Cravens Park

Cravens Park is one of our favorites.  It is large, has a restroom, a pond, and an excellent playground.

The play structure for bigger kids (labeled 5-12) is massive.  It has two huge tunnel slides, a double slide, a climbing wall, three levels of play, spinners, monkey bars, and climbing ropes.

Big kids play here!

The play area for little kids (labeled 2-5) is larger than most baby playgrounds, and is probably geared towards older toddlers and preschoolers.  It has two (low) climbing walls, several more difficult climbing areas, three slides, and a cute little pretend car area (with gear shifts and steering wheel)

A playplace for little kids

There are two regular swings, two toddler swings, and a tire swing.  The ground covering is mostly wood chips with small areas of rubber matting.  There are built in sun shades on the playground.

Plenty of stationary extras in this playground.  There is a globe-shaped merry-go-round, a bouncy see-saw, a spinning seat, a bouncy horse, some drums, and a huge sandbox.  It had rained for a few days before our last visit, so the sandbox was a bit of a lake.  Even so, it looked fun, with a couple of backhoe toys and a little sand table.

The baseball fields, basketball courts, and tennis courts are all within easy walking distance of the playground.  Our playgroup has used the baseball fields for some impromptu games.  There is also a large pavilion - great for picnics or parties.  I was struck by the recycling bins - one near every single trash can.  Good job, Arlington!

Cravens Park is located at the juncture of Matlock and Green Oaks, and can be accessed from either road.
400 Cravens Park Dr.
Arlington, Texas 76018

Vandergriff Park

This has to be one of the largest parks in Arlington, because it is massive!

playground

The playground at Vandergriff is great.  The brightly colored 'little kid' part of the playground has low to the ground climbing spots, slides, and a little pretend storefront counter.  The big kid playground is gigantic and fun for any kid who likes to climb.  There is even a cute (raised, shaded) observation deck for any parents whose kids are old enough to play solo.

This one's for big kids

And for the littles!

There are several fun free standing pieces of equipment also - a wobbly balance beam, a three-seater bouncy rocket ride, a low-to-the-ground spinning chair, and two standing spinners.  There are two baby swings and two regular ones.  The ground covering is wood chips.

We love Vandergriff Park!  It is a little overwhelming because it is so huge.  In fact, the first time we went there, it took us 10 minutes just to find the playground once we got to the park.  Once you figure it all out, it's worth it... besides a spectacular playground, Vandergriff has baseball fields, a HUGE covered pavilion, miles of fields and walking trails (not heavily treed), bathrooms, horseshoe pits, tennis courts, and probably more that we haven't explored.  It is also the site of the Bob Duncan Center.

Vandergriff is located on between Center Street and Matlock.  The best way to get to the playground is by entering at Bob Duncan and turning left towards the pools.  The Marrow Bone Springs entrance will take you to the pavilion, tennis courts, and horseshoes (but you can't access the playground from that lot).
2800 South Center Street
Arlington, Texas 76014

Mary & Jimmie Hooper Park

Hooper park is kind of a hidden treasure.  It is almost always nearly empty whenever we go.  It is small with a lovely view of a lake.  It has a baseball practice field, a basketball court, and a spectacular playground for small children.

This is one of the few playgrounds in which my children are completely content to stay on the equipment designed for their age-group.  The 'little kid' playground has plenty of slides, climbing apparatuses, tunnels and fun!

Little kid heaven!

The 'big kid' playground is also lots of fun, with a climbing wall, tall slides, and lots of monkey bars and firemen poles.  The ground covering is wood chips.  There are two baby swings and two regular ones.

This one's for the bigger kids

The pavilion can be rented (the sign designating whether it is reserved is directly in front of the pavilion), and is just feet from the water, making it a beautiful place to eat lunch.  There are only two tables underneath, so it would have to be a small gathering.

Hooper has a small baseball diamond and a basketball court.  I didn't' get many pictures, since there were lots of people playing and didn't want to look like the paparazzi.

We also found this sign.  How cool!

Hooper Park is located on Pleasant Ridge, between Bowen and Cooper.  It is tucked away, so you may have driven right past it and not realized what you were missing!
2303 Pleasant Ridge Rd
Arlington, Texas 76015