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Diana Ross Playground

81st and Central Park West

Annie loves going to the Hayden Planetarium.  Seriously, I've seen Journey to the Stars at least 30 times.  Afterward we make our way across the street for a little tire swing relaxation at the Diana Ross Playground.  Made mostly out of wood and metal, this playground has an old-school feel.  The girls and I like to play follow the leader, hopping from one wooden block to the next. When that gets old we'll try to dig a hole to China in the sandbox. The park can get really crowded due to its proximity to the museum, so make sure to keep your belongings close.

Highlights

• Tire Swings

Lowlights

• Tourists

What It's Got

• 4 Baby Swings • 2 Tire Swings • Huge Jungle Gym • Monkey Bars • Bridges • Wooden Climbing Blocks • 4 Slides • Non-Working Water Fountain • Sand and Hard-Rubber Ground

What Parents/Nannies Should Know

• Shade Around Edges (But Not Enough) • One Entrance • Benches Around Edges (But Always Crowded) • Closest Bathroom Either the Hayden Planetarium (5 minute walk) or the Delacorte Theater (3 minute walk, right before to the Great Lawn)

Nearby

• Museum of Natural History • Shake Shack

Ratings (out of 5)

Sarah: 

Lexi: 

Annie:  X 28

"I like the tire swing when it spins a lot on medium."

Tots Playground

68th and Central Park West (East of Adventure Playground)

This is one of those parks the girls and I came to because it was "on our list."  Located directly to the East of Adventure, this playground is easily overlooked and for good reasons.  Faded, chipped, and small, Tots is pretty much only good for escaping the crowds of other playgrounds.  The best part about the playground is the mini benches and the rolling-bar slide (both pictured above).  Annie and Lexi enjoyed their snack on the pint-sized seats before testing out the unique slide.  But beware, rolling slides can pinch!

Highlights
• Rolling-Bar Slide


Lowlights
• Dinky


What It's Got
• 4 Slides • Sandbox • Bridge • 2 Small Jungle Gyms • Kid-Sized Fountain • No Trashcans • Hard Rubber Ground • 6 Baby Swings


What Parents/Nannies Should Know
•  One Entrance • All Shaded • Benches All Around • No Blindspots • Bridge is lower than it should be • Closest bathroom at the old Tavern on the Green


Nearby
• Adventure Playground • Tavern on the Green

Ratings  (Out of 5)

Sarah: 

Lexi: 

"Babies can slip right under the bridge, and you know babies, they love mischief."

Annie:  X 18

"Those mover things [rollings-bars] are funny!'

ALSO-------

J.I.C (Just in case) you haven't snooped around my blog, you should know that besides being an awesome nanny and playground reviewer I am also a children's tour guide.  Please check out SarahPoppins.com to book your tour today!

Adventure Playground

67th st & Central Park West

 The first thing the girls and I noticed about the park was how quiet it was.  I'm not sure if it was the time of day (mid-afternoon, for approx. two hours) or the way the park is stationed on a hill, but whatever the case, this park came equipped with a calm feel.  Made mostly out of wood and concrete, this playground is a series of forts, pyramids, and walls.  The girls and I played pirates, hiding in various bunkers and meeting at the river for "Aaaarrrgh" exchanges.  Be cautious of the pyramids, because most of the equipment is covered in sand they can get pretty slippery.  Poor Annie needed a band-aid after a bad fall up the wooden pyramid steps. Also, be aware of the wandering tourists.  Because this park is so close to Tavern on the Green and Columbus Circle many tourists stop in with their children (to take pictures) or by themselves (to see what an NYC kid looks like).

Highlights
• Kid-Sized Fountain • Running River

Lowlights
• Sand all over makes it slippery • No Trashcans

What It's Got
• 2 Pyramids (1 Stone, 1 Wood) • Various Level Pull-Up Bars • Shower Sprinkler (Surrounded by Stone Steps) • 6 Slides • Running River • Mini Pool (At End of River) • Sand and Hard Rubber Ground • Kid-Sized Fountain

What Parents/Nannies Should Know
• Shade around the edges • Plenty of Benches • 1 Entrance • Closest bathroom at the old Tavern On the Green, roughly a three minute trip

What's Nearby 
• Tavern on the Green, now home to various food vendors


Ratings (Out of 5)

Sarah:


Lexi:



Annie:

Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller Park Playground

River Terrace and Warren St. 

This beautiful Battery Park playground has something for all ages.  The huge jungle gyms are a great place for kids to meet "park friends"as they run over the bridge or jump on the trampoline net.  The little kid section of the park is slightly separated and full of bars to hang on to (for the new walkers).  But what sets this park apart from the rest is the pedaling carousel.  Powered by the riders, this carousel provides hours of entertainment as well as a great opportunity to practice cooperation skills.  Once the girls found the carousel they ignored the rest of the playground.  I didn't mind because it's covered with a shaded gazebo.  Just take heed, there are signs all over the place warning not to move the carousel any other way but to pedal.

Highlights

• Pedaling Carousel

Lowlights

• 2 Entrances 

What It's Got

• Pedaling Carousel • 2 Giant Jungle Gyms • 3 Slides • 2 Sandpits • Elephant and Hippo Sprinklers • Baby Monkey Bars • Interactive Dodo Bird Sprinkler • Balance Beam • Trashcans • Hard-Rubber Ground

What Parents/Nannies Should Know

• Bathroom located in the Solair building across the street • 2 Entrances • Although Large, Not Many Blindspots • 3 Picnic Tables • Plenty of Seats • Half-shaded

What's Nearby

• Starbucks • La Pain Quotidien

Ratings (Out of 5)

Sarah: 

Lexi: 

"I loved the bouncy net and those cool animal sprinklers."

Annie:  X 28

"We were going round and round on those bikes!"

Teardrop Park

Park Place West (Between River Terrace and North End)

I first heard of Teardrop park from my mom-friend, Caroline.  She told me there was a slide in Manhattan that shoots kids out like bullets, faster than all the others.  Behold, the girls and I found it.  The playground in Teardrop park is unfenced and in the middle of a grassy field, a rock waterfall, and two tall buildings.  There is no clear "Playground" sign and this is just one of the reasons why this park feels "secret." For the record, when wet, the slide really does shoots kids out like bullets.  Out of the three of us, only Lexi was brave enough to go down.  Watching her fly down the slide, into the sandpit, and land mere feet from a giant boulder sent my nerves on end.  I felt calmer after the second and then the third, once I knew she was nowhere near harms way.  I must stress that she is almost seven and a gymnast and ballerina, so please stand in the catcher's stance while your kids are going down the Teardrop slide.  From the picture you can clearly see how small an adult looks next to the slide, this thing is huge!  Also, the rock cove on the second level is a great water park for youngsters and bigger kids alike.  Don't forget to bring a bucket or use an old tupperware/water bottle.



Highlights
• Gigantic Slide • "Secret" feel

Lowlights
• Blindspots • Multiple Entrances


What It's Got
• Gigantic Slide • Sandpit • Rock Cove (with Sprinklers) • Boulders • Trashcans • Water Fountain (Says delayed reaction, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't work)


What Parents/Nannies Should Know
• No clear entrance/exit, but secluded • 2 Levels with lookout spot to see lower level • All Shaded • The slide goes fast!