An adventure in Silver Spring with epic slides and an impressive variety of play areas to explore!

This playground is memorable on so many levels. It's not the kind of place you just drop by for twenty minutes of play (I guess you could, but good luck pulling the kiddos out of there that quickly!) In fact, it is the type of place you can pack lunch AND snacks and plan to spend the day. 

As you pull in, the kids will immediately be awed by the playground on the landscape ahead. They were oohing and aahing immediately, marveling at the sheer size of the play area. We arrived at prime time so it was fairly crowded, but because of the amount of ground to cover it really was not an issue. There is a parking lot adjacent to the playground area, with restrooms between. We didn't use them, but they were in a small building and by its size and design, I'm confident there is a baby changing station available. There are also large garbage bins near the entrance so you don't have to pack out your trash. 

The initial draw for the kids was the huge astroturf mountain - it's a huge hill that the kids immediately climbed to the top for a better view of the play area. There are cardboard pieces (likely left behind by Adventure Playground regulars) which the kids used as sleds to slide down the hill. Next to that is the open space at the base of the three different level tube slides. Two of the three are extremely tall! My kids started out with the small one then moved up to the second-longest and finally the huge one located in the middle. This slide was so big it felt like it belonged at a theme park!

Also on the lower level, near the bottom of the slides is a circular spinning bar. My little ones need to be lifted to grab the bar, and then you gently turn them to the highest point and then the toy will continue to pick up speed as it swings down to where they are closer to the ground and then up again. Let them get a sense for it before going too fast!!

Following the path up to where the slides begin (or taking the climbing wall to get up) you come across some unique climbing structures with levels - older kids will even have to give some thought to how to best approach those structures!  There are other toys as well, something for everyone! Toward the fenced viewing platform, there is one of the coolest climbing structures I've come across in all my playground exploring over the years... it is both challenging, and doable and its two separate climbing areas are connected by a rope bridge, which makes it more like an obstacle course than a jungle gym.

There is another play area to the right of that which has a variety of unique toys, as well as a swing for all abilities. There is another one on the full swing set, which has six or seven regular swings as well. The swing set kind of serves to separate the large playground area from the area for smaller kiddos, which is tucked to the side. There you will find climbing toys for little legs as well as a series of spring riders and also large stationary stone animals for climbing (a camel and an elephant are two). There is also a sandbox with a couple of large metal Sandbox Diggers that you see occasionally. (*Be diligent because I noticed kids bending down to play with the sand right beneath the heavy metal diggers when they were up in the air. Without proper caution, someone could get really hurt.) 

Finally, I corralled the kiddos away from the play areas by suggesting we check out the workout area off in the distance. Surprisingly, this may have been their favorite part of all (and mine). It's probably important to mention that the equipment is meant for people 14 and older, which really makes this playground great for all ages. It presents an unexpected opportunity for parents to get a little exercise while the kids play or have a snack on the bench, but bear in mind that the kids are all really excited to try out the equipment as though it's an extension of the playground. With proper supervision, we had a lot of fun in this area.

The hiking trails in Wheaton Regional Park are extensive, and there is a miniature train and carousel that were not operational on the day we visited, but we will be back. You can follow the trails to find the riding stables (please don't approach the horses unless you plan to ride). There are picnic tables and grills located in certain areas of the park, and there's even a fenced-in dog park. There is a tennis area, with six courts outdoors, and a tennis complex with indoor courts. There is an ice arena located on the vast grounds as well as basketball courts, baseball fields and a synthetic turf sports field. 

Brookside Nature Center is a trail walk away, with another parking lot if you wish to start there and make your way toward the playground.

If the kids need a little coaxing back to the car, promise them a stop at Sweet Frog...there is one right at the end of the road, along with a bakery if you'd prefer a pastry type treat.