Tudor Grove Playground

42nd st Between 1st & 2nd Avenue (Southside)

The trick to avoiding the stairs of Tudor Grove Playground is to enter from 41st st, make a left onto Tudor City Pl, and the entrance will be right after the garden.  Once we entered the park and plopped our belongings on a bench we got to work.  In this playground's case, work didn't take long.  With only one tot-sized jungle gym Lexi quickly deemed this playground "for little kids."  I convinced her to stay a little longer with a game of hide and seek (or as Annie likes to say "hide and sneak!"). The plethora of shade and the pleasant quietness of the park is something to appreciate.  However, if you have big kids you'll find yourself struggling to keep them entertained.

Highlights
• All Shaded

Lowlights
• Tots Only


What It's Got
• 1 Jungle Gym (Tots) • Tic Tac Toe • 2 Slides • Chain Climbing Fence • Hard-Rubber Tile/Pavement • Trashcans


What Parents/Nannies Should Know
• 1 Entrance (Accesible from Tudor Place or from 42nd st Stairs) • Benches All Around • No Blindspots


Nearby
• Grand Central Station (Great Food Court) • U.N • East River

Ratings: (out of 5)

Sarah: 

Lexi: 

"It's nice and shady but this is for little kids. Like Annie."

Annie:  X18 

"I like playing hide and sneak behind the trees!"

Hell's Kitchen Playground

47th-48th st and 10th Avenue

The Hell's Kitchen Playground is the perfect example as to why the girls and I park hop: to find gems.  The Hell's Kitchen Playground is a playground gem.  My only regret is my lack of pictures.  I don't know where the rest went, and I'm sorry that I can only show you a miniscule portion of this awesome place.  The space is divided into three sections; the big jungle gym, the center common space, and the tot's section.  The center space draws a lot of non-kid adults, but these people are neighborhood locals reading the paper or listening to the radio.  There are several signs posted near the jungle gyms asking for adults without children to stay out of the play area and for the most part people comply.  The big kid's jungle gym is an awesome combination of small monkey bars (for Annie-sized kids) and large monkey bars (for Lexi-sized kids).  With ladders attached to most of the climbing equipment your children can reach without you having to squat and lift every few minutes.  Even though the sky was threatening to dump rain on us at any moment the playground was still bustling with people/kids.  I can't tell you enough how great this playground is for all ages.  If you find yourself in Hell's Kitchen, this is the place to visit.  

Highlights

• Awesome Monkey Bars (Various Levels) • Kid's Picnic Tables

Lowlights

• Non-Kid Adults

What It's Got

• Chess Tables • Kid-Sized Picnic Tables • Sprinklers • Handball/Basketball Courts • 2 Jungle Gyms (Tots separate) • 2 Slides • 2 Baby Swings • 3 Swings • 1 Handicap Swing • 2 Chain Ladders • Monkey Bars (Low, With Ladder) • Low Gymnast Rings • High Gymnast Rings (With Ladder) • Swinging Balance Beam • Rickety Balance Beam • Working Water Fountain (With Kid Step) • Hard-Rubber Tile/Pavement

What Parents/Nannies Should Know

• 1 Entrance • 60% Shaded • Plenty of Benches • Non-Kid Adults (Posted Signs Encouraging Adults Without Children to Stay Toward the Middle)

Nearby

• Shake Shack • Intrepid Air & Space Museum

Ratings: (Out of 5)

Sarah: 

Lexi: 

"I can't believe I could make it across those monkey bars!  They are so tall!"

Annie:  X28

"I was doin the monkey bars all by myself! Can we come back here tomorrow?"