Playground Profile: Tooterville Park - UPDATED

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I love a good neighborhood park. They are oasis of fun in the suburbs and when you can walk to them or arrive by train, they are even better! The Grayslake Park District has been updating many of the playgrounds in the city over the last few years. One of my favorite neighborhood parks, Tooterville Park, has recently been renovated.

Tooterville Park is located in the South Creek Subdivision and has a path that leads right to the parking lot of the Grayslake stop on the Milwaukee Metra North Line. The new playground is a little smaller than the previous one, however, what it lacks in size it makes up for in creative climbing equipment. The park has four different climbing sections and two slides. My kids thoroughly enjoy playing follow the leader across, over, and under all the new equipment.

In addition to the playground, there is a sandbox with diggers. Although slightly smaller, this sandbox is much nicer than the previous sandbox, although one of the diggers seems to be perpetually stuck. There are several benches, a covered shelter, and swings. The swing set does not have bucket swings, but does include one of the popular new expression swings.

The renovation did take away one of my favorite features — the path that circled the playground, bu this is really only a loss for moms who like to walk while their kids play. The park also features wetlands, a basketball court and sand volleyball court. There are no bathrooms, but there is a water fountain. Older kids do hang out at the basketball court in the afternoons/evenings, so plan to visit earlier in the day if that’s the kind of thing that bothers you. If you have older kids that loathe going with the family to the park, let them know it’s a great park for caching Pokémon.

The renovated park has an updated bike rack, making it a great place to take a family ride, too. There are some old growth trees around the park that offer some shade later in the day, otherwise the park is fairly sunny. Aside from the one shorter slide, this park is best suited for preschool age and up — kids that are stable on their feet and can climb. Take a look at the park for yourself: