World’s Largest Playgrounds

When you’re a kid, nothing beats a day at the park. You can feel the excitement from your kids as they race to the swings or zoom down the slide. You may even feel the urge to release your inner child when you visit one of the most inspiring or massive playgrounds in the world.

Importance of Outdoor Play Spaces

Outdoor play areas give kids a fun way to get active. The recommended 60 minutes of daily exercise for kids is easy to achieve with an exciting playground option nearby. They’re so wrapped up in playing that they don’t realize how much exercise they’re getting. From climbing ladders and crossing monkey bars to pumping their legs on the swings, kids work muscle groups throughout the body, and they get a healthy dose of cardio, all in the name of play.

Playgrounds also spark a child’s imagination. They’re not swinging. They’re launching their rocket ships into space. The slide takes them to another dimension. The jungle gym becomes a massive mountain they must conquer. Playgrounds are so much more than their wood, metal and plastic pieces. A trip to the park gives your child a chance to just be a kid and tap into their creativity.

Public play structures also encourage socialization. Play is a universal language. Kids can engage in fun play activities with their peers even if they don’t speak the same language, know each other ahead of time or have much else in common. Kids learn to take turns, and they may even step into leadership roles as they come up with fun play scenarios. If you join in on the fun, a trip to the park can also be a bonding experience for you and your child.

10 of the World’s Largest and Most Interesting Playgrounds

Some parks around the world take the idea of the playground to the next level with huge playsets, surreal designs and inclusive equipment that ensures everyone gets a chance to play. These interesting playgrounds from around the world go beyond the typical wooden swingset or basic slide. Check them off your bucket list if you’re ever in the area.

1. Lazy Dayz Playground at Smothers Park in Owensboro, Kentucky

Lazy Dayz Playground at Smothers Park comes up big in both area and design. This award-winning, barrier-free playground is accessible to kids of all ability levels with carefully selected elements to support the goal of being an inclusive place to play. You’ll find several different play areas that give kids plenty to explore, and each play area has ramps that allow kids in wheelchairs to access the equipment. The designers of this park went well beyond the minimum ADA requirements to eliminate as many potential barriers to play as possible.

Its waterfront location adds to the fun feeling of this massive and magical playground. Sit by the riverfront promenade to watch the cascading waterfall. Three fountains in the park add to the excitement as well. The fountains come to life every 15 minutes with water shows that thrill kids and adults alike. While you’re there, look for oversized animals like a giant frog and a squirrel in a tree. These fun accents add a whimsical touch to the park.

2. Tower Playground in Denmark

What do you get when you shrink down five of the most famous buildings in Copenhagen and add playground equipment? Tower Playground. Towers included in the design are Our Savior’s Church, City Hall, Round Tower, Marble Church and Exchange Tower. The playground elements are integrated into the replicas of the tower portion of these famous Copenhagen buildings, so kids feel like they’re giants climbing among the rooftops of the city.

Kids not only get to play in the towers, but they also learn more about them, so this park is a bit like a mini history lesson. Kids explore and play on climbing walls, rope bridges, slides and other traditional equipment. The bridges and other equipment connect many of the towers so that kids can move from one tower to the next. They can even climb the exterior walls of some of the towers with integrated climbing holds.

Many of the structures have fun details built into them. Kids can ring bells at the top of the church tower. In Town Hall Tower, they’ll find a microphone system that allows for public announcements. Round Tower has puzzles in it. Kids can play electronic catch over the roofs of the buildings as well. It’s a truly interactive, educational and creatively inspiring place to play.

3. Clemyjontri Park in McLean, Virginia

Designed as an inclusive playground to accommodate kids of all ability levels, Clemyjontri Park covers two acres, making it a massive play option in Virginia. This huge and amazingly well-designed playground was built in 2006. The park uses wide ramps to give access to kids who use wheelchairs and other equipment for mobility, and some swings are designed for kids in wheelchairs, too. The maps and mazes include Braille lettering to accommodate kids with visual impairments. Lower monkey bars are more easily accessible to all children.

Rainbow-colored surfaces draw the attention of kids, but they’re more than just bright and cheery. The protective surfaces around the equipment are non-slip and porous to make them safer for everyone. The playground divides the equipment into four “rooms” or sections of the space: Rainbow Room, Schoolhouse and Maze Room, Fitness and Fun Room, and Movin’ and Groovin’ Room.

You’ll find many traditional playground components like jungle gyms and swings throughout the areas, but they’re presented in a fun, colorful way with child-friendly theming and accessible designs. As if the play equipment itself isn’t enough, this park features a fully functional massive carousel right in the center of the action.

4. Diana, Princess of Wales, Memorial Playground in the UK

Created to honor the memory of the late Princess Diana, this Peter-Pan-inspired playground near Kensington Palace encourages kids to use their imaginations. It opened in June of 2000, and it serves up traditional elements like swings and slides but presents them in a fun, whimsical way. Visitors get into the park for free, but there is a queue on busy days, so you may have to wait a while to explore this creative play area.

The centerpiece of the play space is a massive wooden pirate ship, pictured above, and part of what makes this playground so spectacular is the amount of detail that went into the ship. Kids can take control of the ship’s wheel, use pulleys and climb all over the ship’s wooden structure. The design makes it easy for kids to dive into imaginative play.

Mermaid fountains and tepee forts add fun touches to the area. Many of the play structures in the park also allow for wheelchair access, making it accessible for most kids.

5. Jungle Gym in Nashville, Tennessee

Visit this large and creatively designed playground on your next trip to the Nashville Zoo. The playground sits inside the zoo, so you’ll have to pay zoo admission to see it. It may not be physically huge compared to some parks, but this playground ranks as America’s largest playground built by the community, which adds to how cool it is.

The location provides more than 66,000 square feet of space with kid-friendly wooden playground equipment where kids can run around like wild animals. At the heart of the area is the massive wooden tower-like treehouse that stretches to 35 feet tall. Scurry across the bridge, climb nets or slither through the snake tunnel. The design incorporates many little hiding spots that kids love.

6. Blaxland Riverside Park in Sydney, Australia

Sydney’s largest playground, Blaxland Riverside Park offers spectacular water views and massive play areas to engage kids of all ages. Kids have been enjoying the unique play structures here since the park opened in June of 2012. The playground covers more than seven acres of land, so wear your walking shoes.

This play option has well-designed elements that appeal to kids. A huge row of swings means your kids won’t have to wait long to soar. The multi-level treehouse is a popular place for kids to play — it looks a bit like cages stacked on top of one another to create a towering climbing place perfect for kids. Slides and climbing walls are also popular. If you visit in the summer, you’ll find 170 fountains to keep you cool.

7. Wallholla in Purmerend, the Netherlands

Our next stop is in the Netherlands. A playground called Wallholla makes efficient use of little space. Instead of impressing by covering acres of area, this mostly metal playground uses vertical space to pack in a lot of play on a narrow piece of land. Mesh wire caging surrounds the playset, too, so you can see your kids easily, but they can’t fall from the high surfaces.

Purmerend is the site of the original Wallholla playground, which was developed in 2005. It includes ribbon-style platforms throughout the structure that create the illusion of a floating design. Despite its creative, whimsical look, though, this playset includes many traditional play elements, too — such as climbing walls, slides, sliding poles and climbing nets. The company that designed the Wallholla playground now makes different versions of the structure.

8. Hyland Lake Park Reserve in Bloomington, Minnesota

Known as Chutes and Ladders Park, this Bloomington gem is reminiscent of the Wallholla playground with a tall profile and mesh enclosures to keep kids safe. This park covers a lot more ground than the Wallholla structure, though, and it mixes in several classic play elements to keep your kids busy.

Highlights include massive slides, tunnels, tire swings and climbing nets. It also has a separate toddler area with smaller equipment for mini park visitors. Your kids can do so many different things that they’ll never get bored. Plus, it’s fenced in with only one exit, so it’s easy to keep your kids contained at the playground.

9. Wright Brothers Playground in New York City, New York

Inspire your child’s inner pilot with a stop at the Wright Brothers Playground in New York City. This urban park may not cover acres of ground, but it’s huge in personality and kid-friendly design elements. You’ll notice an airplane theme to go along with the Wright Brothers’ name.

Bridges, bouncers, rings and net climbers are among the activity options on this modern-day, mostly metal playground. The park even includes educational signs that give kids information about the Wright Brothers and their first flight.

10. Elm Creek Park Reserve in Maple Grove, Minnesota

Entertaining a wide range of ages? The playground at Elm Creek Park Reserve in Maple Grove, Minnesota, suits your needs. This play area opened in 2011 in the Three Rivers Park District. The newness of the playground means all the equipment is safe and in great shape — and not only does the park cover a large amount of space, but the structures tower high above you, making it an awe-inspiring sight for your kids.

The toddler area keeps the little ones safe and entertained. It features many short play elements with a small slide, so young kids can easily climb on the toddler-friendly structures.

The main structure provides hours of entertainment for older kids. They can climb up three levels of platforms to zoom down the massive slides coming off this traditional-style playground. The sand pit hides a fun surprise: dinosaur fossils that kids can uncover. The play area also features saucer swings, climbing walls, poles, ladders and many other classic park equipment. Whatever the age of your kids, they can find something fun to do at this park.

Build Your Own Amazing Playground

You may not have room for one of the world’s largest wooden playsets in your backyard, but you can create the coolest playground on the block with a Superior Play mega playset. Design a custom wooden swingset with the play equipment your kids love most. Your kids will marvel over the fun design of the playset, but there’s something for you, too. Wooden playgrounds from Superior Play meet rigorous safety and quality standards that make the equipment a long-lasting play option in your backyard. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, home playground equipment injuries send about 200,000 kids to the emergency room each year. Add in the minor injuries that don’t warrant an ER visit, and it’s easy to see how important safety is when you choose a home play system.

What makes Superior Play the best choice? The Playground One® equipment we offer comes with many features that keep your kids safe, including:

• Solid cedar material: Many wooden playground structures for home play use engineered wood that consists of layers of wood glued together. Playground One® playsets use only 100% solid beam Pacific cedar. That means your backyard playground will hold up without warping or buckling. It also naturally resists fungus and pests without toxic additives. You can feel confident that the playset will remain strong and stable.
• Durable construction: Playground One® uses multi-beam joint connections to keep the system stable. Hot-dipped galvanized steel hardware holds everything together securely without corroding, so you know everything will stay where it belongs.
• “Less ouch” features: Individual components come with special design features to prevent injuries. Heavy-duty rubber-dipped chains on swings let kids hold on tight without getting pinched. Gotcha Grips on ladder rungs, handrails, trapeze bars and other gripping areas have a dimpled, powder-coated surface, so little hands don’t slip. All slides are reinforced with double walls to eliminate the need for exterior reinforcement, which reduces the risk of snagging, cuts and splinters. Take your playground a step further with a springless trampoline and avoid injury from those hard metal springs.
• Thorough testing: Before your kids test out the new play equipment, Playground One® employs a team of designers, engineers and experts to do it first. They ensure all the designs exceed safety requirements.

Check out the options for wooden playsets, and start designing your custom play area. Your kids may never ask to go to the park again when they have the coolest playset in the neighborhood at home.