6 of the best small playgrounds in Seattle parks

Small playgrounds in Seattle: When it comes to playgrounds, small can be beautiful. A pleasant spot set up to invite kids to explore and relax can lead to lots of exuberant, social fun. Here are six of Seattle’s nicest small playgrounds, each of them less than an acre in size. None of them have bathrooms, but all of them are great places to spend an hour.

Oxbow Park

6430 Corson Ave S

Neighborhood: Georgetown

It’s easy to spot this park: just look for the giant concrete cowboy hat and cowboy boots. It also contains a P-patch, a climber and a bit of grass.

Puget Ridge Playground

6029 21st Ave SW

Neighborhood: Delridge

This is a triangular sliver of land, set into a hillside and crammed with the very latest in play equipment. A beautifully crafted metal gate welcomes visitors.

Firehouse Mini Park

712 18th Ave

Neighborhood: Central Area

The beautiful brick building next door to this park is a former firehouse, so this playground keeps up the theme with bright red equipment. A canopy of trees makes for pleasant shade in summer and a blizzard of leaves in fall.

Prentis I. Frazier Park

401 24th Ave E

Neighborhood: Capitol Hill

This park feels like a shady alcove tucked into the east slope of Capitol Hill. There are two climbers, a basketball hoop, and places to sit, and a super steep grassy slope to try and run up or roll down.

Ward Springs Park

4th Ave N & Ward St

Neighborhood: Queen Anne

A little bit of grass, a climber, a small sandbox, and a snaking walk add interest to this small playground with a jaw-dropping view of the Space Needle.

6^th Ave NW Pocket Park

606 NW 76th St

Neighborhod: Greenwood

Unlike the other parks on this list, 6^th Ave Pocket Park does not have a climber. But what it does have is a large sandbox, furnished with neighborhood toys. Should your kids get tired of building worlds with sand and tools, there’s grass to run around on, rocks to clamber on and a stage with a giant chessboard set into it.

Originally published December 2019