Who doesn’t love a playground? Kids get to run their energy out, see friends, and explore, while parents get to hang, watch their kids be wild, and sometimes even sit down. Playgrounds are also free (for the most part), making them a great spot for downtime whether you’re at home or on vacation—especially when they go beyond a good old-fashioned play structure or were created by designers who are pushing the boundaries of what a playground can be.
With an eye toward spring break, below are 11 of the most innovative playgrounds, which could be worth putting on your itinerary during your next U.S. road trip.
11 of the Most Innovative playgrounds
- Domino Park Playground // Brooklyn, New York
- Adventure Playground // Berkeley, California
- Life on the River Playground // Memphis, Tennessee
- Watkins Regional Park // Upper Marlboro, Maryland
- City Museum // St. Louis, Missouri
- Lions Park Playscape // Greensboro, Alabama
- Silver Towers Playground // New York, New York
- Downtown Container Park // Las Vegas, Nevada
- Maggie Daley Park // Chicago, Illinois
- Chapman Adventure Playground // Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Little Debbie Park // Collegedale, Tennessee
Life on the River Playground // Memphis, Tennessee
Crafted by leading artsy playground creators Monstrum, Memphis, Tennessee’s Life on the River playground is both functional and beautiful. It’s situated in the city’s Tom Lee Park and celebrates the Mississippi River ecosystem with oversized otter slides, a climbable salamander surrounded by a turreted trio of faux-cypress trees, a caterpillar to crawl through, and a sturgeon-themed play structure.
There are also bridges to traverse, places to hide, and slides a-plenty, and parents will find that the structures aren’t just fun to play on: They’re extremely photogenic, too. So make sure to take tons of pics, because no kid stays small for long.
This article was originally featured in “mentalfloss. com”
