring which looks cute. I would imagine that during cooler weather it gets used more but truthfully I would stick to Shadyside Park just a hop skip and jump away.

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John O. Green 
Memorial Park

West Chester, PA (Borough)

Access: Located on the corner of MATLACK & MINER Streets in downtown West Chester.  It is really only a block down Matlack once you turn from Market. Matlack is one way heading towards the playground from Market Street and Miner is one way heading from the corner to the train station.

Parking: Most of the streets surrounding the park are permit parking only but there don’t seem to be any signs on Miner Street right in front of the park entrances. This also backs up to the West Chester Railroad Parking lot which has “TOW” signs if you are not there for the Rail Road but we parked there anyway because I was too lazy to drive back around to squeeze into one of the street spots – I didn’t get towed, but I am sure if something is going on at the train station you would be.

Features: This is actually 2 parks side by side and directly across the street from eachother. The Tot Lot side features a large and very cool Castle like playset as well as a small set for the much younger kids. The kicker about this park is that it has a sprayground- WOOHOO! The other side of the street features basketball courts as well as a bigger kids climber kind of thing . 

Age Ranges: Walkers and up

Website:  No dedicated site

Park Map: None available

Cleanliness: Well- for the most part this wasn’t too bad however there seemed to be a lot of wayward bottle caps, some cigarette butts (really people? It’s a playground!!) and some wrappers strewn closer to the edges. If you have a little one who likes to pick this kind of stuff up and put it in their mouth then be on guard.All in all it is an urban playground- you do the math. 

Crowds: Because of it’s inter neighborhood location and the fact that there is a sprayground here it is BUSY! We were there at 10 am and there were no less than 3 daycare groups of 8-12 children each there in addition to other families- so it is pretty busy.  

Potty: I didn’t see anything other than a single porta-potty onsite  

Potty Cleanliness: I don’t know about you but I HATE porta potties. Add to this that the potty is located on the sidewalk and not inside the fence of any of the play areas making it a very public porta potty you would no doubt have to pay me a hefty sum of money to use it.

Playground Material: Mixed- the tot lot is mostly plastic and some metal with rubber mat flooring with the other half by the pavilion being cement. The bigger kids side is all cement.

Review / If you go:

We had to check this playground out as any of the info I have read about it listed not only the spraying frogs and water features but also the fact that it is “one of the newest playgrounds in the Borough”. Well yes, I am sure it WAS new but it takes a beating. The rubber mats are showing the love and the equipment is fading but none of it is in bad shape that I could see.

The sprayground is GREAT! It is SHADY and is wide enough that even though there were an estimated 30 other kids romping through it at the same time no one had any major collisions or fights over the water spouts. Plus the smaller littler tot set is RIGHT there so if your little one gets bored they can do something else without getting too far.

Water on the spray ground is able to be turned on at 10:00 am and shuts off at 8:00 PM in the summer season. 

This park is full fenced in save for the huge gates at the entrance remaining open during useage hours which is great – you know I love fenced in parks!

Truth be told it was definitely a mixed bag of people and kids here. The kids were great and the daycare providers that were monitoring them (I counted 8 girls between the different groups) were all super aware of where their kids were and what antics they were getting up to (nice- thank you!!) But in the pavilion there were also a group of adults hanging out without kids smoking and chatting- not sure why they couldn’t pick a spot a little further away from kids but they were not bothersome so it is what it is – a public place I guess.

"Bigger" kids side across the street

The Pavilion has a boatload of benches under it and can easily accommodate a large number of people / kids.

The bigger kids side was not being used nor was the gate open when we were there so I cant really tell you more than what I saw from outside the chainlink fence but it seems decent enough.

This is definitely a more “city” feel of a playground so if you are used to the more open spaces of further out township parks like us it might take a little getting used to. But because of its proximity to the downtown district this gets decent marks in my book.

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West Goshen Township Park

West Goshen / West Chester, PA

Access:  Easy access to the playground from Fern Hill Road just between North Five Points Road and Brinton Ave. The park can also be accessed from Lawrence Drive but this entrance is further from the play area. 

Parking:  Plenty of spots at the lot and it is a very short walk from the play area. The park itself has multiple lots accessible from jul;tipple entrances so be sure you get the right parking lot for the play space (on Fernhill Rd.) when going. 

Features: 2 side by side playground areas,sandbox, paved walking path, baseball fields, soccer fields, tennis courts, beach volleyball, basketball courts, pavilions, BBQ’s etc.

Age Ranges: Walkers and up

Website: West Goshen Township site CLICK HERE

Park Map: None available

Cleanliness: I have not ever seen this park trashed which is nice. People seem willing to clean up after themselves and the camp kids that use it in the summer use the larger pavilion near the concert area leaving their madness away from the actual play areas.

Crowds:  This is a busy spot – I have yet to go when there are any less than about 20-30 kids on the playground at one time (see notes below under review)

Potties: The potties are located in the building near the larger pavilion / concert patio area- so they are close to the further end of the playground but not right next to it.

Potty Cleanliness: TBD - I haven’t checked out the potty here yet but will next time we are there and update this section. 

Playground Material: Plastic and metal with wood chip / mulch ground cover.

Review / If you go: 

My kids love this park- mainly because it has a sandbox. In general this is a fantastic park- the two play areas have fun equipment. One side for younger toddlers and the other for bigger kids (a pavilion and the sandbox in smartly in between the two areas).

The younger kids tot lot is great save for the fact that I still can never figure out why playground designers make lower sets designed for younger kids that also have gaping areas that lead to dangerous ladders that sometimes I even wonder how to use. But that’s just me- its easy to walk around and monitor the little ones. Plus they have these cute bouncy bugs that are always a hit.

shameless pic- my bug on the bug :)

The equipment on the “older” kids lot is very fun- it is one of those meandering sets with different access points, monkey bars and so forth. It also has this cool roller slide of pies that makes a huge and wonderful racket when used but the rollers are metal so watch out for burns in the heat of the summer.

The sandbox is a triangular box and is a decent size. When it comes to sandboxes the only thing I know as true is that there will always be some sort of issue along the way – “that’s my toy” / “why cant I play with his toy” kind of thing. But in general it’s a great addition to any playground in my book.

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Everhart Park

West Chester, PA (Borough)

Access: Since this is a Borough park it can be accessed from all sides by foot. The park is bordered by South Brandywine Street/ West Miner Street / South Bradford Avenue / West Union Street. If you are not in walking distance your best (closest) bet is to access the park from West Brandywine (see parking notes next)

Parking: This park is all street parking. We have found it easiest to park on South Brandywine Street  as it provides the closest access to the actual playground. This is a narrow street though and I believe that there is actually only legit parking on the park side of the street so you will have to approach from the Miner street side in order to legally park. I should also note that it is a rough curb and there is a small drop off from the curb to ground level so whoever is on the right side of the car if you park here will have a big step down to the ground. 

Features: Tot lot, “bigger kids” playground, swings, basketball court, pavilions, activity building, BBQ’s and restrooms.

Website:   West Chester Parks & Recreation: CLICK HERE   /   Friends of Everhart Park: CLICK HERE

Park Map: None available

Age Range: walkers and up on the tot lot and because of the height of the equipment I would say the “older kids” section is probably better for the 4 year old and up range.

Cleanliness: This Park is in general well maintained – it is cleaned and mowed regularly (but see notes below in the review section regarding the age of the equipment / facilities).

       

Crowds: This is an urban park and is well loved and used often. We have experienced this playground in the throes of a camp visit (40+ kids) as well as when there are just a few other families there – even busy it has still been fun but it does get kind of precarious as there are not too many climbing things so you will need to be prepared for “turn taking” meltdowns.  

Potties: The Potty building is located on the West Union Street side of the Park which is a fair hike from the playground equipment- especially from the tot lot. A trip to the potty will involve a major schlep of your belongings and kids in tow if you have to do it. 

Potty Cleanliness: Separate men’s / women’s facilities on opposite sides of the potty building that both have 2 stalls and a urinal inside. Confusing as to which is which (men’s/women’s) as I didn’t see gender designations on the doors or walls so maybe they are just unisex.

I am really not a huge fan of these potties. They are hosed down from top to bottom with that gross sanitation citrus smelly wash which is fine as it means at least they are doing SOMETHING but in general the facilities are gross. The washing process makes for wet floors, which only seem to get grosser as they get used.  These potties also have that glorious gleaming and gross stainless potty seat with no lid making a portable potty seat absolutely necessary if you make a trip with a newbie here. Heck, I hate that kind of potty so much I would use the potty seat if I had to go.

       Playground Material: Wood, metal, plastic with wood mulch. 

       Review / If you go:  

This is a very pretty little Borough Park. It doesn’t have too much to offer but its location is amid the quiet old streets of West Chester with beautiful houses surrounding it.This Park is VERY shady and pretty and the tot lot is well shaded while the "bigger kids" section is a little more exposed but not bad. This Park is pretty BUGGY we have noticed though- maybe because it sort of sits down a bit. 

The age of this park makes it a little less appealing as it could use some sprucing up of some of the equipment. But all in all I have seen much worse. There is a climb on Sea Monster which I haven’t seen at other parks and think is cool, an infinity climber, and a super tall slide and swings on the bigger kids lot. The tot lot has a small tot swing set and one of the large climb on Little tykes fire engine pieces which is always a hit with my kids and is cool as this one is an actual piece of equipment with slides and ladder, etc. making it more fun.

One of the downsides to this park other than equipment age and distance to the potty is that the tot lot and bigger kids lot are pretty far apart from each other which is generally fine but I always feel weird leaving my older child that far away. It is still within earshot (if you have a good set of lungs) but I tend to prefer a little closer of a proximity.

The Borough and the Friends of Everhart Park do a lot at this park that is worthy to note- concerts , festivals, craft fairs and so forth. It is worth it to keep an eye out on the calendar for these fun things. CLICK HERE for the calendar.

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Hoopes Park* : No review posted yet

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East Bradford Park

East Bradford Township / West Chester, PA

Access: Accessed from Kenmara Drive off of Copeland School Road. Kenmara does not have an actual road sign but the development has a big stone entry that says “Kenmara” – this is your turn. Alternatively you can also access Kenmara drive by bearing right onto Dunmoore Lane off of Copeland School – this turn off is just after, and is only an option if you are coming from Route 322.

Parking: Loads of parking at the park entrance during the off days but I would imagine that there are next to no spots when there are games etc. going on. The playground is not far at all from the parking area if you get a spot near the top of the circular drive.

Features: Decent size park (not sure of the acreage) with 2 large playground areas (a tot lot and a larger climb on section for bigger kids), swings, tennis courts, baseball field, soccer field, beach volleyball courts, picnic pavilion and band shell, snack bar, and a nice little multi purpose paved walking path that circles the park. The trail also goes a bit further and connects to the Copeland school Park which has more athletic fields. (only about ½ mile of that is paved – the remaining part at Copeland run is dirt/gravel.)

Website: East Bradford Township CLICK HERE

Park Map: CLICK HERE

Age Range: Walkers and up on the tot lot and I would say the “older kids” section is probably better for the 4 year old and up range.

Cleanliness: This Park always seems to be well maintained and clean. I have seen very little trash here-even rates well on the left over sippy cup straw rapper scale.

       

Crowds: The times we have been here to play have oddly been dead. This summer I have taken the kids in the early morning and mid morning and around 4 in the afternoon and have barely seen anyone… weird. BUT in the cooler temps and when school is in session I am sure it gets mobbed- same goes for weekends when athletics are going on.

Potties: Located on the backside of the snack bar building close to the “bigger kids” play area so not too far.

Potty Cleanliness: I have yet to see this potty be anything less than clean. It is great. One of the things I also love about this playground is that someone cares enough to have put a step stool at the sink for kids (FINALLY!!) and they have normal hand soap at the sinks- a very welcome surprise and just goes to show how much people care about this park if you ask me.

       Playground Material: Wood, metal, plastic with wood mulch. 

       Review / If you go:  

I really like this playground. The tot lot is fully fenced in save for an un-gated but narrow entrance making it easy to maintain control over your crazy (or my) kids. There is loads of stuff to do and the tot lot equipment is great.

The bigger kids side has a cool set but it is very high up and there are lots of ladder openings – so keep an eye out when it does get busy.

The one super weird thing about this playground- that is VERY frustrating- is that who ever installed the benches, and some of the equipment must have been the furthest thing from a math-a-lete as possible. ALL of these are not installed correctly- they are at least 4-6” above the install plates that dictates what should be ground level. This makes it so the benches are nearly impossible for a smaller child to climb up on and the teetering rocking animals that they have seem sky high and impossible for kids to climb on. Maybe they were expecting more dirt to arrive and it didn’t but whatever the reason- you will be doing a lot of lifting up to get to some of the equipment, etc.

With a band shell (amphitheater) and so much money that has clearly gone into this park I would expect to see a free summer concert series here- but can’t seem to find anything online which is weird. I would think that a park like this in the thick of some nice neighborhoods would be a hopping place but so far I cant seem to find a calendar of events or anything. If I come across more info I will post.

There is a nice and semi hilly paved path that surrounds the park for walking (its multi use) but I am not sure of its exact length. I would estimate it is close to a mile but am not 100% on that yet. There are milage markers but I didn't see the final one only noticed 3/8th os a mile one - I will update further when I find out. 

This park is surrounded by very wonderfully maintained developments which are nice for walking. Truth be told- I decided to walk there one morning and it nearly kicked my rear. There are just enough hills that you might need a push at certain points. The streets are very quiet during the day which is nice too- and the cars we did see were ACTUALLY going the speed limit or below which was a nice surprise. All in all we walked just shy of 4 miles by looping back and through the neighborhoods so, it can be done. 

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Marshall Square Park

West Chester, PA (Borough)

Access: Another cute Borough Park Marshall Square is bordered by East Biddle Street / North Matlack Street / East Marshall Street / North Franklin Street. The actual play equipment is on the corner of North Matlack and East Marshall streets.

Parking: This Park is all street parking accessed. We have parked on the park side of North Matlack Street, as it is closest to the equipment. I don’t think that there is parking at the park on Marshall street.

Features: Playground, swings, basketball court, gazebo, swiss cottage (cool) and loads of shady trees for a picnic.   

Website:  Friends of Marshall Square Park: CLICK HERE

Park Map: None available

Age Range: Walkers and up but since there is limited equipment it might be a fight for some playtime real estate.

Cleanliness: This park is well maintained and clean however see notes in the review section regarding the equipment.

       

Crowds: As an “urban” park this is always pretty busy – I am not sure I have ever NOT seen another family at the least there.   

Potties: Separate Men’s Women’s facilities – side by side. But the Potty building is located on corner of Franklin and Marshall streets so it is a far distance from the play equipment- another “mission” kind of facility- no leaving your kids on the equipment for a pot stop here. Additionally the doors are facing AWAY from the rest of the park (street side) so you would 100% lose sight of your children if they aren’t with you.

Potty Cleanliness: When we went to go check out the potties here the doors were locked (weekday during regular use hours- go figure) so this is TBD. 

       

Playground Material: Wood, metal, plastic with wood mulch. 

       Review / If you go:  

This is a cute little playground and is a great stop if you are dragging your kids all across the Borough running errands. It is pretty, and everyone we have met here is very friendly. The houses surrounding this park are not too shabby either making it pretty scenic if you like to check out the big historic homes of the Borough (like me – total sucker).

The Park itself is generally well shaded but the playground equipment is located in the least shady spot of the park so you will still want to be mindful of that. 

The one thing I have to say about the equipment at this playground though is that IT NEEDS TO BE POWERWASHED!!!! There is scale and grime caked onto the equipment and it could really use some Borough love. Its not that it is unusable but it is unsightly.

There really is limited equipment here too- one smaller climb on set (with a wobbly bridge that my kids love) and a slide set a little further away. I will also say about the climbing set Wobbly Bridge that there is a HUGE gap between the railing and the bottom of the bridge making every mothers heart race when seeing multiple kids run across it at top speed. Even bigger kids run the risk of falling through so it is relatively poorly designed to that note.

It would be worthwhile to be sure and check out the Gazebo and Swiss Cottage on the Park grounds- they are very cool. This park has loads of great shady spots for picnics too. 

The Friends of Marshall Square also host a lot of fun stuff here during “the season” such as “Music at Marshall” and a few other fun crafty / fair like things that are worthy of keeping tabs on calendar wise. CLICK HERE 

DOWNINGTOWN, PA

East Brandywine Park* : No review posted yet

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Bell Tavern Park

Downingtown, PA (Borough)

Access: Easy to get to – right off of Business Route 30 and the ramps from the 30 bypass in Downingtown – also can be accessed from Route 113

Parking: Pretty good size parking lot close to the play areas with a circle drop off / pick up right next to the play area.

photo source: Google search Bell Tavern Park

Features: Sprayground; 2 play equipment areas; street hockey rink, basketball courts, swing sets, beach volleyball; athletic fields; pavilions & BBQ’s; picnic tables, etc.

Age Ranges: Walkers and up

Website: None available

Cleanliness: Generally pretty good. The only trash cans are the big township bins (think like you use at home) but they are close to the play area.

Crowds: On a hot day this park is PACKED but before the water turns on its not too bad. In the summer there are also a few Sports camps there so I would imagine that the time shane camp is in session it is pretty swamped also. 

Potties: Separate men’s / women’s buildings – both located immediately next to the play/sprayground .

Potty Cleanliness: Not too bad but like most park potties they smell like urine – adding in the “wet klids” factor doesn’t help either- the floors get pretty wet. There are lids on the toilets but I wouldn’t sit on it unless it was an emergency.

Playground Material: Plastic with shredded black rubber mulch (hot)

Review / If you go: 

This is a GREAT playground – lots to do and a pretty good layout- nothing is too far from anything else that you can’t keep eyes on your kids the whole time. It is located right near a huge development so it gets a lot of traffic from there and there are LOADS of kids but it is worth it.

The play equipment is VERY neat- lots of cool things to climb on and around but it gets hot FAST – by 10:30 the slides are scorchers so be warned of burned bums and legs. The mulch is black rubber so that can get pretty hot too come afternoon.

The water on the sprayground turns on at 11 and is COLD (think hose water) and refreshing. We have found it to be useful to go early (around 9:30/10:00am) and stake out a good home base and let the kids get hot and sweaty before the water turns on as once the water turns on my kids wont use anything else on the property- its all water all the time until their lips turn blue.  Plus if you go early you have a better chance of good parking. NOTE: it gets pretty muddy alongside the sprayground area between the cement and the girl’s bathrooms- think swamp- so be prepared to rinse muddy shoes.

The sprays are pretty powerful so if your kid is a tank and can take it at a young age awesome but the water does shoot out fast enough that it might be a turnoff for the super young set. My 15 month old loves it though. Given the crowd though it is sheer chaos and often times is hard to locate which sprout is yours among the fray.

There is a pick up/drop off circle which is great if you have older kids but seems kind of silly to me as I would probably be kind of peeved if someone parked at the far end of the parking lot left their kids to play unattended while they went to get their car. A great feature if you have older kids and are there for the athletic field though.

Bring a picnic blanket- there are only a few benches to sit on and a few tables but if you are planning on being there for any length of time I would suggest a blanket home base as there is a lot of shady grassy real estate that is better located for all of the stuff associated with outdoor water play that you have to bring (towels, change of clothes, snacks…blah blah blah). I just like to be able to get to my stuff easily rather than fish through the stroller basket so I bring a blanket.

My kids are suckers for sand and like to play in the beach volleyball courts and I try to always keep a few of the sand toys I keep in the car but be warned – sand toys are like a plastic pied piper- all kids will flock to your toys.

Bringing a bucket or similar for the sprayground can be fun too – just don’t assume you will go home with it as they tend to pass hands quickly.

Also note that apparently the “buttons” to turn on the water (as per the sign on the playground) are not connected anymore and don’t do anything- the water is controlled at the Municipal building remotely so if there are problems you can call the township and they should be able to trouble shoot from there.

BONUS: This park is about ½ mile away from the Wegman’s/BJ’s/ PETCO shopping center which is great if you (like me) like to align and coordinate errands and playtime. 

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Sky's the Limit / Kerr Park

photo source: Chester County Moms of Multiples website

Downingtown, PA (Borough)

Access: Entrance is a small sign just off of Wallace Avenue. If you are coming from the South the sign is easily missed (on your left) of you are coming from the North there is no sign- the driveway is nondescript so be on the lookout. 

Parking: In addition to the Kerr Park lot off of Wallace Ave. you can alternatively park at KARDON PARK / THE PONDS about 1/2 mile or so away on Pennsylvania Avenue. The Ponds is a cute little marshy area that has a small walking trail that also feeds into the STRUBLE TRAIL - think of these as a triangle of parks.

Features: An all abilities playground spearheaded by the Chester County Moms of Multiples – very cool. The play area is fenced in (LOVE that), the rest of the park has pavilions and a trout hatchery, tennis courts and a soccer field, etc. The playground part is located across the street (Pennsylvania Ave) and 5-minute walk away from the Municipal Park Gazebo which you can see from the road.  

Website: Chester County Moms of Multiples has the most info CLICK HERE

Age Range: Walkers and up

Cleanliness: Usually pretty good although there tends to be some of the usual sticks and leaves - which also means it is mostly shady. People are usually very good about picking up their trash here too. 

Crowds: This play area tends to get PACKED during kiddie rush hour times (pre-lunch and post-nap) but there is enough space and equipment that I have seen 30+ kids there and despite being busy it doesn't seem to feel overcrowded.

Potties: Located VERY far away from the play area – other end of the parking lot.  

Potty Cleanliness: Horrible - I have yet to have to make a potty stop here that doesn't make me cringe. Maybe because it's in the main (public) part of the park and gets mostly used by unsavories and the like but honestly,it really needs to be cleaned more often.

Playground Material: Plastic and Metal with rubber flooring.

Review / If you go:  

This is a great playground as it is tailored for every child – truly an all abilities playground and I commend the CC Moms for their efforts. There is a good mix of climb on equipment and climb “in” equipment designed for pretend play like a large fire truck and cool dinosaurs to climb on. There are lots of swings including handicapped swings and did I say yet that I love that it is fenced in all around? There are also loads of benches for moms and diaper bags and "stuff" - I have never seen all benches full so there is always room for another bag and I have always felt that it is safe to leave my bag in my drop zone. 

One of the few drawbacks of this playground is that you really need to pack it in/pack it out. It is just far enough away from the parking area that if you forget something in the car you have to schlep all of your kids back and forth to go get it – no leaving your tots solo at this place. Another drawback is that there is no true safe or clean place to have snacks  or lunch. You are not supposed to have food or drinks inside the play area but the pavilions are so dirty and gross and animal poop ridden that sitting on the benches inside the fence area is one of your only options unless you picnic blanket it.(see next point about squirrels though). Most people I have seen are great at finding some bench space and camping out for snacks and hydration missions though so it shouldn't be a problem. 

The squirrels here are INSANE. They come right up to try and steal your snacks and food so be warned - all of the kids (of course) love to chase them which just makes my heart jump as its only a matter of time before someone gets bitten. 

BONUS #1: Kerr Park is not a far walk from the STRUBLE TRAIL which is great if you are trying to kill 2 birds with one stone- mommy & kiddo excursive in one trip- but you have to walk a bit on the road to hit the start of the actual Struble trail.  

BONUS #2: THE DOWNINGTOWN FARMERS MARKET happens every Thursday in the Summer from 3:00 - 7:00 pm AND on Sundays in the summer there are FREE CONCERTS from 5:00 - 7:00 PM at the gazebo- fun for everyone! 

BONUS #3: This is very close to the Downingtown shopping and dining district - and if you have a Subaru, Chevy or Honda you can bring it to ROBERTS AUTO MALL for service and take the kids to play while the car is being done- SUPER handy if you are like me and never want to pull the car seats and put them into a loaner just for an oil change and tire rotation and/or hate sitting in waiting rooms even WITHOUT 2 little terrors. 

(P.S. This bonus is not a sponsored shout out - just a mention to make life a little easier.)

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Lloyd Park  

Caln Township / Downingtown, PA

Access: On Lloyd Avenue between Lancaster (rte 30) and Manor Road - right near the one lane bridge.

sorry only one pic for this one

Parking: Onsite right near the play area and along the drive towards the dog park.

Features: Playground equipment, fishing stream, off leash dog park.

Age Ranges: I would say this is best for 3 and up

Website: No dedicated site

Park Map: None

Cleanliness: Pretty good- they keep the grass areas mowed regularly and the playground itself isn’t very big so its not hard to keep clean.  Managed by Caln Township.

Crowds: I rarely have seen more than a few other kids here at once but again- we go at weird times and just for a short visit- it might be crazier on weekends.

Potty: Located far away from the playground – more towards the middle of the park and more easily accessible if you are there for the dog park.  Truth be told the potty looks like it may actually be porta-potties inside a sort of fenced in area. 

Potty Cleanliness: TBD – I haven’t checked it out yet… we don’t usually stay long enough at this playground to warrant a schlep to the potty.

Playground Material: Plastic, Metal & Rope with wood mulch.

Review/ If you go: 

We treat this playground as a pop in pop out kind of stop as it is midway from Route 30 to our house so if the boys need to get some yayas out after a morning of errands its an easy stop for us.

It is right near the creek so the parking lot is also used by fishermen. Truth be told we wound up parking next to a car of 5 fishermen who were stinky, smoking and drinking Pabst in a can and hanging out in their car after a morning fishing session so the co-users of this park kind of make it a little funky.

There is a cool climbing net/spider web challenge piece of equipment so if you have little monkeys this is a good spot to stop.

The creek is about 50 yards from the playground so if you are worried about wandering kids and running water then this may not be the place for you.

While we haven’t used the dog park we have gone down to see it and it is COOL. It is much larger than the dog park at Lambert Park in West Chester so if you are bringing your pooch this is the place to go.

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Johnstown Park  

Downingtown, PA (Borough) 

Access: On Viaduct Avenue in between the train tunnel and Bradford Avenue- directly across from the main Downingtown Train station parking lot. (outbound side) 

Parking: Onsite at the play area but the lot is also used as the overflow/ commuter lot for the train station so during the day /during the week there are limited spaces.  

Features: Playground, athletic fields, pavilion, and short paved walking path with a United Way / Born Learning kids exercise course (like East Goshen Park). 

Age Ranges: I would say walkers and up because of the amount of open space here.

Website: None available

Park Map: None

Cleanliness: Seems pretty good actually. I have never seen trash strewn about here but we have only played once. We do drive by a lot though and I always make an effort to check it out and it seems pretty well maintained.

Crowds: Truth be told I have YET to see any children playing here however it IS right in the middle of a small neighborhood and I am sure that on the weekends it is well loved and used. But during the week- nary a soul.

Potty: Not too close to the play area - located in an outbuilding close to the Train tunnel side of the park. But its not a major hike either.

Potty Cleanliness: TBD – I haven’t checked it out yet. 

Playground Material: Plastic /  Metal with wood mulch.

Review/ If you go: 

This is a really cute little playground and seems like a well kept secret given its location on the other side of the Viaduct tunnel from the Downingtown Business district (route 30) side of things. 

While there is not much equipment the park is well maintained (by the borough I assume) and I love that there is tons of open green space for the little ones to safely run.

Downside is that the parking lot is very busy with train people and given its immediate proximity to the play area you might want to keep an eye out for wandering little ones (like mine do).

Really its a pretty basic little playground but worth it if you are nearby due to how quiet it is. 

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East Ward School Playground

Downingtown, PA / Borough

Access: Washington Avenue between Whiteland Avenue and Chestnut Streets. 

Parking: Ample parking right next to the playground. 

Features: Wooden playground

Age Ranges: Walkers and up        

Website:  None

Park Map:  None

Cleanliness: Because this is a school playground I have mostly found it to be pretty clean however there is the stray snack bag or juice box wrapper here and there- so, status quo for the most part.

Crowds: I have only ever seen at the most 3 or so other families on the playground during “open to the public” hours - the hours to use this playground are limited by school/camp use priority so that might have something to do with it. 

Potties: None

Potty Cleanliness: N/A

Playground Material: Wood, metal and rubber with wood mulch

Review / If you go: 

I didn’t have any intention of including school playgrounds but we love this playground so much I thought it would be good to review. The extensive wooden castle is very cool with tons of ins and outs for little ones to run around on, climb through and have fun. There is a cool tire swing and one of the features I love is a very low set of monkey bar rings that my 3 year old can reach on his own.

I also like that this playground is pretty much fully fenced in save for the entrance ramp which makes for monitoring the kids much easier however because the playset is sprawling and massive and there are lots of hidden spaces you will spend half your time doing a sort of “marco/polo” check in with the kids just to be sure you have eyes on

them.

A few of the drawbacks to this playground are that the slides are metal- straight scorching hot metal which makes for wicked thigh burns in the heat of the summer. Additionally (and this is also one of the things I love most about the playground) it is wood. In this case it is well worn, weather beaten wood which means splinters- of which we have come home with a few- bummer for those who have ever experienced trying to get a splinter out of a 3 year olds hand.

Since the public can only use this playground when it is not in use by the school or what I assume to be a local summer camp the window of opportunity to go here is very limited but we love it because it is different and has lots of options for pretend play.

I have read that the School is trying to get money from the Borough to completely redo the playground here (good luck East Ward!) which would be great but we will definitely miss the wooden set when that day eventually comes. ** update- the school and township are DEFINITELY trying to get additional funds both privately and otherwise to rebuild this playground. info can be found on the School's playground Facebook page CLICK HERE

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Marsh Creek State Park 

Upper Uwchlan & Wallace Townships /  Downingtown, PA 

Access: Park Lane - you are essentially going to the EAST BOAT LAUNCH / SWIMMING POOL entrance - different from the West boat launch. 

Parking:  

1) Pool: Parking lot is just past the pool and has lots of spaces but fills fast. The actual parking spaces(including handicapped) start just past the building- the curbed area at the entrance is just for pick up / drop off - the yellow curb paint is worn away. 

2) Playground: Parking lot entrance is to your left as you near the pool - there are plenty of spaces and this acts as the secondary lot for the pool. 

3) Boat Launch "Beach": As you enter into the main part of the park the lot is to your right near the snack bar. Note the signage though and be sure to not park in the "Trailer" designated spots. If the lower lot is full they will post signs. Secondary lot is just up the hill a smidge further on the right. 

Features: 


Pool Area: Fun Sprayground as well as a large "All Abilities" pool with handicapped access ramp. Pavilion and snack bar are also inside the pool area.


Playground: 2 playsets as well as climb on animals, swings, picnic tables and BBQ's.

Boat Launch Beach: A very small but nice and shallow area next to the boat launch dock that kids can illegally wade in. There are also boat rentals and a snack bar with a killer view right there.

Age Ranges: I would say walkers and up for each of the reviewed areas here. 

Website: CLICK HERE

Park Map: CLICK HERE

Cleanliness: Everywhere we tooled around here (pool, beach and playground) was pretty cleaned. We hit the park very early on our visit due to the heat and there were a lot of staff cleaning up the park. The only problem was that they were cleaning up a LOT of trash- I mean WAY too much - so an afternoon trip could be pretty gross.

Crowds: We didnt get to play at the pool on our trip because they don't open to the public until 11am (!!??) so we didnt get to see it in full swing but judging by the other madness in the park by 10 am I would estimate that it gets absolutely ridiculous.

We got to the Boat Launch beachy spot (which is REALLY small for the record) around 9:15 or so and were the first ones here. HOWEVER... as soon as 10 am rolled around we started seeing droves and droves of moms and kids arrive with the same idea making it one crowded little 25 ft space of water play. 

We were at the playground very early too on our visit (around 8:30am) and  it was already in full swing with camp kids who seem to maybe be on the early drop off session. There was plenty of space for everyone though.

Potties: 


Pool: Seperate Men's / Ladies Potty & Changing rooms right there at the entry buildings. I wouldn't be surprised if they had a family changing room too though. 

Boat Launch Beach: Seperate Men's / Ladies Potties located on the ground level of the snack bar / Watersports Shop building. 


Playground: No potties onsite that I could see. Although there is a maintenence building right there I did not wander around the whole thing to look.

Potty Cleanliness: TBD – I haven’t checked it out any of the listed potties in person yet so can't rview them- I will update when I do.  

Playground Material: Plastic /  Metal with wood mulch.

Review/ If you go:

This is a really fun trip and worth the drive if you are coming from closer to the upper main line. The park is very pretty and the lake is beautiful. 

The Pool: 

We were really bummed that the pool doesn't open to the public until the ungodly hour of 11 AM (seriously??) (Saturdays - Thursdays / 10:00 AM on Fridays / Closed on Sundays) because the spray ground looked great (almost the same set up as at Bell Tavern it seems) - and the pool was nice and big and I liked the handicapped ramp to allow wheel chair access to the pool. 

From outside the fence one of the big issues I could see about the pool area is that there is no true sepration from the spray ground to the pool and they are very close in proximity to eachother. This essentially means that you need to be 100% aware of where your kids are at all times here as I assume it gets jam packed and with lots of horsing around I would imagine that a fair share of kids run the risk of being side swiped into the main pool by some rambunctious older kids. Just sayin' - with one of my biggest fears is losing anyone to drowning (see ISR post on the main blog) I want everyone to be ultra on gaurd at places like this. 

photo source: Marsh Creek Pool website

The parking lot is also a little bit of a trek from the pool entrance so be ready to pack it in / pack it out- don't forget anything when you go because it may be a major haul to go back and get it- especially if you are a late arrival and stuck at the opposite end of the parking lot!

Boat Launch Beach:

It was suggested by a pool staffer (when we realized it was closed - grrr) that we cruise down to the boat launch area and "check it out". This was a subtle suggestion as realistically you are not supposed to swim/wade in the water down there.  When we mentioned the thousands of signs referencing this she essentially said "yes - the signs do say that" and that was the end of the conversation. We got the drift and cruised down. So note to self- its not allowed but EVERYONE does it.

The "beachy area" at the launch is very small. There is really only one area that has enough sandy space for the smaller kids to wade in. The other edges of the lake that go from there around to the boat storage areas and grassy drop offs that are shallow also and an older kid would have no problem managing that.

another view of the pool area that I took from outside the fence

Aside from being a busy spot some bummers about the little beachy area: 

1)  You are right next to a sort of floating cement dock that just note- there DOES seem to be space under neath so be careful about where your kids are when they are playing there. It doesn't seem to move much but just be on guard. 

2) BITING FLIES!!! FLIES FLIES FLIES!!! Holy Moly these things sting. I always forget how painful fly bites can be until I get somewhere like this and there are a fair amount of these beast down by the water.



Playground: 

The playground was nice. As I said above it was in the process of being cleaned up by park staff when we were there which is a GOOD thing as there was a boat load of trash in the picnic area right next to the playground - yuck . 

The playground is completely shady - and almost deep woodsy. There was a small swing set and a tot set to climb on (ages 1 and up) as well as a larger play set (I would say for ages 5 and up). They also have a few plastic climb on animals like a crocodile and something else...cant remember. 

Also as I stated above though- the camp kids were here when we went and they sort of over ran the play equipment but because my kids are so much younger than them I think they had fun hanging with the "babies" and showing them cool stuff. Never a problem in my book. 

OTHER NOTE: There are some nice walks on this side of the lake but they really aren't stroller compatible (they are gravel paths mostly) so if you want to stretch your legs you are stuck with the park driveway (yikes)

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Shamona Creek Park 

Downingtown, PA / Uwchlan Township

Access: Accessed from Dowlin Forge Road – the entrance is a small but well marked turnoff between Peck Road and Fillman Road.

Parking: Tons of parking but not much of it is right next to the playground. The parking lot is on a pretty steep hill so you may be huffing it from your spot to the playground.However if there are any games going on I would imagine that parking would be pretty tight. 

Features: Playground area, swings, baseball field, basketball court, beach volleyball courts, pavilion with BBQ’s.

Age Ranges: Walkers and up        

Website:  Uwchlan Township Parks and Recreation: CLICK HERE

Park Map:  None available

Cleanliness: I was very impressed with how clean this park is. To be honest I think Uwchlan Township does a bang up job keeping their parks clean. I have not seen much trash past a stray bottle cap or 2 here.

Crowds: Considering that we go to this park during our early morning walk it is usually dead – we tend to be the only people here – however given the baseball field and its prime location I would imagine that it gets pretty busy.

Potties: There is a single porta potty here during the warmer months that is located up near the playground but that was the only one I saw so if there are other things going on at the park I would imagine it is a busy stop and could be pretty gross.

Potty Cleanliness: porta potties and cleanliness are not usually used in the same sentence in my book.

Playground Material: Wood, plastic & metal with wood mulch

Review / If you go: 

I really like this park- the play area is well mulched and maintained and although the playground equipment is pretty worn and could use a power wash it is shady and fun.

Another thing that I like about this playground is the actual park. Considering we have the run of the place when we stop here it is great- there are tons of well maintained grassy areas that I can literally just let the kids run and run and run on. The landscaping is nice- there are neat rock outcroppings that allow for some fun and the hills that this whole park is built on and around allow for nice separation of zones – nothing is right on top of each other.

A bonus of this park is that it is almost in the middle of the Uwchlan Trail which (you know me) is KEY for a combo walk/play mission. You can read more about the trail under stroller rides but the gist is that we start at the Struble trail – walk to the playground and then back- great walk for mom and it is split in the middle by fun playtime for the kids. When we do this route I actually get to walk more than if we just push through our hour all at once – BONUS!

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KENNETT SQUARE

lower lot play area next to Basketball courts

Anson B. Nixon Park

Kennett Square, PA (Borough)

Access: Accessed from either North Walnut Street in downtown Kennett Square or via the KAU Little League field turn off (Leslie Street) off of Route 82 / Union Street which is SUPER close to the U.S. Route 1 on/off ramps for Kennett Sq.

Parking: We parked at the KAU lot at the end of Leslie Street (see Access above) but the main parking lots are accessed by the North Walnut street entrance. There are multiple parking areas – one very close to the main playground equipment and another large lot on the lower field level near the secondary play area and basketball courts etc.

Features: 2 Playground areas, 106 Aces of park with walking trails, streams and a pond, Frisbee Golf course, Band shell, pavilions, basketball courts, Athletic Fields, Tennis Courts and grass volleyball courts.

Age Ranges: Walkers and up

Website: Anson B. Nixon Park website: CLICK HERE

Park Map: CLICK HERE 

band shell overlooking the pond - very close to the playground

Cleanliness: For the most part this entire park was very clean. I didn’t see much trash in the main part of the park BUT the actual playground trash bins (those ugly and useless cardboard box trash cans that are used at parades and concerts etc.) had been knocked over by who knows what and the squirrels were enjoying the lovely delicacies spewing out from the box- yuck.

Crowds: We visited this park around 8:30 / 9 am-ish on a Monday as we were en route to something else in Delaware and it was on our way and there were NO kids there. A few families started to arrive as we were leaving but we had the place to ourselves save for the squirrels. I would imagine that during the free concerts and on weekends it gets pretty over run.

Potties: The potty building is located in close proximity to the Play area / parking lot. Realistically if you had to (and had someone keep a general eye on your stuff) you could leave your things at the playground and pop over for a potty stop. There were dedicated men’s/ ladies sides with multiple stalls and the ladies side has a pull down baby changing table.

Potty Cleanliness: Not too bad actually. I was expecting worse given the trash issue on the playground but it was in pretty decent shape. There are seats on the potties and electric lights too which is always a good thing.

Playground Material: Plastic and metal with wood chip / mulch ground cover.

Review / If you go: 

I am always looking for stuff to do in between one location and another. We go to Delaware a lot and Kennett Sq. is between our house and there so I love stopping – I would definitely keep this playground as a stop over place to play so the kids can stretch their legs and get some yayas out.

The main upper playground is pretty shady which is nice as maybe it wont get too hot on those summer scorcher days. The playground equipment up here is newer as well which also helps.

The upper playground is a short distance away from the band shell (which overlooks the pretty pond) so this would be a fun place for the whole family to go for their Free SummerConcerts on Wednesday nights.

I didn’t go all the way down to the lower play area but it doesn’t look too bad. It is not shaded but does have its own pavilion and is right near the basketball courts if that’s your thing.

There is a 3 mile “ACTIVATE” trail that loops and weaves around the 106 acre park and we walked about 2 miles of it. I like to usually do 3-4 miles but the trail is not paved – it is a packed dirt and fine gravel trail that is too bumpy for a standard stroller (mine is a double and this walk was TOUGH). I am working on a post for a trail review on my Stroller Walks page - stay tuned if this part interests you.

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GLENMOORE

Springton Farm 
& Park

Wallace Township / 
Glenmoore, PA

Access: Entrance is on Springton Road which is located less than 2 miles off of Route 322. It is kind of a funky turn off from 322 as it is a 5 point intersection but there are signs. The farm is approx. 5 miles west of Downingtown in East Brandywine Township.

Parking: 2 Large lots located in different proximities to the actual farm/barn area. The first lot (on your right as you drive in) is the main lot for the Manor House and offices but if you go further down the driveway you will get to the second lot which is a short walk from the farm buildings, etc.

Features: ANIMALS! TRACTORS! FREE!!! This is a working farm so you will see goats, pigs, sheep, horses, chickens, a donkey, cows, and a very loud peacock. In the semi-attached barn next to the Goat Barn there is a John Deere tractor that (while there is no sign telling me otherwise) I let our kids climb up on – great photo op. There are a number of trails and paths that meander through the meadows and around the park / farm but I haven’t checked them out yet. (see below for more)

Age Ranges: Walkers and up

Website:  Chester County Parks Dept. has a dedicated page on their website for the Farm (CLICK HERE) and there is also a Facebook Fan Page that has great pics and is updated often with what is happening (CLICK HERE)

Park Map: CLICK HERE

Cleanliness: This place is immaculate and well cared for by the dedicated staff and friends of the Farm and Park. Even the Great Barn, which is home for most of the animals, is impressively clean. They also have hand sanitizer stations throughout the farm/

Crowds: Truth be told we have only been here once so far but have big plans for regular visits. We were there on a Sunday mid morning of a holiday weekend and barely saw a soul for the first 45 minutes. Even around midday when the visitor traffic seemed to be picking up it was quiet by my standards.

Potties: Separate men’s / women’s facilities located on the second floor of the Great Barn and accessed from the backside of the Barn. The Great Barn is the main barn in the first grouping of buildings so you wont have to walk far to find it. Multiple stalls, and a pull down changing table in the ladies.

Potty Cleanliness: Incredible – very impressed and completely different than I was expecting – this is what public potties SHOULD be like.

Playground Material: N/A

Review / If you go: 

I am in love with this place – there I have said it. It is FREE – yes, FREE PEOPLE! These days that is a rarity- I didn’t even see a donation box because if there was one I probably would have thrown a few bucks in just because I was so impressed with how clean this place was.

There are not a huge number of animals- and it is not a petting zoo/farm FYI. But the animals that they do have run the usual farm gamut and are fun to see. The animals are spread throughout multiple barns, which makes it fun to wander and pop into each building to see who lives inside.

They also have a cute “Springton Manor Passport” with stamps in the Great Barn that is a fun added activity. The only bummer is that with the animals located all over the place you sort of have to go back to the Barn at the end and stamp everyone at once- the stamp sites are not located at each barn- they are all in the Great Barn.

Most of the paths right near the parking areas are handicap/stroller accessible but they are not long so you may be doing loops if you are looking for some exercise.

There is a Heritage exhibit in the Great Barn, which has some cool vintage farm tools to see.

You can also make arrangements for guided tours of the farm for groups of 10 or more people.

Judging by their Facebook pagehttp://www.blogger.com/ there are a lot of fun things happening throughout the year here so it is a good place to keep on the radar and pop back into frequently.

They do group visits too which would be fun to keep in mind for a birthday party or a mom’s club / playgroup outing.

I have big plans of bringing a picnic blanket and finding a shady tree somewhere in the park area for lunch one time but they also have a few picnic tables scattered here and there in the main farm area for snacking and lunching.

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FRAZER / MALVERN

Battle of the Clouds Park

East Whiteland Township / Frazer, PA

Access:  Entrance is on Phoenixville Pike immediately across from the entrance to Philadelphia Memorial Park. If you have problems GPSing this playground (like I did for some reason) search for Phila. Memorial Park instead.

Parking:  Large parking lot with spots right near the playground.

Features: Tot lot and mid-young age play area in close proximity of each other –  separated by a pavilion. Swing set, baseball and athletic fields, and parcours equipment up near the restrooms and snack bar. This is also a trailhead for the CHESTER VALLY TRAIL (click here for review)

Age Ranges: Walkers and up

Website: East Whiteland Township CLICK HERE

Park Map: None  available

Cleanliness: This park is pretty clean when we were there- there was the usual bottle cap trash in the pavilion but past that it was generally clean.

Crowds:  We were there at our usual mid morning time frame before the heat really sets in and there was only one other family there- which was good as this playground is pretty small.

took this from half way up the parking lot- and still only halfway to the potty!

Potties: The potty building is located waaaaaaay far away here. I mean like you should probably drive to get to it. It is up at the other end of the baseball field in the same building as what I think is a snack bar for baseball games etc.

Potty Cleanliness: Blech- I peeked into the ladies room while we were there and thanked the lord (or whoever) that I didn’t have to use the facilities. It is a regular toilet instead of the stainless park toilets but I now see why parks use the stainless ones- a white ceramic toilet doesn’t fare well in public spaces- yuck. The floor was dirty and I was half expecting to find a dead body inside but that’s just me.   

Playground Material: Wood, plastic and metal with wood chip/mulch floor

Review / If you go: 

Not a very shady playground so the equipment gets pretty hot by midday so don’t forget your sunscreen.

I wanted to walk some of the Chester Valley Trail so this was an easy pick for us to try- I wont say I was disappointed but lets just say we didn’t stay long. The play area is small but adequate for a short stop over but even with only 2 other kids there it seemed a little “crowded”.

The play equipment is in decent enough shape and the set for 5-12 year olds has a zip line type thing which is really cool but if other kids are within 5 feet of it they will probably get their teeth knocked out. The equipment in general doesn’t consist of much- a platform to climb up, a chain/bar ladder and the zip line on one side- the tot lot just on the other side of the pavilion has a single stair access to a small platform that has 2 slides. There are a few rocking animals/cars etc but in general it’s a pretty pedestrian stop considering the other playground options in the area.

There is a very cool tree on the tot lot side that is like a dwarf weeping willow that acts like a fort for kids- loved that but there are flowers planted at the exterior perimeter so watch out for bees.

THUMBS DOWN to whoever planted the crab apple trees right next to the playground by the way- REALLY? Bees, and lots of small rotting fruits for little ones to pick up and try to eat (what my 15 month old does)- major landscaping fail – grrrr.

The swings are close enough but are pretty worn and could use a power wash to get the bird poop off.

** Don’t get me wrong- if you are like me and looking to tie a playground trip in with a long walk then this place does it’s job as there is one parking lot for both the trail(which is awesome) and the playground.

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UPPER MAIN LINE

Wilson Farm Park
Tredyffrin Township / 

Malvern / Chesterbrook , PA

Access: In Chesterbrook Corporate Complex- directly off of 202 exits for Route 252 – well marked with signs to lead you in all though Chesterbrook can be confusing.

Parking: On site parking but not a lot of spaces for a busy day and especially when there is a game or practice on the nearest athletic field.

Features: Multiple playground areas playground areas (one All Abilities equipment set for younger & one for the more 5 -12 yrs. group); swings; duck pond, pavilions, athletic fields, paved walking path and some fun climb on animals.

Age Ranges: Walkers and up

Website: CLICK HERE

Park Map: CLICK HERE

Cleanliness: This park generally is very well maintained. It is one of the busiest places I have been though so there is some of the standard trash like drink box straw wrappers, etc.

Crowds: Being H.Q. for a lot of Main Line families this place gets PACKED! It is a well-known and well used playground that because of its upper main line location is a hot spot. With that said- I have gone at different times throughout the day and at 9:30 there is barely anyone.

Potty: Centrally located in the play area – separate Men’s and Women’s – Women’s has a pull down changing table.

Potty Cleanliness: Not too bad – totally useable. 

Playground Material: All Abilities area is plastic and metal with rubber mat flooring and other play areas are metal / plastic with wood chip flooring.

Review / If you go:

I love hitting this playground as even though it is a little further away from my travel zone of 20 minutes it is a great location to tie into other errands or meet up with friends who live closer to the upper main line.

The play equipment is pretty good- but it all gets very busy. – think playtime rush hour- it can be nuts.

I like the All Abilities play area- it is pretty much the same equipment set up as the set at Kerr Park in Downingtown but WFP is a lot cleaner meaning the kids can go under the equipment to get to the abacus etc and not be covered in mud / slime.

I also like that the all abilities section is fenced in but it does little to stop my 3 year old from scooting off unannounced to another play area. Which can be maddening but I guess that’s my problem not yours haha.

There is very little shade here so the equipment can get pretty hot- and the climb on

equipment gets to be a though burner- not sure who’s idea a black dinosaur in an openly sunny area was but they should maybe rethink that.

Because this playground gets so busy I like to go earlier when my kids don’t get plowed over and can actually play. It is always fun though to take the kids down towards the pond to see the ducks and geese and since lots of people walk their dogs here that is always a good distraction.

There is a paved walking path that surrounds the entire park complex so I rate this pretty high on the dual-purpose ladder (play & exercise).  I will review the walk soon on my STROLLER RIDES & WALKS page.

BONUS: Proximity to things like TRADER JOE’S and the Malvern TARGET / WEGMANS shopping area – LOVE me some Trader Joe’s. 

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EXTON / LIONVILLE

Albert C. Miller Park * No review posted yet

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Chester Springs / Kimberton / Phoenixville

Kimberton Community Park* No review posted yet

Reeves Park (Phoenixville)* No review posted yet