It turned out, we had driven near this playground many times before but never saw this hidden gem on a sneaky side road.
So, once we arrived, we were pleasantly surprised to find a beautiful orange and blue playground resembling a play place obstacle course under a massive, preconstructed canopy.
What's at the Fred King Playground?
My boys instantly frolicked to the thin, windy, silver slide sporting circular rungs instead of a ladder. Trust me; your rugrats will love the challenge. Mine sure did!
I must note that the slide is not only skinny but fast! According to one mother at the park, it will send your kid "rocketing" if they wear slippery material. (She recommended leaving the Frozen-themed princess costumes at home.)
And forget traditional monkey bars. The Fred King Playground offers arched, curvy monkey bars that lead to cargo nets my boys couldn't get enough of. (Like many boys their ages, their Spider-Man fans, you know?)
My kiddos also adored hopping on the various-sized plastic-like lily pads, and it was a joy to watch them cognitively explore and calculate their next moves.
Located beside the shaded play structure sits a swing set with two regular swings and two bucket swings.
These swings are higher off the ground than most, but once I helped my boys get on - they were ecstatic and looked like they were on top of the world.
Conveniently, this Belleview playground also has three benches, a water fountain, and a porta-potty. FYI: With two young children, that last one was a lifesaver.
The entire playground rests on mulch that's contained by a 2 foot black, plastic border. A chained-link fence encircles the entire complex.
Another bonus: this Belleview playground has clearly-marked safety rules.
A few rules to remember before you go:
You need to wear a mask if you're not able to be 6 feet apart
Use sanitizer often
Photo by Amanda Clark-Rudolph/ The playground has clearly posted Coivd guidelines.
Recommendations:
A picnic table or two would be nice. We ate our sandwiches while sitting on a bench. This was slightly challenging for hungry munchkins . . . but doable.
While sitting under a tree, ten green caterpillars fell on me (no exaggeration, I counted). Watch out; they itch!
The Lowdown
This Belleview playground is so visually appealing and unique compared to most traditional playgrounds. It's modern and sleek, and the canopy adds a practical touch.
Overall, I'd consider the Fred King Playground to be one of the best Belleview playgrounds around.
It was a pleasant experience we all enjoyed - just be on the lookout for those stinging caterpillars - a few hitched a ride home with us :)
Photo by Amanda Clark-Rudolph/ The swings at the Fred King Playground.
Fun facts about the Fred King Playground
Volunteers put this playground up.
The park was named after a notable local coach and recreational volunteer, Fred King, who passed away in 2017.
It was made possible by KABOOM and Home Depot, two organizations that contributed around $100,000 (total) towards the project.
Belleview Elementary students brainstormed then receommended what they wanted in their ultimate playground. These ideas were considered when putting together the initial Belleview playground design.
The playground is located by Cherokee Park and has a recreational building and field nearby.
Within a mile of the playground, is an ice cream shop and numerous fast food joints.
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