I may not have strong opinions about a lot of things, but one thing I do have strong opinions on on is the best playgrounds in Milwaukee. It’s especially hard to find ones that are good for toddlers, and I believe that these are great! As a mom to four kids under five, I’m ALWAYS looking to get my kids outside, and that means finding a good playground that will be fun for the older kids while keeping the younger ones (hopefully) relatively safe.
For context, here’s what I love in a playground:
1. NO SWINGS. If I can find a playground without swings, I’ve basically hit the jackpot! Am I the only mom who doesn’t want to sit and swing the kids the whole time? My number one goal is to burn their energy!
2. Fun play structure with minimal large drop offs
3. Shade to keep the baby in while the big kids play, or for myself on a hot summer day.
4. Variety of play structures /options for various ages
So, I know that’s a LOT to ask for. Not all of these playgrounds in Milwaukee will hit every single item, but some have other bonuses. Here are a few of my favorite Milwaukee area playgrounds!
1. Blums Coffee Garden
YES! This is a coffee shop with a playground attached. It’s amazing! Blum’s has some major perks:
- It has a fence all the way around
- It’s SUPER close to my house
- COFFEE
- No swings!
- The playground itself is good for 18 month olds. Nothing crazy dangerous. My older kids do get more easily bored but they like the rock wall.
A few down sides…
- It is HOT in the summer. There is no shade, and if you want to be in the shade you need to stand under the playground. I think the flooring makes it even hotter.
- It’s a relatively small play structure, which is okay sometimes for me, but my older ones get more bored.
2. Southgate Playfield
*photo below from Milwaukee Rec website
Southgate Playfield is a new playground in Milwaukee as of 2020, and is AMAZING. There are two separate play structures; one geared toward younger kids, and one for older. There is a track around the playground with hopscotch and other games (I’m not sure what they are, but my kids love to be creative with them). The ground is soft, and there is even some water for the summertime. The play structures are close enough together that I can watch all the kids at the same time. The only cons are that it does not have shade, and that it does have swings 😉
3. Greenfield Park
I love Greenfield Park because there are actually TWO playgrounds! We love to go to both while we are there. We start at one and then walk through the wooded trail to the next! It’s great because it keeps the kids entertained longer since they are able to switch up the environment halfway through. You can also take a longer walk around a beautiful pond in the middle of the park!
Greenfield Park has a large sandpit at one of the parks, which is a bonus for us (don’t mind dirty kids!) but for some it might be annoying to have kids covered in sand 😉
My 18 month old does well on both of the playgrounds, and there is a great variety there. The only con for us is the distance from our current house!
4. Kayla’s Playground
Kayla’s playground is SO FUN!
But, it’s HUGE. This playground has a few major bonuses:
– It’s SO fun for the older kids. There is a huge variety of activities for them, and they love how big the playground is. They love to play creative games also like hide and seek, because it is hard for them to find each other!
– It’s fenced in!
– The swings are on the little kid side, which means my older ones don’t ask to be pushed the whole time 😉
– Picnic tables nearby for snacks
On the downside, this playground is VERY difficult with multiple young kids. Personally, I wouldn’t attempt this one if my youngest was walking but under the age of 18 months. There is one drop off that my youngest likes to attempt to go down (those darn metal ladder bars), but otherwise it is relatively safe. My biggest issue is just not being able to see the kids, and if multiple kids need help it is difficult since the younger area is separate from the older area.
PHEW. Who knew I had so much to say about playgrounds?! Is this helpful? I’m happy to review a few more – I’ve got about 10 + more that I could talk about!
What are your favorite Milwaukee area playgrounds? Tell me in the comments!
5. Lions Park in New Berlin
Lions Park is a new playground near Milwaukee, and it is SO fun! It doesn’t have a ton of shade, but does have a really great and modern play structure. PERFECT for the kids that love to climb!
Did you find this post helpful? I love to help Milwaukee moms find valuable resources in the area. Make sure to keep checking out the blog for more things to do and resources for the Milwaukee mom! You can also contact me if you have any questions!
Comment below with your favorite playgrounds. I’d love to hear!
