Ray Ross Park

680 S. Harlan St.

Lakewood, CO

website

This is a new, ultra-modern playground that is significantly different from the standard playground design. The slide has no sides and looks a lot like a tongue. Creative climbing options abound.  Q calls this the spider-web playground. The main part of the playground might prove intimidating for smaller children, but another segment provides more traditional options for those who seek them.  A small splash park in the shape of a baseball diamond rounds out this innovative new park.

Amenities Include:

Picnic shelter with BBQ grills

Baseball diamonds

Basketball (1/2 court)

Restrooms (with flush toilets and even a counter for diaper changes), plus two port-o-potties

Water fountains (including 1 freeze-proof)

Splash Park

Green Gables Park/Sanctuary Park

Green Gables Park

1450 S. Garrison St.

Lakewood, CO

website

Sanctuary Park

1401 S. Garrison St.

Lakewood, CO

website

Sanctuary Park is a charming little neighborhood park, with an old-style wooden playground (no slides) and a pretty little lake.  There is ample room for running around, and along the other side of the creek is a pleasant walking path that winds along behind houses and emerges about a block down Garrison from the park (you can continue on if you choose, but I don't know where it leads). The playground has a generous number of swings (six toddler swings, four standard swings). Otherwise, it probably isn't the best playground for younger children.  There are no picnic tables. Sancuary Park, just across Garrison, provides a nice place for a short nature walk.

Amenities Include:

baseball

soccer

port-o-potty

walking paths

Sanctuary Park

Addenbrooke Park

600 S. Kipling Pkwy.

Lakewood, CO

website

This is an "event" park.  It seems to have been designed for large events (there are several soccer fields, baseball diamonds, etc...) and three picnic shelters with several grills, right next to the playground. The playground itself is nothing special, but it is certainly adequate, with slides, a tire swing, plenty of climbing opportunities, and a small separate toddler area.  Q seemed to be enthusiastic about the playground, but we soon wandered off around the lake, and exploring around the trees and rocks proved more engaging than the playground.

Amenities Include:
Several (attached) picnic shelters with grills
Indoor restrooms with running water (no doors on stalls)

Water fountain

Lasley Park

1401 S. Kendall St.
Lakewood, CO
website

This is our neighborhood playground, so we end up here a lot.  It is a relatively-small, no-frills playground, with a couple of slides, some swings, and some climbing equipment. It is relatively-toddler friendly, except the bottom step is high, so it would be difficult for some to climb up. The park has a full basketball court, tennis courts, a volleyball court, and some open space for playing.  There are also a couple of picnic shelters with grills. Not the best park for strolling in, but it makes a fun walking (or bike-riding) destination. This isn't a park I would go out of my way to get to, but it is a good, solid, neighborhood playground. 

Amenities include:

1 port-o-potty

tennis courts

basketball court

volleyball court

two picnic shelters, at least one of which has BBQ grills

Loretto Heights Park

South Lowell Blvd. and West Amherst Avenue

Denver, CO 80236

 

When we visited this park it was overrun with dandelions and had a charming, overgrown feeling.  The beautiful hilltop location with winding paths along the sides of the hill was a refreshing change after visiting so many perfectly-manicured parks. The playground isn't anything special, but it has a couple of slides and some swings and is more than sufficient for imaginative play. Q particularly enjoyed the lion's mouth tunnel. It is relatively toddler-accessible, although not particularly geared toward them. 

 

There is a picnic shelter perched at the top of the hill, with a few scattered picnic tables on the grass as well. I did not see any grills.  This seems like an ideal park for an old-fashioned (i.e., cold) family picnic. There was also a suprising amount of flat open space for a hilltop park.  Note that sledding is not allowed, nor does this seem to be a particularly good spot for it, despite being on top of a hill.

Amenities Include:

One picnic shelter with several (no BBQ grills)
1 port-o-potty

Kendrick Lake Park

9351 W. Jewell Ave.
Lakewood, CO 80232
website

This is a wonderful park with an extensive playground, a walking path around the lake, and even a little botanical garden.  The playground has several slides, swings, and lots of opportunities for climbing.  There are two parts of the playground--one that is more accessible for smaller children, and another for older children.

There are plenty of benches, both near the playground and along the path around the lake.

The park is somewhat limited in the way of open grass space for running or kite flying.

Amenities Include:

One picnic shelter with several tables and BBQ grills
Restrooms with flush toilets (seasonal) (although no doors on the stalls in the women's restroom)
Water fountain