Playgrounds are an excellent place to go with your child. They encourage exercise and imaginative play in children, they give parents a break and many are free or inexpensive to visit.
Interested in going beyond your local park this spring? These five Chesapeake-area playgrounds are must-sees.
Kinder Farm Park
1001 Kinder Farm Park Road, Millersville, MD 21108
Animal lovers will have a great time at Kinder Farm Park, which has a large playground, along with a tot lot for younger children. What really sets this park apart are the farm animals that live on its property, which typically includes cows, pigs, sheep and rabbits. There are also two museums: the Kinder Family Farmhouse Museum and the Tobacco Barn Museum.
$6 per car | kinderfarmpark.org
Totsville Indoor Playground
7497 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd., Glen Burnie MD 21061
If a rainy day threatens to ruin your playground fun, why not try an indoor playground? Totsville Indoor Playground charges a small fee for admission but offers even more to do than an outdoor playground, such as a ball pit, a super-sized sandbox and large climbing structures.
$13.65 for children 8 and younger; $10 for children younger than 1 | totsvilleplayground.com
Downs Park
8311 John Downs Loop, Pasadena, MD 21122
Downs Park renovated its playground in 2021 and now features two tall slide towers for children to climb and explore along with a shaded tot lot. Aside from the playground, the park also houses an aviary for bird watching and several fishing piers.
$6 per car | aacounty.org/recreation-parks/parks/downs-park
Idlewild Park
115 Idlewild Ave., Easton, MD 21601
Idlewild Park is one of the biggest playgrounds on this list—an entire mock town, with plenty of places for kids to engage in pretend play. Much of the playground structure is wheelchair-accessible and includes ramps. For older kids, the park also has baseball fields, tennis courts and basketball courts.
eastonmd.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/Idlewild-Park-4
Wilmer Park
413 S. Cross St., Chestertown, MD 21620
Wilmer Park is home to Aunt Sarah’s Playground, named for beloved community caregiver Sarah Derry. The park is located right along the Chester River and is a popular spot for kayaking, so naturally, the playground has a nautical theme with boat-shaped structures. The playground also features an array of musical instruments, so kids can jam out when they’re taking a break from the action.
chestertown.gov/parks-playgrounds/page/wilmer-park
