Julia's Garden and Playground at WWI Memorial Park - North Attleboro

Icon Park Design

Inside WWI Memorial Park (a.k.a Watery Hill) in North Attleboro is Julia's Garden, not what you'd expect inside a park that boasts an awesome petty zoo and great hiking and picnicking. Julia's Garden design is unexpected, but perfectly suited for the park. It's unlike anything we've seen. Basically, it's a little girl's fantastical world, complete with a wishing well, unicorn and butterfly fountain. The landscaping, gardening and sculptures compel you to explore this fairy-tale land, a dream come true for the family of Julia Cekala, who imagined such a lovely spot for their daughter, and made it happen. Julia's Garden Foundation.

Biggest Playground Slides in Boston, Stoughton, Arlington and North Attleboro

This is a short list of long slides. There has to be more out there! As we all know, in the summer sun, slides burn skin. To beat the burn, I saw a girl sit on a pillowcase for the ride down. It was cooler and faster! Brilliant.

Children's Adventure Playspace in Stoughton. Check out my post.

Esplanade Playspace, Boston. Check out post

Robbins Farm Park in Arlington

Julia's Garden at WWI Memorial Park in North Attleboro

Awesome wooden slide at the Smith Kid's Playspace in Philadelphia on a recent visit

Chelsea Playgrounds - KaBoom

Creekside Commons in Chelsea

Artistically unique with a huge water feature, small splash pad, unusual beautiful canopy never seen before in these parts, little skate park, beautiful arbor, lots of color. A beautifully landscaped spot with lots of strolling potential tucked away at the end of Cabot Street. Parking is good. Designed by IconParks.

This park is designed to reflect the landscape using architectural and artistic sculptural features. Mind you this is tiny little city, in fact, the smallest city in Massachusetts, with an enormous amount of parks and playgrounds, more than 30, and, on average, they've been building a new one every year! It's a regular playground boomtown. 

 




















Given that Chelsea is the 2nd most densely populated community in Massachusetts, and over 50% of school age students are overweight or obese, it's bursting at the seams, but the city is doing a great job of giving it's residents spaces to spread out a bit, drown out the sound of the Tobin, and get healthy. Learn more about the Healthy Chelsea Coalition here.

   


Related links:

Contractors for project
Chelsea is getting it done! 

Next up...The Dorothy O'Neil Playground 






































This little spot, more like a backyard than a playground, makes great use of every square inch, as many city parks do. Above roars the Tobin, but down below, nothing but trees and benches in the shade. A mother told me she liked the playground because "it's nice and quite." Spoken like a true Chelsea resident. The genius kids were washing down the hot slides with cool water from the spash pad, creating their own water slide! It's located at the corner of Beacon and High street. 

Disney-KaBoom Playspace!
Located at the corner of Heard and Spruce streets

 














Mickey Mouse did not meet me at the entrance. In fact, I almost drove by, but I really wanted to see a KaBoom playground. KaBoom helps communities build playgrounds, and Disney, of course, is one huge playground, so it came with high hopes and expectations.

There was ample shade provided by existing trees along the corners with comfy benches. Other moms pushing strollers came into little Disneyland, and we all enjoyed a nice time on this fertile ground, in this far away neighborhood, under a bridge. 

Shaded Playgrounds

Whether you're a weekday or weekend hopper, finding pleasantly shaded playgrounds is like trying to find a missing sock, it's nearly impossible. Safety is number one for playground design these days, yet very few consider peek time sun, when most kids are at playgrounds, a safety hazard. Did you know that even in 80 degree temperatures a slide can heat up to 140 degrees or more, and it only takes three seconds for your kid to get a first degree burn. Here are the facts according to Accuweather. There are solutions such as canopies.

How about this cool looking one.

Locally, we have Creekside Commons in Chelsea with a beautiful canopy designed by IconParks. I just wish it hung over more of the play structures. I don't know how it holds up to snow, but I'm sure they have it figured out.

North Point Playground and Park - Cambridge. One of the best playgrounds in the Boston area.

Map

Back in the day, whizzing through Boston on the elevated section of 93, taking fast turns, brushing up against buildings like the old Boston Garden, was a thrill ride. At least, that's what it seemed. 

But looking below as you left the city heading north, it was a jumbled up mess, like a kid's toy train set or a game of pick up sticks with old railroad tracks, a little river, a little bridge, elevated trains, and a mountain of gravel. Where was I? Turns out I was where RT 93, an unused railway station, the Charles River Dam, the elevated Orange and Green lines, and Boston Gravel met up. Three levels in fast motion, swirling inside the city's vortex. 

 

Weezie's Garden - Wellesley

Within the Massachusetts Horticultural Society's Garden at Elm Bank in Wellesley stands a magical tree house with a wonderful view of Weezie's Garden. Designed by Julie Moir Messervy, who also designed Hidden Hollow at the Heritage Museum and Gardens in Sandwich. Weezie's Garden is a nice place to bring your tot to dig in the huge sandbox and splash their hands in the water fountain. Older kids will enjoy climbing the tree house, playing hide-and-seek along the swirling pathways and under trees with draping branches. It's a peaceful, pleasant spot for us older Hoppers too.

Houghton's Pond - Milton

In terms of playgrounds, the highlight to Houghton's Pond is the tot spot which is completely shaded under two big evergreens. You can tuck yourself under there nice and cozy. The big kid stuff is standard, and unfortunately takes no cues from the beautiful natural surroundings. This is the perfect spot for a natural playspace should they get another 2 million for renovations. Of course, the real attraction is the pond, it's new bathhouse and the surrounding trails. The nature boardwalk opens in the fall. Can't wait. Located off of Hillside Street, Milton. Official website.

Map 

Beautiful new bathhouse

Art in the Park

Parks and playgrounds should invite you in, be a place to relax and chat with your neighbors while your kids play and meet new friends. If you're lucky, you might come across something very rare...ART IN THE PARK! In our search for more art, we uncovered IconParks right here in MA that designs wonderful playgrounds. Like Dorothy following the yellow brick road, we will hop along to every playground designed by IconParks. Below is some of their work, in addition to wonderful artwork we've discovered in Boston and Cambridge. 

Dorothy Curran Playground - Dorchester, MA
http://www.iconparks.com/

Alexander Kemp Playground - Cambridge, MA
http://ericpowell.com/

The Esplanade Playspace - Boston, MA
Created by artist and poet Mitch Ryerson
http://www.foresthillstrust.org/path/ryerson.html

Julia's Playground - WWI Memorial Park - North Attleboro, MA

Creekside Commons Park - Chelsea, MA

Julia's Garden - WWI Memorial Park - North Attleboro, MA

Imagination Station - Randolph - Splash Pad

Imagination Station in Randolph did not disappoint on our first visit as it had so many of the features we enjoy such as musical instruments for impromptu concerts, trees to sit under while watching your kids, and something new for us...a splash pad. Happy to say it's working!

Braintree Highlands Playground

  















Not enough shade. Not enough benches. Which is a shame as it's one of the busiest playgrounds we've been to. Lots of bored parents swaying back and forth, barely hanging in there. The Braintree Highlands playground has the most climbing structures for older kids we've seen to date. They'll all challenging and fun.  

The Esplanade Playspace - Great for Older Kids! Boston

Do you know what a zip line is? It's about a 50 foot long thrill ride for your child and it's at the Esplanade Playspace in Boston thanks to a bunch of brilliant neighborhood kids who put it on their wish list.  
 
















A creative, artful and crazy-fun spot at the foot of the Arthur Fiedler bridge (an orange-colored footbridge that goes over Storrow Drive), the new playspace offers all kinds of challenges and thrills for older kids. There is a great spider web with a huge slide as the payoff, a disk swing big enough for a family of four, a climbing rock, and a huge log sculpture that tests your creative climbing techniques. 

Created by artist and poet Mitch Ryerson

On busy weekends, the zip is well worth the wait. It can be sunny but there are enough leafy spots to grab some shade. With the kid's heads still spinning, take a break along the Charles River and do some dog watching. This is a Hopper's paradise. 


 









 











Directions: If you're hanging out near the Public Garden, head toward the intersection of Beacon and Arlington. Look around like a tourist. A few feet from that intersection, you'll take a right onto David Mugar Way, and the foot bridge is right there hidden under some trees. Have fun. 
Map 


   

Caddy Memorial Park - Quincy

A playground next to an estuary and across from Quincy Bay, Caddy Memorial Park, while cookie cutter, is a nice shaded spot designed mainly for tots and has picturesque views. Strangely enough, no swings! Surrounding the playground are etchings in the rocks, describing the animals and bugs that share the park. Nice touch. Someone cares. There are a few spots along the edge of the estuary to explore if you're into that, but there is littering that spoils the fun. There can be a big "Don't touch that!!!" factor along the edge too. Gee. I'm not making this sound fun. Stick to the shaded playground, enjoy the scenery, catch an ocean breeze, and you'll be good. The pics are pre-Spring, so much nicer now. Difficult to spot from the road, it's located where Furnace Brook Parkway ends and meets up with Quincy Shore Drive, across from Quincy Bay. Plenty of parking.

 

Kids At Play - Marshfield

Kids at Play in Marshfield is a huge, flat, soft, safe and popular spot with 16 slides, a rock wall, and cute play houses that rise up out of the asphalt of Liberty Plaza. More of a tot spot than for kids looking for thrills or challenges. However, it's a workout keeping track of your child as there are lots of hidden spots. It's fully accessible and environmentally sustainable. A big source of pride for the residents who made it happen. Unfortunately, it has no shade except what is created by the huge structure, which isn't bad. How about some umbrella's for the tables. It could use some landscaping around the edges with trees or scrubs. How about this. Rip up the entire lot next to it, and plant big trees and little flower beds. Rename the playground "Dream On" in honor of resident Steven Tyler, as he will pay for it all. Keep dreaming.

Children's Adventure PlaySpace Project or Tire Playground- Stoughton

This is a strange place. Think Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome meets Romancing the Stone meets Raiders of the Lost Ark. A post-apocalyptic playground with a tire pit, swings suspended from massive logs, wooden plank bridges cracked and loose, big ropes to swing from tire to tire, a very fun, massive slide and many other "What does that do, Mommy?" contraptions. What can I say. It's was unique, ugly, memorable, neglected, and my little hoppers loved it. Located at 50 Pierce Street, Stoughton.