Goudy Square Park
1249 N. Astor Street
A Posh Playground in the Heart of The Gold Coast
Goudy Playground is tucked away on the quiet Gold Coast corners of Astor Street & Goethe. It's a gated park with tons of mature trees and benches to provide shade and a spot to sit and snack. The park's sightlines are clear and visible from just about every corner of the park, so a busy parent juggling multi-aged kiddos can rest (a little) easier when trying to track each active kiddo. The park is well loved and has a very active neighborhood support group. It's got rubber padding under the structures and has an older kid structure with climbing nets and balance bars, etc. Younger kids also have a structure in a separate area with slides, a ride-on "rocket", and plenty of things to climb. Near to the little kids’ structure is a "car" structure where babies and tots can go in and out of doors, fill up the gas and drive. There are also statues/sculptures scattered about throughout the park and the turtle and frog tend to be favorites for tots and babies to sit on or climb. There are also plenty of swings for all ages and abilities.
There are water fountains (turned on seasonally) in the playground but no nearby toilets. One can easily change a baby's diaper on a bench or along one of the foot walls that enclose some of the garden parts. There are usually bubbles and chalk (sometimes balls) left behind for all to share. There aren't many playgrounds in this ritzy area of the city so this one gets busy on summer weekends. Nearby daycares and preschools without their own spaces frequent this spot mid-mornings almost every day of the week. But we tend to come early and have the place to ourselves at least for a short period of time on a weekday morning.
This area of the city has a renowned Halloween bash for trick or treating. And the heart of it all is the kid/family friendly party held right in Goudy Playground. Plan ahead for this time of year and definitely stop by. It's a blast and every Chicagoan, native or touring, should experience the magic and spookiness of Halloween in this area.