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See the full story · 1 sourcesThe author's son enjoys a slide at the playground at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. Courtesy of Jennifer Beck Goldblatt.
My family visited the Obama Presidential Center playground, and my kids, 6 and 9, had a blast.
Located in Chicago's Jackson Park, the play area serves up fun for kids of all ages and abilities.
There's lots to see and do, but not much shade for now.
When the Obama Presidential Center opened its doors earlier this summer, so many things caught my eye. The 19.3-acre campus within Chicago's Jackson Park is home to beautiful native gardens, contemporary art, and historical artifacts. Truly, all things I want to experience. But as a mom with two kids who usually have some serious energy to burn, I was also quite thrilled to see how extensive the playground is. It's one of the largest outdoor playgrounds my children, 6 and 9, have had the chance to explore. It's split between two levels and offers a multitude of activities for kids of different ages and abilities. Here's what my family of four experienced during our visit on a cloudy summer evening.
The campus was well-marked and easy to navigate.
Signs at the Obama Presidential Library campus in Chicago. Courtesy of Jennifer Beck Goldblatt.
Located within Jackson Park on Chicago's South Side. The playground sits just north of the entrance closest to the Home Court facility, a 60,000-square-foot athletic and event space. The campus has lots of maps and directional signs throughout, making it easy to make your way around.
The fenced-in playground space felt secure.
The playground shown with Home Court in the background on the Obama Presidential Center campus. Courtesy of Jennifer Beck Goldblatt.
The playground had two entrances, both of which were staffed by third-party security guards when we visited around 5 p.m. on a weekday. My kids are old enough to know that if we visit a playspace, they need to stay within its walls or gates until I say otherwise, but knowing there is an additional set of eyes (and legs) to watch the littler children near these access points certainly offers some extra peace of mind.
There were multiple play spaces that catered to different ages.
The Duck playspace within the playground at the Obama Presidential Library campus in Chicago. Courtesy of Jennifer Beck Goldblatt.
Signs on display let visitors know that the play space called The Duck was designed for kids ages 2 to 5. The remaining spaces were designated for those ages 5 to 12. Though the two nest swings at the northernmost area were designated for "children of all ages."
The play structures had a lot of whimsy.
A frog-themed play structure within the playground at the Obama Presidential Library campus in Chicago. Courtesy of Jennifer Beck Goldblatt.
The playground was filled with imaginative shapes and designs that offered plenty of inspiration. This area with a giant frog and a lily pad was part of The Duck space, which was geared to kids 3 to 5, but my 9-year-old daughter ran straight for it. I let her have some fun since there were no younger kids around at the time.
The area for younger kids had a sandbox.
The sandbox within the playground at the Obama Presidential Library campus in Chicago. Courtesy of Jennifer Beck Goldblatt
The Duck play area also had a large sandbox. I appreciated this addition, as many of the parks near where I live in Westchester, NY, have been eliminating this classic element from their modern playground renovations. There was also a fountain for water play off to one side of the sand area, but I asked my kids to try to stay clean on this particular visit.
There were multiple hydration stations in and around the playground.
There were multiple hydration stations in and around the playground. Courtesy of Jennifer Beck Goldblatt.
Access to ice-cold water is a must, especially on a hot day. I appreciated that the playground had multiple hydration stations in and around it to refill water bottles or let my kids take a long sip from a fountain. An added bonus: the fountains had great water pressure, so my kids didn't need to get their mouths anywhere near the spout to get a drink.
Natural elements were mixed into the modern playspace.
A cplay area within the playground at the Obama Presidential Library campus in Chicago. Courtesy of Jennifer Beck Goldblatt.
There were multiple ways for children to get to and from the Climbing Forest area of the playground, including smooth ramps, a climbing option (of course), and a path that resembles a nature trail — the preferred route for my kids.
Slides connect the two levels of playspaces.
The slides at the playground at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. Courtesy of Jennifer Beck Goldblatt.
Two long slides, accessible by foot or wheel, connect the upper tree-themed play structures to the lower lagoon-themed play areas. The slides are shaded by a canopy, which is nice since they are metal and would probably get fairly hot when the sun is out. While we were visiting, an attendant was monitoring slide usage, but didn't seem to be guiding the children or other visitors in any way. Warning: these slides are fast. My son got off and said, "That was fast. Too fast." But then he went down them three more times. My husband, who also took a turn, almost went over the side of one of them and certainly pulled something .
There's more than meets the eye.
A climbing structure at the playground within the playground at the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. Courtesy of Jennifer Beck Goldblatt.
At first glance, this dragonfly-shaped climbing structure seemed like it might not offer much for my kids. The closer we got, the more we noticed that there was plenty to do in, on, and around it. Strategically placed handgrips encouraged kids to climb on top, while suspended nets allowed them to rest within the insect's body. It also housed a few great hide-and-seek spots.
Kids who love to climb and hang have multiple options.
Climbing st...
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