mt. st. mary's park

St. Charles

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WHY WE LOVE IT: 

• DEBRA N.: "Mt. St. Mary's just redid the bathrooms and includes a family bathroom too. The drinking fountain also includes a water bottle refill!"

pottawatomie Park

8 North Avenue, St. Charles

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WHY WE LOVE IT: 

• BRENDA D.: "Pottwatomie has a beautiful path that follows it through the park and along the river, connecting to the other Tri-City towns. The park itself has a wonderful playground with a Sensory Garden and Inclusive Playground coming in the summer, a fun three story tower with a view attached to the picnic shelter, a shallow splash area along the river for the kids to play in, and several sculptures and public art pieces to admire. On top of all that, the Paddlewheel Riverboat and Mini Golf options make spending the day at Pottawatomie one of our favorite things to do.

prairie path park

811 Mark Twain Trail, Batavia

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WHY WE LOVE IT: 

• DAYNA S.: "The "swing coaster”! Both my 10 year-old and 3 year-old LOVED it there!"

THINGS TO CONSIDER:

• BETH N..: "Not a lick of shade..."

engstrom family park

326 Millview Drive, Batavia

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WHY WE LOVE IT: 

• STEPHANIE D.: "I love it because it’s great for older and younger kids! It has that soft sponge type flooring, so NO WOOD CHIPS! Picnic tables are readily available; you can grill too! I love that it’s so nice and open with a large open field if there are older kids who want to throw a ball around.  It’s right by the fire department too!"

Big woods park

1063 S. Raddant Drive, Batavia

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WHY WE LOVE IT: 

• Graeme K.: "Big Woods Park is regularly voted the best in Batavia. New playground [with three levels of play to accommodate kids of many ages}, new basketball court, several new tennis courts, and new baseball fields. [There is a large covered picnic shelter and a walking path surrounding the 17 acre park]."

Elm Park

Off of Elm Avenue, near East Side Drive

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WHY WE LOVE IT: 

• AMANDA C.: "Stays shaded most of the day, and is a great structure for smaller toddlers!"

• LAURA F: "And it's never busy!"

wheeler park

North 1st Street, Geneva

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WHY WE LOVE IT: 

• There is a three-story climbing structure for the bigger kids but plenty to do for the littles.  If you have big kids, there's even a disc-golf course at the park!  Home to a mini golf course as well!

island park

Park on River Lane, off of State Street, or off of Crissey Avenue

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WHY WE LOVE IT: 

• ANN S.: "The play structure is great, lots of open space for running around, it has bathrooms, and the occasional train passing on the bridge provides extra entertainment for train-loving kids."

THINGS TO CONSIDER: 

• ANN S.: "[This park rests alongside the Fox River with no guard rails, so just make sure you] don't have little runners who like to run up to the edge of the river."

randall square park

2811 Blackman Drive, Geneva

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WHY WE LOVE IT: 

• EMILY K.: "Randall Square Park has a ton of open space and a little walking circle path that is completely visible from the play ground, which is good for stroller walking, or just the right size for toddler bikes or scooters."

Hawks hallow nature playground 

4038 Kaneville ROad, Geneva

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WHY WE LOVE IT: 

• DEBRA N.: "I love the water feature at Hawks Hallow. You can play in a running stream, climb in a fort, or play music. Then, be sure to visit the butterfly house on your way out."

lions park

500 Filmore Street, Elburn

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WHY WE LOVE IT: 

• EMILY K.: "The zip line at Lions Park is a MUST, and my kids like the sand (messy but occupies them for so long!)"

• JILLIAN P.: "The kids love the zip line, and I like it because there is a lot of space to run around!"

lords park

100 Oakwood Blvd, Elgin, IL

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WHY WE LOVE IT: 

• ELGIN PARKS: "The newly installed Play On! play environment focuses on promoting balancing, spinning, sliding, climbing, swinging and brachiating (swinging from hold to hold with arms). The elements also offer each user ways to learn about how their bodies work as well as offer the ability to strengthen core muscles and increase endurance."

headwaters conservation area

43W535 Beith Road, Campton Hills, IL

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WHY WE LOVE IT: 

• CAMPTON TOWNSHIP "This 349-acre site was acquired to preserve the headwaters of Blackberry Creek. The HCA is best known for its scenic vista, trails, and educational kiosks. Features include: Parking and restroom, Picnic shelters & tables; charcoal grills & Playground."

• BRENDA D.: "The park is great for the kids, but the view... the VIEW is stellar. Urge you to come for a beautiful sunset while the kiddos play."

fidler farm Park

2921 Savannah Drive, Aurora

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WHY WE LOVE IT: 

• AMY H.: "It has a great play structure, a picnic shelter, and trees for shade. In warmer months, there’s a port-a-potty for emergency bathroom trips. There’s also a nice paved path around a pond to walk or ride bikes if you are done with the playground. There’s even two 'Little Free Libraries' along the path, so we bring books to exchange. Also there are almost always a handful of other kids there to play with as it’s a neighborhood park."

hope d. wall school park

449 W. New Indian Trail Court, Aurora

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WHY WE LOVE IT: 

• JULIE F.: "It's a large wooden fort park; not many like this around anymore. Go there soon as they are going to be restructuring it into a modern plastic park."

THINGS TO CONSIDER: 

• JULIE F.: "It's a school park, so it can only be used publicly after school hours."

SEBA Park

151 S. Water Street, South Elgin

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WHY WE LOVE IT: 

• BRENDA D.: "SEBA Park in South Elgin! It's right on the river and has great bathroom facilities. Artificial turf so it’s never too messy!"

• ERIKA H.: "It’s an adaptive (for special needs) park too!"

Jim Hansen Park

338 Valley Forge Avenue, South Elgin

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WHY WE LOVE IT: 

• LAURA L.: "I love that this park has turf all around the playground and has lots of open space! [The playgrund itself is large and expansive.]"

towne park

100 Jefferson Street, Algonquin

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WHY WE LOVE IT: 

• STEPHANIE V.: "Our favorite wooden park! A nice river nearby and decent bathrooms for emergencies."

FREE TO be me Playground

137 Oak Ave, Bartlett, IL 

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WHY WE LOVE IT: 

• "The playground includes features that spark the elements of play for all. The structures feature an accessible route via wheelchair or other assistive device to provide access to the components including a treehouse play structure, dragon fly teeter-totter, cattail spinner balance stick, bumble bee rider, cozy cocoon hanging swing, sensory panels, sound towers with nature sounds, and a surrounding landscaping plan with different textures, colors, and smells."

blue heron park

350 Blue Heron Way, Bartlett

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WHY WE LOVE IT: 

• SHARON H.: "This park has an awesome playground structure and a small splash pad that is fenced in. [Be sure to bring a swimsuit and watershoes when you visit in the warmer months!]"

North Side park

1300 N. West Street, Wheaton

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WHY WE LOVE IT: 

• LIZ H.: "North Side Park in Wheaton is awesome! Exercise equipment for kids, huge playground, rolling hill, and a cute walking area with a pond!"

deicke park

11419 IL-47, Huntley

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WHY WE LOVE IT: 

• AMY L.: "Deicke Park in Huntley has a few different playgrounds; lots to do! It's also an all-inclusive playground and has a fenced in park for the littles. On the other side, there is a park for older kids with an old school giant slide in the side of a hill. HELPFUL HINT: People bring wax paper sheets to slide down it."