To a kid, there are few pleasures greater than a playground. They love the neighborhood spot that they’ve been to 100 times, and they love to venture out to try something new. Will this new playground have a spiral slide that creates so much static electricity it makes their hair stand on end? A thrilling zip line? A set of swings that make a 6-year-old feel like they’re soaring? Or a challenging climbing structure that seems daunting at first, but after a few tries, will teach them they can do pretty much anything they set out to accomplish?
Of course, playgrounds are great for parents, too. For one, they’re typically free, a function of a Victorian-era belief that public playgrounds were essential to teach fair play, manners, and general social development. The growth of playgrounds really took off in the early 1900s, when the automobile boom drove kids away from games like stickball in the street and toward deliberately crafted green spaces.
The bottom line is that playgrounds rule, in their many shapes and forms. And thankfully, in the L.A. area, we’re blessed with hundreds of great ones, from the single-lot neighborhood spots that might offer a couple of swings and a play structure to the more extravagant mega-playgrounds that have sprouted up in suburban parks over the past decade or so. There’s no shortage of great spots to play in L.A., especially if you’re willing to get in the car and go somewhere new. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of 14 of the L.A. area’s very best playgrounds, from vintage spots with sandy charm to brand-new structures with ropes, towers, and all the latest in playground innovation. These picks are kid-tested, parent-approved, and most boast benches, bathrooms, and even a bit of shade.
Go forth and slide.
