In our area, we have so many great things to do and see it is hard to keep up with it all.  A great free and local option is an area playground. Many of our playgrounds offer something for almost any child and some are just perfect for really little ones.

Just remember your sunscreen, drinks, possibly a snack and leave plenty of time for fun!

I am continuing to add to this list as time allows.  If you know of a great playground that you would like to see ...

Playground Name:  Castle Park Playground

Address: 500 Block of Shunpike Road, Chatham, NJ

Features:  This is one of the best playgrounds in our area.  There are numerous structures, twisting slides, a rock climbing area, swings for all ages, rope mountain, roller slide, open slides, two large structures with multiple platforms, bars, poles, picnic huts, picnic area, basketball courts, ball fields, 

Sun/Shade: Mainly sunny, although some areas do get some shade.

Appropriate Ages: 2 to 15 years-old.

Review: 5 Stars out of 5: This is the only playground in area ...

Playground Name: Chisholm Park

Address: 100 South Springfield Avenue, near intersection of Shunpike Road

Features: Two large structures with platforms, one for older children and the other for younger children, set of swings, spinning petals

Sun/Shade: Mostly sunny with some shade.

Appropriate Ages: 3 to 12 years-old.

Review: 4 Stars out of 5: This is playground is in great shape and the play area is fenced in with just a few open entrances. The largest structure for older kids has three large slides, platforms, mountain climbing area, bars, and ...

Playground Name: Columbia Park Playground

Address: Near the intersection of 345 Plainfield Avenue and Hamilton Avenue, Berkeley Heights. (Driveway to the parking lot is opposite the entrance to the Berkeley Heights Swim Club on Hamilton Avenue and behind the Middle School.)

Features: Two separate playground areas, one for older children and one for younger children.  Open and tube slides, swings, numerous climbing structures, picnic tables with grills, bathrooms.

Sun/Shade: Playground for older children is very sunny; the younger children playground is mostly shady.

Appropriate Ages: Recommended for children 2-12 ...

Playground Name: Dodge Field Playground

Address: Chapel Street, Greenwood Avenue, and Brittin Street, Madison

Features: Open and tube slides, swings, two separate climbing structures with platforms, huge sandbox, and bathrooms (although not particularly clean)

Sun/Shade: Mostly sunny in all spots of this playground

Appropriate Ages: Park offers something for everyone, recommended for ages 2-12

Review:  4 Stars out of 5 - My son’s playgroup has met here numerous times over the years.  This playground is charming with its two very different climbing structures. One structure near the sandbox is ...

Playground Name: Echo Lake Park Playground

Address: Park Drive, Mountainside (connecting Springfield Avenue and Mountainside Avenue and Route 22).

Features: One very large structure with multiple climbing walls, straight and twisting open slides, bridges, tunnels, climbing bars, swings and a few park benches.

Sun/Shade: Mostly shady with some sun.

Appropriate Ages: 4 to 12 years-old.

Review: 4 Stars out of 5: There are six different slides off of the structure.  Just be really carefully about the two straight slides facing the road, kids can come down really fast (picture ...

Playground Name:  Farrfell Field Playground

Address:  Walton Avenue near the Maplewood border

Features:  Open and tube slides, two separate structures one for playing on and the other for interaction, two sets of swings

Sun/Shade:  Mostly shaded areas

Appropriate Ages:  Park recommended for ages 2 to 8 years-old

Review:  3.0 Stars out of 5 – This is an extremely small park and very much a neighborhood playground with very little parking.  The main structure is nice with many slides and ramps to go to the different sections.  There is also ...

Playground Name: Frank Rancioppi Memorial Park

Address: Edward V. Walton School, 601 Mountain Avenue, Springfield.

Features: Slides, bars, spinning seats, spinning bars, one large structure with monkey bars and platforms, small tunnels. 

Sun/Shade: Some shade and some sun.

Appropriate Ages: 3 to 10 years-old.

Review: 4 Stars out of 5: This is a pretty small playgroup, but the equipment is in great shape and the play area is fenced.  There are so many spinning options, it makes me dizzy just thinking about it,  The largest structure has many different ...

Playground Name: Gero Park Playground

Address: 315 White Oak Ridge Road, Short Hills

Features: There are two structures with platforms, a set of swings, tube and open slides, lots of bars, two bucket and two strap swings

Sun/Shade: Mostly sunny, with a little shade

Appropriate Ages: Playground is recommended for ages 2-10

Review:  3.5 Stars out of 5 – We used to go to this playground all the time, but for some reason we haven't been in a while.  Since the last time we were here, the township ...

Playground Name:  Jaycee Park Playground (New and Improved)

Address: 1378 Springfield Avenue, next to the New Providence Community Pool, New Providence, NJ (hidden behind the trees to the right if you are facing the pool)

Features: Open and tube slides swings, two separate climbing structures one with a platform, spinning ride-ons

Sun/Shade: Sun and shaded areas

Appropriate Ages: Park recommended for ages 2-8

Review: 3.5 Stars out of 5 – The Borough of New Providence recently renovated this playground. They added a new climbing structure, spinning rides, swings and ...

Playground Name: Joe Collins Park Playground

Address: 1150 Liberty Avenue, Union.

Features: One main playground structure with slides and climbing options, and a set of swings.

Sun/Shade: Party shady and partly sunny.

Appropriate Ages: 18 months to 12 years-old.

Review: 3.5 Stars out of 5: This is a very cute neighborhood park that was recently renovated. There is a no off street parking, so you must park along Liberty Avenue. This playgroup is almost always empty.  It is along a fairly busy street, but the playground is a ...

Playground Name: Laurel Park Playground

Address: Laurel Drive near Dogwood Terrace, Springfield, NJ.

Features: A climbing structure with a side, one set of bucket swings and one set of strap swings, a teeter totter and a small climbing structure.

Sun/Shade: Entirely sunny.

Appropriate Ages: 12 months to 6 years-old.

Review: 2.5 Stars out of 5: This playground is tiny and some of the equipment is new. Springfield tried to give the playground a face lift by replacing some of the equipment and putting down a playground border with ...

Playground Name: Lyons Park Playground

Address: Constance Road, New Providence

Features: Two climbing structures with tube and open slides, assorted pole options, modern see-saw, swings, picnic tables

Sun/Shade: Very Shady, great for an extremely hot day

Appropriate Ages: Playground is recommended for ages 2-12

Review:  4 Stars out of 5: This playground is really nice on an extremely hot summer day.  The entire playground is shaded by mature trees.  There is a smaller structure for little kids with some ramps and tubes and slides.  There are bucket swings and ...

Playground Name: Littell People's Park

Address: Wahler Road near Amherst Place, Livingston - shares parking lot with Livingston Memorial Pool 

Features: A large play structure, two small play structures, set of bars, sandbox, and swing set.

Sun/Shade: A lot of sun, with some shade

Appropriate Ages: Children 1 to 12 years-old

Review: 4 Stars out of 5: A very large play structure with ramps, many bars, slides, and bridges. There is also a separate bar set. Near the large sandbox is a play structure for very young children featuring ...

Playground Name: Little Sports Court

Address: Monmouth Court, Livingston.

Features: Numerous brightly colored structures featuring: slides, chalk area roof on a small house, climbing structures, sandboxes, monkey bars, benches, bouncy see-saw, other bouncy ride-ons.

Sun/Shade: Mostly sunny with a little shade.

Appropriate Ages: 14 months to 4 years old, good for siblings because one structure is for older kids (4+).

Review: 4 Stars out of 5: This playground is really for young kids.  There are many structures that are very low to the ground, so a very young walker ...

Playground Name: Mabie Park Playground

Address: 30 Summit Avenue, intersection of Broad Street, Summit Avenue, and Elm Street, metered on-street parking available on all three sides of the park area

Features: Two separate playground areas: the smaller playground area (for younger kids) is fenced on three sides with a contemporary climbing structure, the larger area is not fenced.  Both playground areas have slides, swings, platforms and picnic tables.  There is a large green field near the playground areas for playing ball and a basketball court.

Sun/Shade: Larger playground has ...

Playground Name: Mindowaskin Park Playground

Address: Mindowaskin Park, Park Drive (near N. Euclid Avenue) Westfield

Features: Open slides, swings, two separate climbing structures with platforms, many spring and spin ride-on options, park benches, picnic tables

Sun/Shade: Sun and shaded areas

Appropriate Ages: Park offers something for everyone, recommended for ages 2-12

Review: 4.0 Stars out of 5 – This is a very nice playground.  There are times when this playground is entirely deserted so keep that in mind, if your child is a social butterfly like mine.  There is ...

Playground Name: Memorial Park, North Passaic Avenue, Chatham

Address:  Chatham, NJ.

Features: Three climbing structures with open and tube slides, climbing bars, platforms, bucket and strap swings, large green fields,  

Sun/Shade: Mostly sunny with some areas of shade.

Appropriate Ages: 18 months to 12 years-old.

Review: 4.5 Stars out of 5: This playground has three very large climbing structures with a wood cabin theme.  There is one structure in the middle of the park that is geared towards much younger children with slides, some play toys, and tunnels ...

Playground Name: Memorial Park Playground

Address: Valley Street and Oakland Road, Maplewood.  Parking is very difficult at this playground.  Please be very careful of where you park because there are signs posted on almost every side street.  Many of the side streets going away from the train have permit parking, for limited morning hours only.

Features: Slides, swings, two separate climbing structures with platforms, many spinning ride-on options, park benches

Sun/Shade: Mostly sunny in some areas and shaded in others

Appropriate Ages: Park offers something for everyone, recommended for ...

Playground Name: Mobus Field Playground

Address: Brookdale Road, Watchung.

Features: This playground features two climbing structures and two a set of four swings, separate baseketball court and baseball field.  There are benches and a bathroom if unlocked.

Sun/Shade: Mostly sunny with no shade.

Appropriate Ages: 8 months to 9 years old

Review: 3 Stars out of 5: This playground is the first of the year, because this is a great time to go to this playground since it has very little shade.  The two play structures feature open and ...

Playground Name: Nomahegan Park Playground

Address: Springfield Avenue across from Union County College.  Parking can be difficult when college is in session.

Features: Open and tube slides, swings, two large separate climbing structures with platforms, spring ride-on options, park benches

Sun/Shade: Mostly shaded by mature trees

Appropriate Ages: Park offers something for everyone, recommended for ages 2-14

Review:  5 Stars out of 5 – This is a great playground.  Typically it does not feel crowded even if there are lots of other children.  There is a climbing structure with a ...

Playground Name: Oakwood Park Playground

Address: One Park Place, New Providence (in a residential neighborhood, very close to River Road in Chatham)

Features: One large play structure and two swings, a small green field leads into two large sport fields and a there is small parking lot

Sun/Shade: Sunny

Appropriate Ages: Children 2 to 8 years-old.

Review:  3.5 Stars out of 5: This is the smallest playgrounds that I have reviewed so far.  There is rarely another family at this playground, so bring a friend.  There are two ...

Playground Name: Smithfield Park Playground

Address: Smithfield Road, Springfield, NJ.

Features: One Climbing structure with slides, one set of bucket swings and one set of strap swings.

Sun/Shade: Mostly shady with some areas of sun.

Appropriate Ages: 12 months to 6 years-old.

Review: 3 Stars out of 5: This playground is tiny, but the equipment is brand new.  This is your traditional neighborhood playground. There are three slides and a few climbing features off of the platform of the play structure.  There are two bucket swings and two strap ...

Playground Name: Snyder Avenue Park Playground

Address: Snyder Avenue near the railroad tracks, Berkeley Heights.

Features: Two climbing structures with platforms, swings of all sizes, a sprinkler area for hot days, rubberized ground cover, bathrooms (although were locked when were were there), and benches.

Sun/Shade: Entirely sunny.

Appropriate Ages: 18 months to 15 years-old.

Review: 5 Stars out of 5: Wow!  I am so impressed by this entire park. Although the address says near the railroad tracks, the playground area is very far from the tracks, especially for little ...

Playground Name: Soldiers Memorial Park Playground

Address: Myrtle Avenue, Summit (street parking) or Ashland Avenue, Summit (to park in the lot)

Features:  Two climbing structures with with slides, assorted pole options, ride-on bouncy car, swings, picnic tables, and benches.

Sun/Shade: Mix of Sun and Shade

Appropriate Ages: Playground is recommended for ages 2-12

Review: 4 Stars out of 5: My son and his friends love this playground.  It is laid out very nicely. The small structure on this playground is for very young children. It has a slide and ...

Playground Name: Ralston Playground

Address: Washington Turnpike (Route 24) near Jane Terrace in Mendham

Features: There are many areas to play at this playground,  There are two climbing structures, a little play village, swings, open and closed slides of all kinds, ride-ons, things to climb, sit-ons, a large sandbox, a gazebo for shade, and benches.

Sun/Shade: Mostly sunny, but parts with shade

Appropriate Ages: Playground offers something for everyone, recommended for ages 2-14

Review:  5 Stars out of 5 – We discovered this playground on our way back from Chester ...

Playground Name: Taylor Park Playground

Address: Corner of Ridgewood Road and Main Street, Millburn. Park along Main Street or one the side street (but watch the posted signs, there are a number of areas that don't allow parking).

Features: One large fenced in playground with two large playground structures and two smaller structures. Tube and open slides, swings, platforms, spinners, ride on animals, benches and a picnic table. There is a small blacktop area for chalk play, small ride-ons, basketball or other ball play. 

Sun/Shade: Some areas of ...