Who needs a gym membership when you have so many awesome playgrounds to keep you active? Bring the kids or maybe just see if your own seesaw skills have remained intact through the years. Check out some of the best playgrounds in Massachusetts and relive a bit of your childhood.
- Alexander W. Kemp Playground, Cambridge
Yelp/Leslie P.
Yelp/Frankie D. This playground was built to work with the natural landscape and help kids discover their own physical potential as well as use their imaginations to play. For more information, visit the Alexander W. Kemp Playground webpage.
- Nelson Memorial Playground and Splash Pad, Plymouth
Flickr/MOTT Perhaps one of the best playgrounds in Massachusetts in terms of gorgeous surroundings, this park sits right on the water and features the perfect mix of shade, sunshine, and salty air. For more information, visit the Nelson Memorial Playground and Splash Pad webpage.
- Dacey Community Field Playground, Franklin
franklinma.gov This playground is designed with special needs children in mind. It has an area of 77’ by 92’, making it the largest ADA accessible playground in the state of Massachusetts. For more information, visit the Dacey Community Field Playground webpage.
- Tadpole Playground, Boston Common
Flickr/Ron Cogswell
Yelp/Melony R.
Yelp/Kristine D. This incredible playground is located right in Boston Common and features a ton of play equipment and access to the Frog Pond water area. For more information, visit the Tadpole Playground webpage.
- Action Cove Playground, West Newbury
Flickr/Gerald Azenaro This playground is built as a wooden fort composed of mazes, slides, and castles. There is also a second smaller structure for toddlers, as well as a sandpit with diggers and dump trucks. There are a few swings and a small hand-held zip line. It’s a great spot for all ages!
- Stanley Park Playground, Westfield
Yelp/Jenny J.
Yelp/Joseph B. This lovely park has two play areas with swing sets and a covered sandbox area to keep kids cool and out of the sun as they play. It’s also within walking distance to the duck ponds. For more information, visit the Stanley Park Playground webpage.
- Robbins Farm Park, Arlington
Robbins Farm Park
Flickr/Elaine Ashton
Flickr/Molly This place is an incredibly full-featured play spot. With super long slides built right into the hillside and structures designed for a range of ages, this place is a clear step above most local playgrounds. There’s also plenty of room to fly kites and picnic. For more information, visit the Robbins Farm Park webpage.
- The Esplanade Playspace, Boston
The Esplanade Playspace
The Esplanade Playspace This playground cost $1.5 million to build and maintain, so you know it’s pretty sweet. Best suited for kids ages 5-12, the play area features lots of creative climbing structures, a kid-powered merry-go-round, a large disc swing, a zip line, and a gigantic spiderweb jungle gym. For more information, visit The Esplanade Playspace webpage.
- Mayor Thomas Menino Park, Charlestown
Jeff Shearstone/Google
Rose Davis/Google Lots of open space, inclusive equipment, and easy public transportation access. The play area was designed by Landscape Structures and is colorful with areas that are well-suited to younger kids. It’s truly one of the best urban parks in Massachusetts to take the kids when a trip to a grassier venue is not in the cards.
What are your favorite spots to bring the kids for some outdoor fun in Massachusetts? What are your top picks for the best playgrounds in Massachusetts that are found in rural areas? Any suggestions for outdoor recreation spots that are well-suited to older or younger kids? Share with your friends and let us know!
Yelp/Leslie P.
Yelp/Frankie D.
This playground was built to work with the natural landscape and help kids discover their own physical potential as well as use their imaginations to play. For more information, visit the Alexander W. Kemp Playground webpage.
Flickr/MOTT
Perhaps one of the best playgrounds in Massachusetts in terms of gorgeous surroundings, this park sits right on the water and features the perfect mix of shade, sunshine, and salty air. For more information, visit the Nelson Memorial Playground and Splash Pad webpage.
franklinma.gov
This playground is designed with special needs children in mind. It has an area of 77’ by 92’, making it the largest ADA accessible playground in the state of Massachusetts. For more information, visit the Dacey Community Field Playground webpage.
Flickr/Ron Cogswell
Yelp/Melony R.
Yelp/Kristine D.
This incredible playground is located right in Boston Common and features a ton of play equipment and access to the Frog Pond water area. For more information, visit the Tadpole Playground webpage.
Flickr/Gerald Azenaro
This playground is built as a wooden fort composed of mazes, slides, and castles. There is also a second smaller structure for toddlers, as well as a sandpit with diggers and dump trucks. There are a few swings and a small hand-held zip line. It’s a great spot for all ages!
Yelp/Jenny J.
Yelp/Joseph B.
This lovely park has two play areas with swing sets and a covered sandbox area to keep kids cool and out of the sun as they play. It’s also within walking distance to the duck ponds. For more information, visit the Stanley Park Playground webpage.
Robbins Farm Park
Flickr/Elaine Ashton
Flickr/Molly
This place is an incredibly full-featured play spot. With super long slides built right into the hillside and structures designed for a range of ages, this place is a clear step above most local playgrounds. There’s also plenty of room to fly kites and picnic. For more information, visit the Robbins Farm Park webpage.
The Esplanade Playspace
This playground cost $1.5 million to build and maintain, so you know it’s pretty sweet. Best suited for kids ages 5-12, the play area features lots of creative climbing structures, a kid-powered merry-go-round, a large disc swing, a zip line, and a gigantic spiderweb jungle gym. For more information, visit The Esplanade Playspace webpage.
Jeff Shearstone/Google
Rose Davis/Google
Lots of open space, inclusive equipment, and easy public transportation access. The play area was designed by Landscape Structures and is colorful with areas that are well-suited to younger kids. It’s truly one of the best urban parks in Massachusetts to take the kids when a trip to a grassier venue is not in the cards.
If you are looking for other family-friendly outdoor activities in the Bay State, here is a list of 9 Totally Kid-Friendly Hikes In Massachusetts That Are 1 Mile And Under.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
Address: 36 Waterhouse St, Cambridge, MA 02138, USAAddress: 235 Water St, Plymouth, MA 02360, USAAddress: 700 Lincoln St, Franklin, MA 02038, USAAddress: 131 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02111, USAAddress: 15 Bachelor St, West Newbury, MA 01985, USAAddress: 400 Western Ave, Westfield, MA 01085, USAAddress: 61 Eastern Ave, Arlington, MA 02476, USAAddress: Charles River Esplanade, Boston, MA, USAAddress: 98 16th St, Boston, MA 02129, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Best Playgrounds In Massachusetts April 12, 2021 Melissa M What are the best places for outdoor fun in Massachusetts? When the weather gets warmer, most of us want to spend as much time outdoors breathing in the fresh air and getting some sunshine on our faces after being cooped up inside for most of the winter. And if you’re looking for some outdoor fun, the Bay State has more options than you can shake a stick at. We have adventures where you can soar through a canopy of treetops at an aerial park, numerous beaches to spend the day playing in the surf and sand, swimming holes that you can hike to, and so much more! What are the best state parks in Massachusetts? The Bay State has parks just about everywhere you look. These green spaces provide a relaxing slice of nature to get away and recharge for a bit. If you want to visit some lesser-known parks, Ames Nowell State Park in Abingdon or Clarksburg State Park in Clarksburg are both beautiful spots with trails and ponds. If you’re a history buff, you may wish to visit Fort Phoenix State Reservation in Fairhaven along Buzzards Bay. This former Revolutionary War fort has remnants of its past along with modern amenities like tennis courts and a playground. Are there any family-friendly hikes in Massachusetts? Yes, there are plenty of easy trails around the Bay State that just about anyone, including small children, can do. Head to Eastham in Cape Cod to hike Fort Hill, a beautiful trail with water views and flat terrain. And in Norfolk, the Bristol Blake State Reservation has boardwalks that meander around ponds and through the forest, making this an accessible hike to just about anyone.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Best Playgrounds In Massachusetts
April 12, 2021
Melissa M
What are the best places for outdoor fun in Massachusetts? When the weather gets warmer, most of us want to spend as much time outdoors breathing in the fresh air and getting some sunshine on our faces after being cooped up inside for most of the winter. And if you’re looking for some outdoor fun, the Bay State has more options than you can shake a stick at. We have adventures where you can soar through a canopy of treetops at an aerial park, numerous beaches to spend the day playing in the surf and sand, swimming holes that you can hike to, and so much more! What are the best state parks in Massachusetts? The Bay State has parks just about everywhere you look. These green spaces provide a relaxing slice of nature to get away and recharge for a bit. If you want to visit some lesser-known parks, Ames Nowell State Park in Abingdon or Clarksburg State Park in Clarksburg are both beautiful spots with trails and ponds. If you’re a history buff, you may wish to visit Fort Phoenix State Reservation in Fairhaven along Buzzards Bay. This former Revolutionary War fort has remnants of its past along with modern amenities like tennis courts and a playground. Are there any family-friendly hikes in Massachusetts? Yes, there are plenty of easy trails around the Bay State that just about anyone, including small children, can do. Head to Eastham in Cape Cod to hike Fort Hill, a beautiful trail with water views and flat terrain. And in Norfolk, the Bristol Blake State Reservation has boardwalks that meander around ponds and through the forest, making this an accessible hike to just about anyone.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
When the weather gets warmer, most of us want to spend as much time outdoors breathing in the fresh air and getting some sunshine on our faces after being cooped up inside for most of the winter. And if you’re looking for some outdoor fun, the Bay State has more options than you can shake a stick at. We have adventures where you can soar through a canopy of treetops at an aerial park, numerous beaches to spend the day playing in the surf and sand, swimming holes that you can hike to, and so much more!
What are the best state parks in Massachusetts?
The Bay State has parks just about everywhere you look. These green spaces provide a relaxing slice of nature to get away and recharge for a bit. If you want to visit some lesser-known parks, Ames Nowell State Park in Abingdon or Clarksburg State Park in Clarksburg are both beautiful spots with trails and ponds. If you’re a history buff, you may wish to visit Fort Phoenix State Reservation in Fairhaven along Buzzards Bay. This former Revolutionary War fort has remnants of its past along with modern amenities like tennis courts and a playground.
Are there any family-friendly hikes in Massachusetts?
Yes, there are plenty of easy trails around the Bay State that just about anyone, including small children, can do. Head to Eastham in Cape Cod to hike Fort Hill, a beautiful trail with water views and flat terrain. And in Norfolk, the Bristol Blake State Reservation has boardwalks that meander around ponds and through the forest, making this an accessible hike to just about anyone.
