Aww, the playground. That magical place where you met your best friend. Where you spent all day until dusk, when your mom called you in for dinner. And where you let your imagination run wild (remember that game when you pretended the sawdust was hot lava and you had to avoid it at all costs?) Well, the splendor of the playground hasn’t changed, though the structures themselves have undergone a transformation over the years. Here are some prime examples of the architectural innovation involved in playgrounds these days. Your kids are sure to love them all.
Riverplay Discovery Village, Eugene
sfgamchick/Flickr A miniature town, made just for your miniature person.
Bear Creek Park, Medford
Facebook This wooden play structure, fashioned like an old bunker fort, has ample shade trees and sits near a dog park, so Poochie can join in the fun, too.
Blue Lake Regional Park, Fairview
Facebook This sprawling, 101-acre park along the Columbia River is equipped with a huge spray playground, making it the ideal summertime excursion.
Harmon Park, Bend
Yelp Give your little ones a chance to see what riding on a real, old-school tug boat was like.
Columbia Park, Bend
Bend Parks and Rec A perfect place for pirate make-believe.
Sellwood Park, Portland
city of Portland Home to one of the largest playgrounds in the city, this spot gives kids a variety of swings, slides, and see-saws, while parents get a nice, shady, wooded area to watch over them.
Rose Garden Children’s Park playground, at Washington Park, Portland
city of Portland
The wee ones get to experience this virtual village of fun at the Rose Garden Children’s Park.
Murase Plaza at Wilsonville Memorial Park
Matthew Nenninger & Tracie Andrews/Flickr
Check out this fun-for-the-whole-family spot that features cool giant animal statues.
1) Harper’s Playground, Portland
sfgamchick/Flickr
A miniature town, made just for your miniature person.
This wooden play structure, fashioned like an old bunker fort, has ample shade trees and sits near a dog park, so Poochie can join in the fun, too.
This sprawling, 101-acre park along the Columbia River is equipped with a huge spray playground, making it the ideal summertime excursion.
Yelp
Give your little ones a chance to see what riding on a real, old-school tug boat was like.
Bend Parks and Rec
A perfect place for pirate make-believe.
city of Portland
Home to one of the largest playgrounds in the city, this spot gives kids a variety of swings, slides, and see-saws, while parents get a nice, shady, wooded area to watch over them.
The wee ones get to experience this virtual village of fun at the Rose Garden Children’s Park.
Matthew Nenninger & Tracie Andrews/Flickr
Check out this fun-for-the-whole-family spot that features cool giant animal statues.
Harper’s Playground: “More Play for Everyone” from Cody Goldberg on Vimeo.
This playground concept, which was unveiled at Portland’s Arbor Lodge Park, actually has an interesting background. The founders wanted to provide their daughter, who has special needs, with a space that gives her and other children like her a fun, accessible play-time experience. Watch here for the inspirational story.
These playgrounds are sure to give you and your family hours of safe, outdoor fun. But tell us, did we leave anything off the list? Let us know about your favorite Oregon playgrounds in the comments below.
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