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?"

Robert Bendheim Playground (Central Park)

100^th and 5^th Avenue

I really like this playground. Wedged between the Upper East Side and Harlem, this Central Park playground is hub of diversity.  The 3 jungle gyms are connected by bridges, which allow kids to run from one spot to the next.  And from this park hopping journey I have come to discover the greatness of jungle gyms with ramps.  The ramps allow tots to easily climb as well as let older kids run freely throughout the structure.  The openness of the playground makes the whole area visible and the surrounding trees bring in a plethora of shade.  I think after reviewing a slew of less-than-stellar places, the Robert Bendheim playground is a breath of fresh air.

Highlights

• Sprinkler Tunnel

Lowlights

• Sand from the sandbox is all over (and wet)

What It’s Got

• 2 Baby Swings • 1 Handicap Swing • Sandbox (With 2 Work Tables) • 3 Jungle Gyms (all connected by bridges) • 6 Slides • 2 Water Fountains • Sprinkler Tunnels • Hard Rubber Ground/Pavement

What Parents/Nannies Should Know

• Benches All Around • 1 Entrance • Bathrooms Inside Fence • Shady • Trashcans Outside Fence (and inside bathroom)

Nearby

• Starbucks

Ratings: (Out of 5)

Sarah: 

Lexi: 

Annie:  X 28

"The sprinklers almost look like stars.  Almost."

Evelyn's Playround #2 (Union Square)

17th St Between 5th Avenue and Union Square East

The smaller of the Evelyn's Playground is a nice break from all the daredevil equipment is Evelyn #1.  The classic jungle gym with cute, modern additions (note the butterfly fire pole in the above picture) is pleasant and less stressful.  Lexi was not impressed, mostly because we came straight from the larger playground.  Again, the hard-rubber tile is starting to curl around the edges and easy to trip over.  The swings are separated from the rest of the park by a fence and some bushes, making it impossible to see one side of the park from the other.  And again, no shade.  

Highlights

• Telescope!

Lowlights

• No Shade • No Trashcans

What It's Got

• 1 Medium-Sized Jungle Gym • 3 Slides • Telescope • Baby Swings (Separate Fenced Area) • 1 Handicap Swing • Tunnel • Sandbox (With Workbench) • Frog Sculptures • Hard-Rubber Tile • 1 Picnic Table

What Parents/Nannies Should Know

• Two Entrances (One to the other playground) • Only blindspot is the swings • Benches surround the jungle gym • No Shade • Bathroom inside the park • Barnes and Noble also has a bathroom for adults with kids in the children's section 

Nearby

• Union Square Greenmarket (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday) • Whole Foods • Cafe Medina (UES Mom says it has the best soup, plus lots of other kid friendly things.  Thanks UES MOM!) 

Ratings: (Out of 5)

Sarah:  

Lexi:  
"This is a park for kids, like Annie's age."

Annie:  X 18
"I don't like the tunnel because it looks like a trap.  But I like the driver's wheel."

Pier 25 Play Area (Hudson River Park)

West St. and Moore (Cross over on bridge at Chambers St)

Let me start of by saying that this park is not on my list.  Neither is any other playground in the HRP.  I'm working on finding out why, but until then I can only speculate--maybe they are separately owned/operated?  Whatever the case, the playgrounds in HRP are new, "hight-tec", and full of fun.  This particular park is huge. At the base of a mini-golf course and a field, and right next to a skate park, Pier 25 is in the middle of all the action.  One of the best parts of the playground is the "what's this" quality. We don't know what it is, but let's figure out how to use it!  Most of the equipment is hard plastic, metal, and rope strung together in the most climbable of ways.  Oh, and did I mention the gigantically awesome rock climbing wall??  The playground is an odd shape so watch out for blindspots.  Its biggest problem is the same problem that haunts most piers on the Hudson River: No shade.  This playground is brutal in the summer sun.

Highlights
 • Rock Climbing Wall • Giant Spiderweb • Huge Sprinkler Section

Lowlights
• Lots of Entrances • Zero Shade • No Trashcans

What It's Got
• Interactive Sprinklers • Sandbox • 6 Swings • 4 Baby Swings • 2 Handicap Swings • Rock Climbing Wall • Baby Jungle Gym (Seperate, 2 Slides) • Spiderweb • Crazy Rope Climb Thing • Wheel Rotator  • Teeter-Totter • Frog Sculpture • Plush Ground • 2 Water Fountains

What Parents/Nannies Should Know
• Zero Shade • Plenty of benches/ledges • 3 Entrances • Port-a-Potties (right outside the gates) • Tons of Blindspots

What's Nearby
• Minigolf • Sports Field • Skatepark • Chambers St

Ratings (Out of 5)

Sarah:   (the no shade thing hurt its rating)

Lexi: 

Annie: