Outdoor Sensory Parks, Places & Spaces

BY CHRISTIA WOODFORD

All Kids Playground

203 E Dill Dr, DeWitt, MI 48820

All Kids Playground covers an area of 2.4 acres. This park is suitable for walking, and family activities. In addition to its natural scenery, this park also has playgrounds, and parking lots.

Anybodies Playground

529 Greenwood Avenue S.E., East Grand Rapids, Michigan 49506 Bailey Park, located west of Capital N.E., between Bridge St. and Roosevelt Avenue, is a multi-use facility featuring three full-sized baseball stadiums, including the 6,000 seat C.O. Brown Stadium; two quadra-plex softball diamonds, four sand volleyball courts, multiple playground structures (including Anybodies Playground designed to accommodate play for children with disabilities), 12 shuffleboard courts, picnicking areas, shade pavilions, a boat launch and fishing access on the Battle Creek river, Linear Park access and green space. https://bcparks.org/178/ Facility-Information

Boundless Playground at High Point

1735 S. Wagner Road, Ann Arbor, Mi

The Boundless Playground helps serve year-round programs that include students ranging in age from infant to age 25. There are two key populations at Honey Creek Community School, a public academy for grades K-8 and High Point School for children with developmental disabilities. This barrier-free play environment provides an effective model to illustrate the possibilities that exist when children of all abilities can initiate play together. With student teachers, therapists, and health professionals all training at the site, it will widen the experiences and expectations of tomorrow’s professionals while enriching the lives of the students. https://www.a3c.com/portfolioitems/boundless-playground-athigh-point/

Check the link for a Boundless Playground near you! https:// metrodetroitmommy.com/specialneeds-the-biggest-guide/

Centennial Universal Access Playground at Gallop Park

3000 Fuller Rd, Ann Arbor, MI https://metrodetroitmommy. com/centennial-universal-accessplayground/

Gallup Park in Ann Arbor is one of the most popular recreation locations in the area. The park spans 69 acres around Geddes Pond. Located at 3000 Fuller Rd just off US 23 and Geddes Road Gallup Park is home to the Centennial Universal Access Playground. Gallup Park hosts many great features such as miles of scenic walkways with wooden bridges, two playgrounds, a canoe livery, locations perfect for fishing (don’t eat the fish), two picnic shelters, restrooms, picnic areas and grills, and over three miles of paved trails.

City of Wyoming Frog Hollow Park

2050 Metro Court SW, Wyoming, MI 49519

This playground is truly extraordinary! Its inclusive design makes it accessible for all children, ensuring that no one feels left out. The variety of play equipment, including swings, slides, and climbing structures, keeps kids entertained for hours. The cleanliness and well-maintained surroundings impressed me, and the staff was friendly and attentive. I highly recommend visiting Frog Hollow Boundless Playground if you’re in Wyoming - it’s a delightful place for families to enjoy quality time together! https://www.wyomingmi.gov/ about-wyoming/city-departments/ parks-and-recreation/parks

Dad Butler Playfield Detroit

2034 East Eight Mile Road in Detroit, MI

The Dad Butler Playfield is an 8,000-square-foot, barrier-free play area. The playground has climbing structures with slides and swings with a combination of wood chips and rubber surfaces. Additionally, the park is home to soccer fields, baseball diamonds, and a picnic area. Other amenities include bike racks, picnic tables, trash receptacles, and park benches. There are no restroom facilities at this park. https:// metrodetroitmommy.com/dadbutler-playfield-detroit/

Delray Memorial Park Detroit

Delray Community Center, 420 Leigh in Detroit, Michigan

The Delray Memorial Park playground consists of two play structures and many swings. The structures include many different opportunities for children to climb, swing, jump and test their balance. Monkey bars, slides, stepping stones, and a rock wall are some of the many elements that will keep your child busy for hours. Should you need to use the bathroom, restroom facilities are available at the community center next door. https://metrodetroitmommy.com/ delray-memorial-park-detroit/

DNR Outdoor Adventure Center Globe Trading Company Building, 1801 Atwater St, Detroit, MI 48207 Located on Detroit’s riverfront in the historic Globe Building, the Outdoor Adventure Center gives you a taste of Michigan’s great outdoors in the heart of the city. Experience exciting outdoor adventures with hands-on activities, exhibits, simulators and more.

The DNR Outdoor Adventure Center welcomes friends and families with sensory processing differences to our SensoryFriendly building hours! Enjoy the opportunity to explore and experience the OAC with building sounds and ambient noises at a lower volume. During your visit there will be a quiet room with sensory materials available to use. At noon the building will open to the public with volumes returning to standard operating levels. All staff are certified to ensure the best possible experience. https:// www.michigan.gov/oac

Friendship Park in Lake Orion 1335 Joslyn Rd, Lake Orion, MI 48360

The park boasts more than 130 acres of land with several activities and amenities. Friendship Park offers 4 baseball fields, 8 soccer fields, a park building with restrooms, a kitchen, and a multipurpose room. The park also has a wedding gazebo, trails, and a community garden. But what surprised Metro Detroit Mommy the most when visiting Friendship Park is the ADA-accessible playground and the wheelchairaccessible playground. https:// www.orionparks.com/

Heron-Clinton Metroparks

Check the website for a park nearest to you! https://www. metroparks.com/ and https:// www.metroparks.com/activitiesamenities/

Do you know the Huron-Clinton Metroparks? With nearly 25,000 acres and 13 different parks, we might surprise you. Whether you love hiking, biking, golfing, swimming, fishing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing or just taking in the beauty of Southeast Michigan, you’ll find a full year of exploration, excitement and education waiting to be discovered. Your Huron-Clinton Metroparks are committed to removing barriers, creating and improving access and increasing recreational opportunities for all. As we look to the future, we will develop, update and improve facilities to meet or exceed ADA requirements – and look for ways to remove barriers to access so that individuals of all abilities have equitable access to Metroparks facilities, programs, services and activities. Click here to learn more about accessibility and how to request accommodation at your Metroparks. https:// www.metroparks.com/ accessibility/#ACCESSIBILITY

Inglenook Park Southfield 20901 W 12 Mile Rd, Southfield, MI 48076

Inglenook Park in Southfield is a Boundless Playground designed for children of all abilities. The farm-themed playground is located in Southfield on 12 Mile Road, between Evergreen & Lahser roads. The park also offers gravel Jogging/Fitness Trails, Neighborhood Ballfields, a spacious Picnic Area (no shelter), a Playlot, Restrooms, Nature Area and Public Parking. https://metrodetroitmommy.com/ inglenook-park-southfield/

Kids’ Dream at Chancy Lewis Park

520 South Main Street, Lawton, MI 49065

It has a huge wood playground with steps, bridges, monkey bars, rope ladders, shaky platforms and more. There is only one entrance and exit, making it easier to keep track of children.

A separate Tot Lot area for young kids offers small steps, a slide, a sandbox, monkey bars and large wooden cars to “drive.”

McKinley Barrier-Free Park

31500 Grove St, Fraser, MI 48026

Rather than grass and woodchips that exclude individuals who rely on walkers and wheelchairs, McKinley Barrier-Free Park provides rubber surfacing and turf with firm foundations for “wheelfriendly” recreation. A sensory garden offers an opportunity for individuals to connect with nature in a variety of ways, introducing and highlighting unique smells, sounds, and sights to facilitate the experience of individuals with sensory challenges. This garden leads out to a one-mile walking path that winds through a natural Midwestern meadow, allowing all visitors to appreciate their native ecosystem. Future plans for the park include the installation of educational signage and the creation of interactive programs to teach park-goers about local pollinators and indigenous plant species, as well as threats from invasive species. https:// fraserfirst.com/

Patriarche Park

960 Alton Rd.East Lansing, MI 48823

Patriarche Park offers a new, 1.2-acre playground features a modern, eco-friendly design that is fully accessible and supports youth fitness. The playgrounds includes a wide variety of colorful play equipment, a poured-in-place playground surface, a rain garden, a brick entry plaza, walkways and much more. The park also features softball, tennis, basketball, baseball, volleyball, benches, picnic tables, grills, restrooms, and a covered pavilion. https://www.lansing.org/listings/ patriarche-park/3571/

Play 4 All at Soroptimist Park

35700 John St, Wayne, MI 48184

Play 4 All at Soroptimist Park, an inclusive playground in Wayne, Michigan is a colorful place for kids to have fun. From the small details to the large structures, this park will appeal to children of all ages and abilities. The one-acre park is located at 5100 Woodward Street, Wayne, on the corner of John Street. The park is owned by the city of Wayne https:// metrodetroitmommy.com/play-4all-at-soroptimist-park-in-wayne/

Play Michigan

112 S. Washington Sq., Lansing, MI 48933

The new playground is adjacent to the Adado Riverfront Park near Grand Avenue and Saginaw Street. It’s designed to be accessible for people with physical, sensory and developmental disabilities. The structure is barrier-free and includes ramps so all kids can access every level of the playground.

Potter Park Zoo

1301 S. Pennsylvania Ave., Lansing, MI 48912

Located at the Welcome Center and Discovery Center. Bags are provided by KultureCity and include headphones, a sensory map, fidgets, sunglasses, verbal cue cards, and VIP lanyard. Bags can be used free of charge. At the beginning of your zoo walk you will find a braille map to the left of the plan your day board. Braille map booklets can be checked out in the Welcome Center to use while you tour the zoo. https://potterparkzoo. org/sensory-inclusive/

Rotary Park in Livonia Universally Accessible Playscape

Six Mile Rd & Hubbard St, Livonia, MI 48152

The 196-acre park and nature preserve is surrounded by beautiful landscaping. Some of the park’s many features include a half-mile walking trail, picnic areas, tennis courts, tennis courts, baseball diamonds, horseshoe pits, bocce ball courts, park benches, a lending library tree, and multiple playscapes designed for children of all abilities and ages. Rotary Park in Livonia recently added the first Universally Accessible Playscape in the city, which officially opened in July of 2018. The playscape incorporates bright colors and a futuristic design. The large play structure includes many different play elements for climbing, running, swinging, jumping, sliding, and balancing. There is soft safety padding on the ground surrounding the structures. https://metrodetroitmommy.com/ rotary-park-in-livonia-universallyaccessible-playscape/

Scarlet’s Playground in Commerce

Dodge Park 5 off South Commerce Road, Commerce, MI

Scarlet’s Park has been deeded property by Commerce Township in Dodge Park #5 in the shadows of the new Commerce Township Library. It will include an 18,000-squarefoot barrier-free playground with a specialized rubberized surface to accommodate wheelchairs. The equipment will include doublewide ramps for easy passage of wheelchairs, shaded play decks and tunnels, zip lines, swings, sensory play equipment, teetertotters, merry-go-rounds, climbing structures, special slides that don’t create static electricity, a learning wall with brail letters, an imagination table, and, per Scarlet’s request, a rocket ship and more! Phase II of this project will include a splash pad with changing rooms. Scarletssmile@gmail.com https://scarletssmile.org/ourplayground/

Whirlpool Compass Fountain

200 Broad St, St Joseph, MI 49085

A large splash pad with water jets. Open during spring & summer. https://www.sjcity.com/parksrec/ page/whirlpool-compass-fountain