With spring upon us, filling days with park-fueled fun is on my mind a lot. As a mom, I have found many surprising hobbies have taken over my life, and at the top of that list is exploring new parks. Although I am a Colorado native, I have been pleasantly surprised by the amount of parks around the Denver metro area. Even better, the quality of the various parks has sparked a kid-like excitement in me each time I take my kids to a new park.
I am still a bit limited in my exploration of parks because my kids are young, and I easily find safety threats to my 1-year-old who would proudly and bravely fling herself from most play structures without hesitation and my 2-year-old who is nearly always at risk of being stampeded by a gaggle of older kids as she simultaneously stands too closely and watches shyly as they play.
We love any park that gets us out in the sunshine and burning off energy. Still, it’s nice to find parks with areas and equipment tailored to the little ones. Luckily, we live in wonderful Denver with so many cool parks that fit the bill. Here are some of my favorite Denver area parks for babies and toddlers!
Westlands Park
I lo
ve parks that are hidden gems. Westlands Park totally fits the part, as a magical park nestled in the middle of the Denver Tech Center. It is a huge park that you and your kids can explore all day. Or, if you’re like me and have a naptime deadline to meet, you can spend a super-fun few hours tiring them out.
The interactive music display is baby and toddler-approved. We typically spend most of our time playing on the beautiful Colorado-style stone splash pad with its fun features that mimic rivers and waterfalls.
O’Brien Park
Downtown Parker transforms into a farmer’s market on Sundays, Mother’s Day through Halloween. We love to push our double stroller through the market and have fun, tasty treats while we romanticize the weekly chore of fruit shopping.
My kids’ favorite part of these trips is that we end our stroll with ice cream and walk over to O’Brien Park. Different types of swings and toddler-friendly climbing structures make this a great experience for little ones. Even at its busiest, this park has enough space and play structures to keep everyone entertained.
Centennial Center Park
If you have yet to discover the multi-faceted fun of Centennial Center Park, I highly recommend you take your mini as soon as you have a chance. Between the splash pad (Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day) the huge, themed playground and the sandbox, there is no shortage of fun for little explorers. There is a great, shaded sitting area beside the splash pad that is perfect for snacking between water fun and sandbox fun. This park can definitely prepare any baby or toddler for an epic nap.
With our sunny season kicking off, I’m excited to visit these favorites and add new ones to our bucket list with my tiny adventurers.
