July 2007

Spend Some Time at an ‘Un-Playground’

by Beth Geiger

Do your children ever get tired of traditional playgrounds? OK, full disclosure – do you ever get tired of them? Kids love a change, and parents need a break from the standing around/where’s-the-kid-in-the-yellow-shirt routine.

Seattle offers plenty of intriguing outdoor alternatives where kids of all ages can interact with the environment by digging, climbing or playing. The ideas that follow will lead you to a few of these spots and hopefully inspire more “outside the playground” exploration.

Discovery Park Sand Pit
3801 W. Government Way, Magnolia
Imagine this: You’re lounging in warm sand, a sweet breeze swirling across your face and Puget Sound’s best scenery spread before you, while the kids play happily and safely a few feet away. A swimming-pool sized natural sandpit at Discovery Park fulfills this dream. Located at the northwest corner of the South Meadow, the sandpit invites endless digging in clean sand. It makes a great destination itself or a nice start to a longer hike or beach excursion. Park at the South Meadow parking lot, then walk towards the water, past the chapel and about a third of a mile across the big meadow (watch for rabbits on the way). Don’t forget shovels, trucks, sunhats and your iced latte. 206-386-4236; www.seattle.gov/parks/environment/discovpark.htm.
Another sand choice: Juanita Beach Park in Kirkland, where extra sand is trucked in.

The Creek at Golden Gardens
8498 Seaview Place N.W., Ballard
If you’ve visited Golden Gardens on a pleasant afternoon, you might wonder why so many families are settled in at the south end of the beach. Look closer and you’ll spot the reason: a small spring-fed creek just the right size for pint-sized engineering projects. The creek doesn’t support salmon, so no worries about tramping around in the creek, building small dams or splashing in the small pool downstream from the footbridge. Shovels, sunhats and sand toys are a must here. Bring water shoes, too, as some rocks are sharp and there is a small chance of broken glass. 206-684-4075; www.seattle.gov/parks/parkspaces/Golden.htm.

The Creek at Carkeek Park
950 N.W. Carkeek Park Road, Northwest Seattle
When my son wants to send sticks to the ocean and across to China, I know just where to take him: Carkeek Park. We cross the bridge to the sandy beach where Carkeek Creek meanders its last few yards to Puget Sound, and then toss sticks in to see how far they will go. The open sand makes it easy to run along the creek and follow the sticks’ progress towards China. Don’t build dams in the creek or trample the shallow banks, since this is an active salmon spawning creek. 206-684-0877; www.seattle.gov/parks/environment/carkeek.htm.

Olympic Sculpture Park
2901 Western Ave., downtown Seattle
The new Olympic Sculpture Park at the north end of downtown doesn’t look like any playground you’ve ever seen. Yet … it sort of does. It’s not exactly a natural environment, but the waterfront setting and views are great. Have a seat on the bench-like letters of Roy McMakin’s Love and Loss, or play house inside Tony Smith’s fort-like Stinger. And no child will mistake the true purpose of the tall walls of Richard Serra’s Wake: hide and seek. In addition to the sculptures there are is airy pavilion with a café, shop and restrooms. Plus, you can watch trains go by from an inviting bridge. There’s not much shade, and there’s a no-touch policy for most of the art. 206-654-3100; www.seattleartmuseum.org/visit/OSP.

Camp Long
5200 35th Ave. S.W., West Seattle
Kids climbing the walls? Make it official at Camp Long. This 68-acre park features a 20- foot climbing rock, Schurman Rock, built in the 1930s. Though much of Schurman Rock is meant for roped climbing, the north side has a scramble-able slope best for the over 6 crowd. Younger kids can get a safer taste of climbing at the Camp Long “glacier.” This human-built feature rises up the east-facing slope just north of Schurman Rock in a series of short “steps” with built in “bucket” hand and foot holds. Kids can choose from nail-biting steep (the parents’ nails, that is) to a satisfying scramble or even steps. If your kids never want to leave, look into renting one of Camp Long’s primitive cabins ($40). 206- 684-7434; www.seattle.gov/parks/environment/camplong.htm.
More climbing rocks: Carillon Woods Park in Kirkland, University of Washington near Husky Stadium, Marymoor Park in Redmond.

Marymoor Park
6046 West Lake Sammamish Parkway N.E., Redmond
Yes, this expansive King County park has playgrounds, but your kids will find plenty of other fun explorations here. For hands-on activities, try the lower portions of the park’s climbing structure, and for feet-on activities, check out the new reflexology path near the tennis courts. You can also run with the dogs at the popular off-leash area, splash in Sammamish Slough or watch radio-controlled planes buzz overhead. There’s a $1 daily parking fee. 206-205-3661; www.metrokc.gov/parks/marymoor.

Meadowdale County Park
6026 156th S.W., Edmonds
Meadowdale County Park is a nice mix. A visit starts with a 1.25 mile hike through a shady forest. The wide path leads to picnic grounds, then under the railroad tracks to an undeveloped beach. Pick a low tide day, and head left for sand-castle building or straight ahead for gravel and tide features. During high tide, there is less beach area, but the high tide line is marked by lots of balance-beam logs for spontaneous climbing. Upstream of the tracks the creek is salmon-spawning territory, so please don’t trample there. 425-388-3411; www1.co.snohomish.wa.us/Departments/Parks/
Information/Park_Directory/Regional_Parks/Meadowdale.htm.

Denny Creek Water Slide, Mt Baker Snoqualmie National Forest
Directions: Take Interstate 90 to Exit 47, turn left at the end of the exit ramp, go over the Interstate and turn right at the T in the road. Turn left on Road 58, and then left on Road 5830 for .25 miles.
When you’re in the mood for more adventure, consider an expedition to the Denny Creek slide, about an hour east of Seattle off I-90. Hike 1.25 miles up the Melakwa Lake Trail to where Denny Creek spills across a sunny, natural terrace and over a series of small waterfalls and shallow pools. Lounge on the rocks, splash in the pools and soak up the mountain scenery. This is wet and wild fun, with lots of ways to play. (Last summer I kept a bevy of kids entertained with plastic trucks that bumped down the slide “monster truck” style). Beware of slippery, moss-covered rocks closest to the water, and always hold little ones’ hands. A Northwest Trail Pass is required for trailhead parking. 360-888-1421.

City of Seattle Spray Parks
Want the kids to run free, but all this digging, sliding and climbing sounds like too much work on a hot day? Check out one of the spray features at several Seattle parks. Each is a little different and provides an exciting change from wading pools. John C. Little Park, 6761 37th Ave. S. on South Beacon Hill (New Holly) has a new spray feature this year. Others are at Judkins Park, 2150 S. Norman St. in the Central District; Pratt Park, 1800 S. Main St. in the Central District; Miller Community Center, 330 19th Ave. E. on Capitol Hill; and Ballard Commons Park, 5701 22nd Ave. N.W. Of course the granddaddy of all spray features is the musically coordinated fountain at Seattle Center. 206-684-4075; www.seattle.gov/parks.

Beth Geiger is a Seattle writer, explorer and mother of one.

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