Barrows Park

Barrows park is a relatively new park in our neighborhood, and it has some unique features. The feature that distinguishes it from most is that it has a smooth rubber surface instead of wood chips. Linus just loves to run on a rubber surface, so the fun equipment is just a bonus. The one thing this park lacks is a set of swings. There are slides galore, but no swings.

This park is actually a long strip of land with a walking/biking path running through it. If you park on Menlor Lane, you would be at the east end of the park and the first thing you'd encounter would be some concrete animal sculptures. The animals are fun for climbing, and they are a nice artistic element to the park.

The next item is the main play structure. This structure has a spiral slide, a pair of small slides, a tunnel, and some other typical playground features.

Further west, there is a structure aimed at a younger age group. This structure has a molded slide-like climbing feature (see picture) that is fun for early climbing. This structure also has a couple of wavy slides and some manipulatives (a periscope, a set of gears, and a steering wheel).

Next to the younger play structure is a steep hill that has two slides built in (no ladder or stairs for the slides, just climb the hill). These slides are pretty fast but still doable for a tot...that makes for big fun in our book! One side of the hill is sometimes hard to climb because it gets covered in sand. That brings us to the one feature of this park that I fully DISlike -- the sandbox. The sand does make a mess of the rubber surface, but that wouldn't be so bad if it was a good sandbox. Unfortunately, it's filled with dirty sand that isn't great for sand play. Fortunately, I met the maintenance manager for all of the Tualatin Hills parks at a recent informational meeting and he said this sand box is coming out and will be replaced with a sitting area.

At the top of the hill, on the west-most end of the park, there is a drinking fountain that has been working in an on-again/off-again kind of way. It has one of those cute doggy drinking fountains at the bottom, for any canine park visitors. Overall, Barrows park is a fun place to climb, slide, and run.

Camp Rivendale

Camp Rivendale is hands-down a GREAT playground! It is friendly to all ages and abilities. This playground is part of the Jenkins Estate land just west of Beaverton on Cooper Mountain.

A summer camp for disabled children is held here during the summer weekdays, but it's open for the general public on weekends all year and weekdays Sept - May. Sometimes the area is also rented on the weekends in the summer months.

Whatever you're looking for in a park, Camp Rivendale likely has it. The rubberized surface is perfect for toddlers, and the ramps and wide staircases are perfect for early climbing. There are swings for babies and big kids, and even the reclining plastic kind that my son seems to slip off of easily.

Every good park needs at least one slide, and this one has a triple slide. It is steep enough to be fun, but easy enough that toddlers can do it on their own.

One feature I haven't seen in any other park is the sway table area. It's named "Sway Fun," and my child happens to agree with that name. Anytime we go to this playground, we spend about half the time on this benched area that slides back and forth as you shift your weight.

There are a variety of ways to climb at Camp Rivendale. There are many sets of stairs for the simple route. There's also a simulated rock-climbing area, and this green pillar of ledges that it great for coordination.

There is a lot of area and variation in the structures, so older kids can exercise their imaginations as well as their bodies. Last time we were there, and could of kids were practicing riding their bikes on the pavement that circles the playground -- another option for older preschoolers and school-age kids.

For practical considerations, there is a fully-plumbed restroom and covered picnic area up the hill from the playground. There are also a new picnic tables in the grass near the play equipment. The large grassy area would also be perfect for a blanket picnic or a place to toss a frisbee.