list

We’ve all been there, our eyes are glued on our fearless older child as she climbs the arching ladder on the playground while trying to locate the other fearless younger child.  Swearing the fearless younger child was moments earlier pulling on your leg begging for “More Snack”, you tell fearless older child to sit still on the tall arching ladder while you snake your way around the jungle gym equipment in search of fearless younger child.  After calling her name, poking your head inside tunnels, and reminding yourself she can’t get out of the fenced-in playground (or, can she?) you see that she is quietly playing in the sand box behind a small wall.  Thank goodness, now back to check on fearless older child…

Like I mentioned earlier, we’ve all been there where we’re trying to wrangle more than one child at the park.  Maybe you’re a new mom again with baby #2, 3, etc and you’re quietly feeding new baby while trying to keep an eye on the older sibling(s) when you realize you have to break away from feeding baby to assist the older sibling(s) as she tumbles down the twisty slide (again, we’ve all been there…I think all of Cedar Hills Park has seen my lady lumps). But, knowing so many friends with two kids (and several with three or their third on the way), I wanted to compile a list of my Top 9 Raleigh Parks for Wrangling More Than One Kid.  Here’s my list, where I put a lot of weight on being able to see kids regardless of where you’re standing at the playground, proximity of bathrooms, and kids’ escapability:

1. Halifax Park – small, partially fenced-in park with swings and climbing structures for all ages; bathrooms in the nearby newly renovated community center; no sandbox; great visibility of entire park

   

2. Method Rd Park – fully fenced-in park with swings and short climbing structures for all ages; bathrooms are nearby in the community center; no sandbox; great visibility of entire park
3. Longstreet Dr Playground – small, partially fenced-in park with swings and climbing structures for all ages; no bathrooms; small sandbox area;  great visibility of entire park
4. Eastgate Park – fully fenced-in park with swings and climbing structures for all ages separated by a short hill that scares me overtime I see Claire run down it; seasonally-opened bathrooms are outside the fenced-in area, needing much updates; small sandbox area; medium visibility of entire park; can get busy, but centrally located
5. Hill St Park – partially fenced-in park with swings and unique climbing structures for all ages; bathrooms are located in nearby community center during operating hours; no sandbox; great visibility of playground area

   

6. Marsh Creek Park – fully fenced-in park with climbing structures for all ages; no swings; bathrooms are nearby in the community center; no sandbox; medium visibility of playground area; can get busy especially during track out days
7. Pollock Place Playground – peninsula-shaped playground area surrounded by neighborhood roads with swings and climbing structures for all ages; no nearby bathrooms; large sandbox; great visibility of playground area; close proximity to roads with light traffic
8. Strickland Rd Park – partially fenced-in park with swings and unique slides/climbing structures for all areas; no nearby bathrooms; large sandbox area; medium visibility of park; can get busy

   

9. Roanoke Park – narrow playground area sandwiched by neighborhood roads with swings, ride-on toys and climbing structures mostly for kids under 7; no nearby bathrooms; large sandbox; medium visibility of playground area