There’s nothing better then a day at the playground with the kids!ย It’s free, everyone can get some exercise and fresh air, and it’s a great chance to explore Columbus.ย ย There are so many great playgrounds in Columbus, from neighborhood parks to Metro Parks to large playgrounds.ย I’ve rounded up some of our favorites here!ย ย Keep this list handy, and share with your friends.ย ย Let me know if you have a favorite playground that isn’t on this list, I’d love to hear which one(s) is your favorite!
Find this post helpful? Follow Columbus Moms Network on Instagram for more!
The Inclusive Playground at Blendon Woods – Columbus
This is a brand new playground! It is located in the old Hickory Grove area, and is reservable for families and special needs groups from Tuesday to Friday: 8am-4p. Email: [email protected] if you are interested in reserving the playground. It will be open to everyone outside of the reservable hours.
Location: 4265 E Dublin Granville Rd, Columbus
Monterey Park – Dublin
Monterey Park in Dublin is a hidden gem, especially perfect for families with younger kids. Just minutes from downtown Dublin, Bridge Park and the Dublin Library, it’s an ideal spot to turn a quick Park visit into a full day off fun.
Location: Clover Ct, Dublin
Veterans Park – Delaware
Veterans Park is such a fun park! The highlight is the dinsoaur slide but there are so many fun things to do here: climbing structures, slides, swings, and so much more. Bonus: it’s adjacent to a splash pad so during splash pad season (generally Memorial Day through Labor Day) pack your swimsuit for an extra fun outing!
Location: 1121 S Houk Rd, Delaware
Huber Village Park – Westerville
Huber Village Park is such a fun and unique playground! The castle theme makes it so much fun to visit. There are fun features for kids of all ages, and seasonal restrooms and a covered shelter are just a short walk away. This is one your kids will want to come back to again and again!
Location: 362 Huber Village Blvd, Westerville
North Road Park – Lewis Center
North Road Park is less than a year old, and such a fantastic addition to the area! Though it’s a fairly small playground, they have packed so many fun and unique features into that space. Kids will love the climbing wall, the slides, the large structure in the middle of the playground, and so many climbing opportunities. Have younger kids? There are lots of options for them as well. This is a great one to add to your bucket list this summer.
Location: 5864 North Rd, Lewis Center
Fryer Park – Grove City
Fryer Park in Grove City is a newer playground and so much fun! The main attraction is the large tower in the middle, but there are so many other features for kids of all ages. Musical instruments along the perimeter of the playground and there are many swings, and a lot of spots to sit.
Location: 3899 Orders Rd, Grove City
Olentangy Caverns – Delaware
Olentangy Caverns is packed with fun and exciting activities, but did you know that there’s a huge playground that’s completely free to visit? And it has TWO real fire truck slides. Olentangy Caverns is open daily through November 1. Hours are: 9:30am-6pm on Saturday and Sunday and 9:30am-5pm on Monday-Friday. The playground is available to use within these hours only.
Location: 1779 Home Rd, Delaware
Woodside Green – Gahanna
Woodside Green is a great playground for those that love to climb. The playground is primarily made up of colorful climbing structures. There is also a Natural Playground located right next to the parking lot as well, so you have two spots to play at this Park! Restrooms, a fishing pond, walking trails and a covered pavilion round out the features that make this a great playground.
Location: 213 Camrose Ct, Gahanna
Granville Rd. Park – Worthington
Keep this playground in mind for those hot summer days, it has so much shade! It’s a great playground for younger kids, and is adjacent to the Moses Wright Nature Area and has some shaded walking trails. There are no restrooms on site so plan accordingly!
245 E Granville Rd, Worthington
Coffman Park – Dublin
This playground is surrounded by a lot of trees, so it has a lot more shade!
Located in Dublin, Coffman Park has TWO playgrounds to choose from! The first one is located by a large covered pavilion, but doesn’t have much shade. The second one is built into mature trees, so there is a lot of shade – keep that in mind for those hotter days! Both are great options for all ages.
Location: 5200 Emerald Parkway, Dublin
Thompson Park – Upper Arlington
Thompson Park recently had some upgrades, and it’s a great place for the kids to play! There are many opportunities for climbing, as well as a separate toddler structure. Restrooms located nearby.
Location: 4250 Woodbridge Rd, Upper Arlington
Heritage Park – Westerville
Heritage Park is a small playground, but packs so much into the small space. It is full of unique and fun features, and those that love to climb will love this spot. There are restrooms, a covered pavilion, and walking paths at this Park.
Location: 60 N Cleveland Ave, Westerville
Gantz Park – Grove City
Gantz Park has something for every age: large slides, monkey bars, and lots of swings. There is also a separate toddler friendly structure. Next to the park is a bonus natural play area with a huge slide, and creeking opportunities.
Location: 2255 Home Rd, Grove City
Ro Park – Lewis Center
Ro Park is located in Glen Oak subdivision in Lewis Center and includes ball diamonds, a picnic area, a playground, restrooms, a shelter, and trails.ย My daughter’s favorite thing about Ro Park is the giant slide!
Location: 6804 Snapdragon Way, Lewis Center
Amberleigh Park – Dublin
Amberleigh Park is located in Dublin and has a great playground, especially for younger kids! It was recently updated and has so many fun features for kids of all ages. There is a shelter so you can bring a picnic lunch, and restrooms (I don’t believe the restrooms are open year round, but probably just warmer months). It’s a great park with a lot of space to run around in, so you can wear the kiddos out before nap time!
Location: 4715 Vista Ridge Dr, Dublin
North Orange Park – Delaware
North Orange Park is located in Delaware and has many great features including paved walking trails, fishing ponds, soccer fields, basketball courts, a playground with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible features, a shelter with a fireplace.ย ย The playground contains an area designed for ages 2-5 and another area designed for children ages 5-12.ย The shelter can be used by the general public on a first-come, first-serve basis if it is not being rented.ย It’s a large playground, and there is a lot of room for the kids to run and play!
Location: 7560 Gooding Boulevard, Delaware
Scioto Grove Metro Park – Grove City
Our family loves visiting one of the twenty two Metro Parks in Columbus, and Scioto Grove Metro Park is one of our favorites.ย Scioto Grove Metro Park is a 620-acre park along the Scioto River and it features more than seven miles of trails, two picnic areas with shelters, tables and grills, a kids play area and several overlook decks.ย My daughter loves the playground, and we always save time to visit it after a hike and she loves climbing the ropes.ย She can spend hours just climbing to the top, sliding down and repeating!
Location: 5172 Jackson Pike, Grove City.
Oxford Park – Upper Arlington
Oxford Park is a neighborhood park located in Upper Arlington. There is plenty of shade, making it perfect for warmer and sunnier days! Multiple benches allow for opportunities to sit, while the kids run and play.
Location: 4280 Oxford Dr, Upper Arlington
Emerald Fields – Dublin
Emerald Fields has been a family favorite for years!ย ย It is located in Dublin and features baseball diamonds, cricket fields, fully accessible playground, shelter house, restrooms and water fountains.ย The playground is large and has so many fun features for kids of all ages.ย For the younger kids, there are so many fun things to do on the ground level, while the older kids can run on top of the playground structure.
Location: 4040 Wyandotte Woods Boulevard, Dublin
Liberty Park – Powell
Liberty Park is located in Powell and is the largest park in Liberty Township, with over 2 miles of wooded and open trails, 2 playgrounds (one fully accessible), 12 athletic fields, sand volleyball courts, basketball courts, softball diamonds and stocked fishing ponds.ย ย There is also a large hill that my daughter has always loved running up and down!ย ย Of the two playgrounds, our favorite is the one at the back of the park, it is blue in color so just drive all the way to the back and look for the blue playground.ย ย It is another good playground for kids of all ages, with plenty of fun things to do for both younger and older kids.
Location: 2845 Home Road, Powell
Homestead Park – Hilliard
Homestead Park is another of the Metro Parks and is located in Hilliard.ย ย ย ย The park features two play areas, plus basketball and sand volleyball courts.ย In addition to traditional play areas, the park has a train station replica, and my daughter loves using the outdoor exercise equipment.ย The park is also a great place to go see some wildflowers.
Location: 4675 Cosgray Road, Hilliard
Hanby Park – Westerville
Hanby Park is conveniently located right behind Westerville Library so you can combine the two into a fun outing! This is a small playground, but has a really unique climbing structure, and a small toddler size structure.
Location: 115 E Park St, Westerville
Glacier Ridge Metro Park – Dublin
Another one of the Metro Parks, Glacier Ridge is located in Plain City on the NW side of Columbus.ย ย There are so many fun things about Glacier Ridge and it’s one of my family’s favorite Metro Parks.ย ย There is a traditional playground as well as a wood playground with ramps, ropes, ladders and zipline. ย The highlight for my family at this park is the Obstacle Course, which is a 3-acre course featuring 12 challenging stations surrounded by a trail.ย ย If you have dogs, this is a good one because there’s also a dog park.ย ย As with the other Metro Parks, hiking trails are numerous here as well.
Location: 9801 Hyland-Croy Rd, Plain City.
Garrette Park – West Jefferson
Garrette Park is located in West Jefferson, but is well worth the drive! The highlight at this playground for our family is the gravity rail swing (pictured above). To see my daughter take a full trip around on the gravity rail, head to the Instagram post here.
In addition to the gravity rail, there is a large playground, and a covered area with tables.
Location: 3 Fellows Ave, West Jefferson
Sharon Woods Metro Park – Westerville
Sharon Woods is another of our favorite Metro Parks. We enjoy the many hiking trails and there is a beautiful lake at the park where we like to fish. There is a wonderful playground that was built in the summer of 2022 and it’s a great playground. There is also a smaller area for toddlers to play as well.
Location: 6911 Cleveland Ave, Westerville
Highbanks Metro Park – Lewis Center
Highbanks is a large Metro Park, with a lot of hiking trails, a Nature Center, and a few different playground areas. The photo here is of the new playground at the Big Meadows area of the park. Don’t miss the Natural Play Area tucked into the trees behind the field near Big Meadows area!
Location: 9466 Columbus Pike, Lewis Center
Blendon Woods Metro Park – Columbus
Blendon Woods is a Metro Park with great opportunities for viewing wildlife, hiking trails, and a Nature Center. The playground has been recently updated in the last few years and has a great section that is toddler friendly as well!
Location: 4265 E Dublin Granville Rd, Columbus
Slate Run Metro Park – Canal Winchester
Slate Run is a Metro Park with lots of hiking trails, a lake with a short boardwalk, a covered bridge, and there are two different playground areas: One is located at Buzzard’s Roost Picnic Area and has two really fun climbing play structures, and another playground is at the Shady Grove Picnic Area.
1375 St. Ste. 674 North, Canal Winchester
Aldersgate Park – Marysville
Aldersgate Park in Marysville is worth the drive! This Park also has a gravity rail, which my daughter loves. And there is a fun treehouse for kids to climb up and play in, built right around a large tree. There is a pond, with a path around it and a few picnic tables with a little bit of shade. Currently, the only restroom facilities is a port-a-potty.
Location: 400 Damascus Rd, Marysville
Friendship Park – Gahanna
This playground in Gahanna is a fun one! Located in a large space, there is plenty of room to run around, and so many fun features including: a bright play structure packed with fun, and some fun hands on activities for the younger kids. There are restrooms, and a covered pavilion. For added fun, take a stroll through the storybook trail!
Location: 150 Oklahoma Ave, Gahanna
Taylor Farm Park – New Albany
Taylor Farm Park is a newer park located in New Albany. It is located on the Taylor Farm site, which is on nearly 100 acres of land. The playground is so much fun and so unique! In addition to the playground, there is wetlands, community gardens, restroom facilities, and a lot of trails and boardwalks. Additional plans are in the works for even more features, so stay tuned!
Location: 5526 E. Dublin Granville Rd, New Albany
Roger A Reynolds Municipal Park – Hilliard
Perhaps the best feature of Roger A Reynolds Municipal Park in Hilliard is it is FENCED IN! This is a great feature for those that have kids that like to wander. There are still two exits in the playground, but it’s a lot easier to manage to watch two exits points than an open playground!
The playground itself isn’t a large one, but packs a lot of fun into the area, and has a lot of fun features for all ages. There are also a lot of swings for those that might like to swing. Restrooms are located nearby.
Location: 3800 Veterans Memorial Dr, Hilliard
McCord Park – Worthingtonย
McCord Park got a makeover a few years ago, and now it’s a perfect park to take the kids who love to climb, or might enjoy a natural playground. There are obstacles, ropes, a slide, a teeter totter and so much more.
Location: 333 E Wilson Bridge Rd, Worthington
Ambassador Commons Park – Gahanna
This is a neighborhood park located in Gahanna. It has a few features that are perfect for the younger crowd, as well as a play structure geared towards the older ones. For those that love to climb, there are a lot of options available to climb and play. There are no restrooms here, so plan accordingly!
Location: 639 Gahanna Highlands Dr, Gahanna
Whetstone (Park of Roses) – Columbus
Whetstone Park is a fun playground with some adorable animal play structures that your kids will love. Since it’s located at Park of Roses, you can add on a stroll through the park or look for the Squirrel Door Project located there. The Whetstone Library is located nearby as well, so you can always extend your visit by attending a storytime or other program, or just stop by to pick up some books. There are no restrooms, but we did spot a porta potty on our most recent trip.
Location: 3923 N High St, Columbus
Beulah Park – Grove City
This playground in Grove City is located in a quiet neighborhood and has a lot of great features that make it a fun outing. There are slides, swings, climbing features, and more. A covered pavilion and restrooms are located close by.
Location: 3846 Mystic Way, Grove City
Alum Creek Park North- Westerville
Alum Creek Park North is great for a lot of reasons, but our favorite feature is the fun train cars! There is plenty to do for kids of all ages, and surrounded by trees, providing some shade on hot days.
Location: 221 W. Main St, Westerville
Towers Park – Westerville
Towers Park is a great choice for toddlers! This is a small playground, perfect for little ones! Plan ahead, there are no bathrooms here!
161 N Spring Rd. Westerville
Other Parks That We Love:
Schneider Park
2130 Astor Ave, Columbus
Scioto Audubon Metro Park
400 W Whittier St, Columbus
Westgate Park
455 S. Westgate Ave, Columbus
Goodale Park
120 W. Goodale St, Columbus
Carriage Place Park
4900 Sawmill Rd, Columbus
Schiller Park
1069 Jaeger St, Columbus
Darree Fields
6259 Cosgray Rd, Dublin
McCorkle Park
200 McCutcheon Rd, Gahanna
Hannah Park
6547 Clark State Rd, Gahanna
Academy Park
1201 Cherry Bottom Rd, Gahanna
Sunpoint Park
670 McCutcheon Rd, Gahanna
Windsor Park
4330 Dudley Ave, Grove City
Westgrove Park
3580 Magnolia St, Grove City
Dream Field
3400 Ventura Blvd, Grove City
Henceroth Park
2075 Mallow Ln, Grove City
Bevelhymer Park
7860 Bevelhymer Rd, New Albany
Adventure Park
260 Village Park Dr, Powell
Powell Village Green Park
47 Hall St, Powell
Blacklick Woods Metro Park
6975 E Livingston Ave, Reynoldsburg
Fancyburg Park
3375 Kioka Ave, Upper Arlington
Miller Park Playground
3600 Tremont Rd, Upper Arlington
Millstone Creek Park
745 N Spring Rd, Westerville
Perry Park
2300 Collins Rd, Worthington
Related Posts:ย
