Hidden Gem: Linkwood Park Playground

You know the funny thing about great playgrounds? They are all different and all have some unique quality that you can't quite describe beyond the word "magical." There isn't a perfect playground checklist. (We tried coming up with one when we reviewed Annie's Playground - - but honestly, it's inadequate.) You know it's great because there is some sort of synergistic magic between your child and the space. A big toothy grin. A huge OOOOHHHH! Constant exploration.

And that's just how our excursion to Linkwood Park Playground went this morning. From Lila's expressions, you would have thought she was on the biggest adventure of her life.

Linkwood Park Playground is a quiet place. Located across Cold Spring Lane from the Loyola University dorms, the shaded playground hosts a variety of climbing equipment, slides of every height and speed, and plenty of swings. There are lots of rocking things to ride and even a retro geodesic dome. The playground uses good old natural mulch, and Lila excitedly discovered the mind-blowing qualities of mud. You have to park in one of the surrounding neighborhoods and walk to the playground, which gave me peace of mind because I didn't have to worry about cars in and out of parking lots or children running at them.

Best of all? The city playground was clean and well cared for. An archived edition of Roland Park Newsletter suggests that the playground was constructed in 2005 and has a volunteer committee that cares for the space.

This is definitely a park we'll be frequenting more often! If you need directions, check out Linkwood Park Playground on the Open Green Map!