Have you heard about the new Summit Park in Blue Ash? It is a 130-acre regional park that will include three main areas: a common area, active and adventure play area, and frontier/natural area. Though many areas are still under construction, this park is slated for many great things in the future. (For more information, go here.) There are a few areas open now, including a very unique playground that is definitely worth checking out.
There are 3 distinct areas of the playground:
The space for older kids, which includes huge rope climbing structures, monkey bar rings, a big slide, etc…
The space for younger kids, which includes low items for climbing, a slide, a swing, and a really neat 4-seat teeter-totter.
The “play mound” area, which includes 7-foot-tall play mounds, slides, and a climbing wall section. It spans 42 feet, so getting a picture of the entire space was impossible!
We ended up spending 2 1/2 hours at this playground, and we really had a great time. As you can see from the photos, there is a ton of exploration to be had at Summit Park and the focus is on gross motor play. When we went, it was hidden behind a large area of construction, so it can be a little hard to find if you’re not familiar with the area. There is also no shade except for a tiny little tree in the middle of the playground, so you’ll want to bring lots of sunscreen and layer clothes on cooler days. Even though it was only 65 degrees the morning we went, we got very warm very fast since it was sunny (and my poor kid had to play in a long-sleeved shirt). I also think the foam flooring reflects the sunlight more than natural materials do (though that is just a hypothesis).
My only complaint with this playground is that there are very little natural elements in the playground itself. The big boulders in the landscaping corners of the playground are even fake! However, I’m looking forward to seeing how the construction around the playground turns out, as the picture mock-ups have it looking like a playground within a park with many natural elements. Regardless, this playground is definitely making our list of places to visit regularly!
