North Bethlehem Park

North Bethlehem Park 

564 Russell Road

Albany, NY 12203

Overview:

The playground located in North Bethlehem Park is a quiet, clean playground.  It is set back from the road and close to a wooded picnic area, which gives it a private almost backyard feel.  When compared to other playgrounds in the area, it is on the smaller side; however, don't let that stop you from making the trip.  Although it's small, it does include a variety of equipment that small toddlers up to grade school children can play on.  My son, who is under 2, enjoyed walking on the wiggly bridge, playing with the tic-tac-toe board, and sliding down the numerous slides.  The side by side slides are especially great because you can sit next to your child, hold hands, and go down at the same time.  Lots of fun!

There is also a decent sized picnic area surrounding the playground with both metal and wooden picnic tables.  They are all located under large shady trees- a great place to take a break from playing and have a picnic lunch or snack with the kids.


Includes:

• Playground with mulch floor
• 1 large tunnel slide
• 1 small wave slide
• 1 large double slide- wavy
• 1 small double slide- straight
• 1 large spiral slide
• 1 small banana slide
• suspension bridge
• tic-tac-toe panel
• straight rung monkey bars
• trapeze rung monkey bars
• coil climber
• deep rung arch climber
• 3 steering wheels 
• 2 adult swings
• 2 baby swings
• basketball court
• picnic area

Things to consider:

The platform that the playground equipment is on was built about a foot and a half off of the ground, making it somewhat difficult to get up and down from.  I'm pretty short, so this was a bit tricky for me, especially when I was carrying my son.  I pretty much had to jump down to reach the ground...yikes!  Luckily, there are 2 sets of metal stairs in different locations around the playground that make getting up and down much easier.  

Another drawback is the actual playground itself is made of wood, which could pose a problem if your child should trip and fall- splinters are no fun:(

There are no shady spots on the playground, so try to plan your visit around the sun's peak hours, otherwise prepare to get sweaty.

Tic-Tac-Toe anyone?

Just some of the picnic area available at the park.

North Bethlehem Park

Barnes and Noble Colonie Centre

If you're kid loves books and you have 75 cents to spare then read on...

Just the other day I went to Barnes and Noble to buy a book (How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman- a great all purpose cookbook with easy and yummy recipes).  Anyway, before heading to the cookbooks I decided to take my son to the children's section.  We've been on a Byron Barton kick lately and I was hoping they had his book titled, Trains, which we've checked out of the library a number of times.  

I've been to this Barnes and Noble store before and have spent time in the children's section, but it was when my son was very young and not able to walk.  Now that he can get around on two feet I saw the children's section in a whole new light.  First of all there is a cute little stage by the store window where story hour takes place (for hours/themes Kids and Teens events).  It's decorated with a Winnie the Pooh Hundred Acre wood theme and has small wooden benches where the kids can sit and listen to/read a story.  Next to the stage area is a great board book and young readers section.  My son and I took our time reading different books displayed there and found our sought after title.  On the opposite end of the children's section there are more books, stuffed animals, toys, and... a Thomas the Train train table surrounded by small Adirondack chairs- the perfect size for kids (but adults can squeeze into them as well).  Since my son loves anything with wheels, we parked the stroller and spent some time moving the trains around track and talking to another family that was there.  

After reading and playing for over an hour, I finally decided to pay for our books and head home.  As we left the checkout line I noticed four small ride-on vehicles in front of the store (in the mall).  You know- the kind that take quarters, move up and down, and make noises.  Normally I would walk right by them mostly because I never have quarters or cash on me, but luckily for my son I had a stash of coins in my purse.  So, as a fun way to end our morning of reading and playing, my son got to ride on a train, a repair truck, and an ice cream truck before heading home for lunch.

Buckingham Lake Park

Buckingham Lake Park

Berkshire Blvd. and Colonial Ave 

Albany, NY 

Overview:

Buckingham Lake Park is located in a quiet residential area in Albany, just off of New Scotland Avenue near St. Peters Hospital.  This park's playground is small, but has just enough to keep older children busy with its monkey bars, twisty slides and tree climber.  There are also baby swings and dinosaur riders in separate areas adjacent to the playground for infants and toddlers who are just getting the hang of walking. The highlight of this park is of course the beautiful pond.  Buckingham Pond has three large fountains and is home to many ducks, Canada geese, and fish.  It is surrounded by a wide gravel path perfect for a strolling a baby or two, a variety of trees and plants, and a small shady picnic area just steps from the playground.  

I have walked the hiking path with my son in his stroller a number of times.  It is, for the most part, a quiet, relaxing walk.  There's lots of wildlife to see and search for and a number of great shady spots along the pond for setting up a picnic lunch or just resting on a blanket.  The kids have so much fun visiting the ducks and looking for fish swimming near the shore.  

Includes:

• Playground with mulch floor
• 1 large double slide- curvy 
• curved monkey bars
• tri-rung monkey bars
• tree climber
• curved ladder climber
• 3 baby swings
• 1 accessible swing with roller coaster style safety harness
• 3 Jurassic dinosaur riders
• picnic area
• pond
• gravel hiking path (just under 1 mile long)

Things to consider:

If your child is not a skilled walker/climber, there isn't much to do at this playground except swing, ride the dinosaurs (with help from an adult), and slide down the slides.  Even sliding down the slide with my son on my lap was difficult due to the curves.  I'm pretty small and still wound up getting stuck halfway down...not so fun for mommy or baby.  It would be better if it was a straight slide.

The fact that there are 3 baby swings at this park is a plus given the size of the playground, however, there isn't much shade in the swing area for a good portion of the day.  It's fun to swing, but not when the sun is in your face.  Try planning your visit early in the morning, late afternoon when the sun is beginning to set, or on a partly cloudy day to ensure a squint-free swinging experience. 

Lastly, the gravel path around the pond is wonderful for walking and running.  Just be careful on wet days because certain spots can become quite slippery and muddy, making it difficult for pushing strollers and walking with small children.

Albany Parks and Recreation

Albany Recreation Facilities

Joyful Jumpers

Joyful Jumpers
Colonie Alliance Church
32 Lapham Drive
Albany, NY 12205

Joyful Jumpers, a not-for-profit organization, is an indoor play area for children 5 and under.  They offer an Open Play time daily from 10-1 (check their monthly calendar for updates/changes) where you and your child can drop in and play with/use the toys and equipment available.  It costs $5 to play, but covers the hours it is open.  They also offer a variety of classes and host birthday parties.  

Description

When I heard that the play area was located in the church basement I was a bit skeptical.  All I could picture was a dimly lit room with concrete floors and cobwebs…sorry, that was the first thing that popped into my head.  Fortunately, that wasn't the case at all.  The rectangular shaped room was brightly lit, carpeted, and had air-conditioning.  After removing your shoes and paying the $5 fee, the place is yours for exploring and playing.  To the left is a small seating/eating area with a couple of old comfy couches (the kind that your grandma has) and a low table for children to have their snack at.  Eating is not allowed in the play area.

To the right is a large play area.  Along one wall your child will find a line-up of push and ride-on toys such as a vacuum cleaner, lawn mower, cars, shopping carts, etc.  There is also a small work bench with tools.  Along the opposite wall you will see a Step 2 Roller Coaster (a favorite), a Little Tikes Endless Adventures Mountain Climber with slide, a Little Tikes playground with an opening door, tunnel and slide, and a Little Tikes Pirate Ship playhouse.  In the far end of the play area there is a Little Tikes cottage with a small play kitchen and pretend food inside, a ball crawl on wheels, a basketball hoop, and a train table with trains.  In the very center of the room, on top of a soft colorful mat, is my favorite thing- a soft foam train (that can be taken apart and rearranged thanks to velcro), 2 large tunnels that can be climbed on or under, and a soft barrel that your child can climb in or roll around.  

General Thoughts

I have mixed reviews.  
Here are the positives... My son has fun playing there. The women/moms that oversee the play area are very friendly.  During the summer months I have taken my son to Open Play before the lunch hour and it has never been crowded (maybe 3-4 other children).  However, during the winter it can get super busy, which makes total sense.  By January most of us are going stir crazy from being stuck indoors and need a place to escape.  


Here are the drawbacks... Some, if not most, of the equipment and toys could use a good scrub down with clorox as they felt and looked grimy (Please keep in mind that I'm a bit of a clean freak, so my standards of cleanliness may be different from your own).  There is a small counter where you can place toys that have been in your child's mouth to be disinfected, however, there weren't any signs about this.  I actually had to ask about it after my son put a toy in his mouth.  On a couple of occasions my son has gotten sick after playing there, which I blame on the lack of cleanliness.  I thought I was being a bit too critical, but after talking to other moms that take their children there I heard the same thing- their kids have fun, but always end up getting sick a few days later.  Some moms even refuse to take their kids there because of this. 


Overall, everything is age-appropriate and at the perfect height for children 5 and under.  If you're looking for a cheap place where your child can climb, slide, roll, laugh, pretend, and meet other kids, then give Joyful Jumpers a try.  

Soft foam train

Tunnels, barrels, and more!

Roller coaster and Little Tikes Pirate Ship Playhouse

Little Tikes Playground

Little Tikes Mountain Climber

Ride-on and push toys

Snack and relax

http://www.joyfuljumpers.net/