Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Lost Creek Park: An Awesome Enclosed Playground in Austin

view of "Littles" playscape
As a mother of twins, and photographer of children with autism and other special needs, I know that a fenced in playground can sometimes be the only way to safely get the kids outside for play or for a photo session.

Though they are few and far between, the Austin area does have some pretty great playgrounds and restaurants that have fenced in play areas.  This will be the first of several posts detailing awesome ENCLOSED play places in the Austin area.

Up first... Lost Creek Park.

This place is a true gem!  My family and I had a blast there, and though it's not close to our place, we plan to visit again soon.

nice grassy area for running
Here is the extensive list of PROS for Lost Creek Park:

  • Fenced with secure child-proof latch on the gate
  • BATHROOMS! (taking potty-training kids to parks with no potty can be such a kill-joy)
  • Wheelchair ramps that go in to the play area
  • A functioning, clean, triple water fountain
  • Lots of shade... from trees, canopies, and a pavilion
  • 2 play areas, for bigs and littles
  • An attractive pavilion with fans, lights, a porch swing, tables, and a gas grill -- BBQ party, anyone?
  • A cute little log cabin club-house
  • A "spider web" climbing structure
  • Grassy area (not shaded)
  • Swings, including baby swings
  • A small scooter/bike track with a little hill for added interest (and speed!)
  • A roller slide (fun sensory activity)
  • No dogs allowed in the fenced area.  I love dogs, but for those of you who need a dog- (and poop) free area for your kids, this park is a great choice.
  • Located conveniently near 360, but not too close
  • Community bulletin board 
E.B. loves the spider web!
Adlai also digs the spider web... it's a great feature!

Toddlers enjoy the music feature.
Bring a wheeled toy for fun on the track!

Fun excavator, but a little too tall!
And there are just a few CONS:
  • Playscape structures are pretty high... if you've got an over-confident climber (or two) you have to keep an eye on them to prevent falls.
  • The sand boxes were out of sand when we went.
  • The excavator toy is too high up (might be fixed with more sand).  My tall 5-year olds couldn't reach the ground to spin the excavator.

This park totally rocked, and my kids were sad to leave.  The features here make for a fun, safe place to bring your children.  

Feel free to contact me if you'd like to schedule a photo session at Lost Creek Park.
Be careful if you have a climber!