For all their moaning about wanting to stay home, my daughters always find a deep puddle to wade through or a muddy bank to roll down once I chivvy them out to a playground.
And they laugh and laugh and laugh. So I’ve resigned myself to the fact that if I want them to get some fresh air I have to accept a mound of laundry. Here are my three favourite playgrounds for all things muddy.
1) Arbutus Greenway Park, at West 11th between Vine and Arbutus, is just a giant lawn with one climbing frame and a big green slide at the playground. But kids love it because there’s also a big grassy bank that’s perfect for rolling down. It’s not too steep and there’s slight bump half-way down to add a frisson of excitement to the experience.
2) Almond Park, at Dunbar and West 12th, is fantastic for kids who have a wild imagination and love to climb. Half the park is a tree covered hill with lots of paths and bushes that kids can run round and hide in. There’s also a great big tree stump that I’ve seen be a car, rocket ship, bus and ship. And the small playground is pretty good for preschoolers; and toddlers can play in the sand.
3) Tatlow Park, at West 3rd and MacDonald, is the perfect spot on hot summer days. The playground, which has apparatus for kids of all ages, is shaded by beautiful trees and there is a stream meandering through the park which is perfect for messing about in to cool down. Make sure to bring a change of clothes for the kids and bring a sweater for yourself. It can get cool in the shade even on the warmest days.
Last modified: September 2, 2017
