The Enfield Rotary Accessible Playground

Cut to the chase. Take me to the Momsense.

At the tippy top of our state is a town called Enfield, CT.  I’ve noticed it on my drives to Springfield, MA, but never stopped to check it out.  But after a few fabulous readers mentioned to me that a library/playground combination existed there, I knew my Out and About Mom crew needed to make a visit.

The day we decided to go was also the day the library was holding its annual spring (FREE) touch-a-truck event.  Here are a few pictures.  A must see if it happens again next year!

Now I could go on and on about how great this touch-a-truck event was, but that really isn’t helping anyone. Let me just get back to the point of this post, the playground.

Based on this article, the playground opened in 2012 thanks to the efforts of the Enfield Rotary and thanks to a generous donation from the LEGO Corporation’s Children’s Fund.

What a wonderful contribution they have made to the sweet town of Enfield.

The playground is great.  It is small, but has a lot packed into its little footprint.

There is a section for kids ages 5-12 that includes wheel-chair accessible ramps, a large “spider web” in the center, slides, and swings.

Between the play area for the older kids and the area for the younger kids, there was a pavilion with picnic tables.  Bring a lunch or snack and enjoy it here.

We then, of course, headed over to the play area for the little ones (since that is actually the correct age range for all of my kiddos!)

This section was a little bit different from what I’m used to seeing for a tot-sized playscape.  Instead of one structure loaded with ramps, slides and climbing structures, this play area had a variety of separate structures.  My kids loved it.

As you can probably tell from my pictures, besides the pavilion, there isn’t much in the way of shade in the playground area.  On hot days, I can imagine this isn’t the best hang-out spot.  The good news is that on chilly days you will certainly be able to soak up every speck of sunshine here.

But on days when the heat or the cold becomes too much, you can always take a break inside the Enfield Library which is located just across the parking area.

Inside we found restrooms with a changing area (score!)

The only restrooms I saw (there could have easily been more) were located right near the circulation desk.  There were two restrooms each with one stall.  Great news if you have a few kids in tow.  Bad news if you are like me and trying to change three kids in diapers while a line forms outside the restroom area.  I can already feel myself starting to sweat again!

The Central Enfield Library was definitely on the smaller side, but the kid’s area was a decent size.  The area was mostly filled with books and computers, but there were a few fun things to keep the little ones entertained.

The twins found some cute chairs where they could relax (and maybe read a book or two).

They found puzzles, games, and even a perfect puppet show area.

Plenty of things to keep them busy while I looked at a few books for the crew. Overall, it was just nice to have a place right by the playground where we could get a little change of scenery and extend our morning outing a bit!  It’s always nice to find combo outings, right?

So, if you find yourself in the Enfield area (maybe on the way back from a Zoo in Forest Park outing).  I would highly recommend dropping by the Enfield Central Library for a visit to both their indoor and outdoor kid’s sections.

THE MOMSENSE:

The Enfield Rotary Accessible Playground

Located at the Enfield Public Library, 104 Middle Road, Enfield, Connecticut

Phone:  (860) 763-7510

Follow them on Facebook!

Hours and Fees:

• The playground is FREE and always open 🙂
• If you need the restroom facility, the library is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am – 9:00 pm and Saturday from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.

Playground Features:

• Accessible Playground designed to be enjoyed by children of all abilities (and very stroller-friendly!)
• Two play areas (one for toddlers/preschoolers and one for older kids)
• Slides, steps, ladders, ramps, tunnels, bridges, climbing structures, sensory activities
• Swings and baby swings
• Benches
• Synthetic padded footing
• Covered picnic area
• Large, convenient parking lot
• Located next to the Enfield Public Library
• Restrooms (with baby changing stations) located inside the Enfield Public Library
• There is not a fence around the playground area and it is located right next to a parking lot.  If you have a runner, this might not be the best playground for you.
• The play area for the little ones and big kids were in opposite areas.  If you have kids in both age ranges, it may be difficult to keep an eye on both of them at the same time!

Meet Our Sponsors!

• The Independent Day School – Located on a rural campus in Middlefield, CT is a private pre-school, elementary and middle school, serving families from over 20 communities.
• Jessica’s Garden – This Marlborough destination is a gardening center and family-friendly eatery rolled into one. A great place to take the kids, enjoy the beautiful grounds, and check out their ice cream and lobster shack.
• Kathryn Deane Photography – Kathryn is a natural light photographer specializing in maternity, newborn, child, family, and senior portrait photography.

Are you interested in becoming an Out and About Mom sponsor? Click here for more info.

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