Chicago Parks

I think the parks in Chicago are pretty great.  One of the things I like most about them is their diversity.  Many of them are completely unique making you want to go beyond your neighborhood playground.  I also love that you can live almost anywhere and be within walking distance (if you are willing to walk a little bit) to a park or play lot.  There are just so many options.  The Chicago Park District website claims that there are 570 parks and 518 playgrounds.  I haven't even been to a quarter of them but here are some of my favorites in no particular order (not counting beaches, conservatories, that kind of thing):

- Peterson Park/North Park Village Nature Center:  This park has it all with a playground, soccer field and programming like any other park plus a gymnastics center and nature preserve.  The gymnastics center is really large with two floors full of gymnastics equipment.  They offer classes starting, I think, at 18 months that the parent participates in too and then there are drop off classes for children three years and older.  They also have a gymnastics club for older kids who compete at meets.  The classes can be really difficult to get into if you want something during popular times and the staff can be a bit cranky but my daughter loved her classes and has been begging me to sign her up for more. 

The Nature Center provides an opportunity for city kids to experience woodland, prairie, savanna, and wetland settings as the website boasts.  The 46 acre nature preserve has trails that are completely appropriate for young children meaning that they are not too long or difficult.  You definitely won't get lost.  Anytime you go you're sure to see deer plus some interesting birds and other animals.  In the nature center they have a bunch of activities every month for all age groups from preschool to senior citizen.  They also have a really interesting Maple Syrup festival in March every year where they show you the process of tapping a maple tree to get sap.  The Nature Center is open almost every day of the year and its free.  A newsletter called the Urban Naturalist is put out quarterly by the Nature Center detailing all of their upcoming programs.  You can sign up to receive the newsletter by email by going to the Nature Centers' page on the Park District's website (www.chicagoparkdistrict.com).

- Millennium Park:  This beautiful park makes me jealous of families that live in the South Loop.  I know this one doesn't exactly fit in this list because it is a tourist attraction with amazing architecture and is so much bigger than the other parks but I think it's great and wanted to include it.  The Park always has a really great family summer program (Family Fun Fest) with musical acts and arts and crafts sponsored by different museums and organizations in the City.  The big fountain that the kids can splash around in is worth a trip on its own.  My kids went crazy for it last summer.  Then they have ice skating in the winter which hopefully we will be able to do when kids get older and can keep up with the other skaters.  The only problem with it for us is that we pretty much have to drive to get there, which is no fun, and then we have to pay for parking - but the parking lot is very convenient.
 
- Kilbourn Park and Organic Greenhouse:  They only have a fairly average playground here but the organic greenhouse and programs associated with it are unique for the City parks.  Every spring they have an organic plant sale where they sell seedlings for $2-$3 per plant.  We bought tomatoes (they specialize in heirloom varieties), broccoli, and cucumbers but they also sell a wide variety of peppers, kale and other greens and flowers.  They also offer lots of gardening classes for adults and a Garden Buddies program for kids (they are having an event this Saturday from 10-12).  The Park makes a huge effort to making gardening accessible to city dwellers who may only have a small patch of lawn to work with.  It is great for kids too to see where the food they eat comes from and how it grows.

- Indian Boundary Park - It's hard to find a playground like this anymore.  Everything is wooden as opposed to metal or plastic.  There are really interesting things to climb over and through and neat little wooden bridges to walk across.  They also have a very small zoo where kids can see chickens, a llama, and goats.

- Adams Playground Park - The best CPD water playground that I've been to.  The water area is really big with a couple of water slides and lots different contraptions spouting water.  The kids have so much fun here and even though it is in Lincoln Park we've never had a problem finding parking right nearby.  Definitely worth the trip.  The regular playground is also quite nice and large with a big sand play area.

Parks I want to visit soon:

- Berger Park and Cultural Center - Supposedly has a view of the lake from the playground.
- Northerly Island - This park is located on a peninsula near the Museum Campus and they always seem to be having nature themed activities for kids.  One of these days we'll get there.

On the park district website www.chicagoparkdistrict.com you can sign up for a monthly newsletter that provides a summary of events happening at parks around the City.