Parks and Playgrounds

Did you know that there are over 50 incredible parks located throughout just the Centerville/Washington Township area of Dayton!? FIFTY PLUS!! It’s absolutely amazing, and a little overwhelming. To help you determine where to go, we’ve put together a list categorizing the parks into various amenities that might interest you and made it available as a handy little printable. Below, you’ll also find more detailed information about our top favorite parks from these categories.

Oak Grove has a little bit of everything to entertain the whole family. Both playground structures have built-in shade, which is so ideal when the sun is blazing down! The larger of the two playground areas perfect for big-kids and toddlers – it has various rope climbers & rock wall climbers as well as a tall feature slide to entertain the older kids as well as tot-sized climbers and slides to satisfy the little ones. There are also two swing sets available – one of which houses an accessible swing too. The smaller playground area is more appropriate for older kids featuring tall climbers and a spider web rope climber as well. It does also have an infant swing though, so you can push your little one while you watch the older ones play.

What else do we love about this park? In addition to nice paved paths, which are great for jogging, it also has exercise equipment sprinkled along the route. Fido needs some time to play too? No problem! Oak Grove is home to the area’s only all-inclusive off-leash dog park too!

It has so much to do for every age group. The playground equipment is amazing and so creative. Kids love the hide and seek animals, the big sandbox, the wooden structures, and the musical instruments. They offer a natural playground (wooden logs to climb in/on), & shelter with picnic tables. They offer great restrooms including a family restroom and a refillable water bottle station.

What else do we love about this park? It also nicely connected to Bill Yeck with great walking and hiking. They offer great restrooms including a family restroom. Refillable water bottle station.

This is one of the area’s newest playgrounds and it. is. AWESOME! We’ve categorized it as a “Big-Kid” Playground because of its extensive climbing features: net climbers, rock wall climbers, and a swaying rope bridge, just to name a few. It also features two swing sets – one containing an accessible swing along with belt swings and infant swings, and the other contains a new circular swing for multiple riders. While it truly is meant for older kids (think: 5-12-year-olds), younger kids can be seen enjoying it as well. An adventurous 3-year-old can confidently climb all over the place, you just may have to stay a step behind them in case they get “stuck” and unable to climb down.

Other fun features: ADA accessibility, hitting wall, ¾ mile paved multi-use trail, picnic tables under a shelter, restrooms, & a nice large multi-use field beside it.

There is only one play structure here, but it is absolutely perfect for the little ones! Featuring 3 slides and zero climbers, this playground is a mom’s dream. The only way up and down is via two separate steps of stairs, so you never have to worry about your sweet toddler scaling up a scary climber before they’re ready. It also features some really cute interactive play panels such as the musical chimes, a game of tic-tac-toe, and movable mosaics.

Other fun features: There’s a really nice shaded shelter with two benches adjacent to this playground as well as other benches closer to the play structure. It is also located in a neighborhood with very little thru-traffic.

Let’s face it: with the abundance of parks, we really couldn’t pick just one toddler favorite! We love Rosewood for one main reason: SHADE!! Lots and lots of beautiful shade! The play structure is really nice and perfectly sized for tots too, but seriously, those trees are everything during a hot summer day! It also has a really cute little merry-go-round that’s seemingly much safer than the ones we all grew up with, as well as infant swings, belt swings, and a tire swing.

Other fun features: The playground is located right next to a really nice fishing pond, and you don’t even need a license to fish here! It’s great for letting the kids have their very first little fishing experience. It also has an awesome hill for sledding in the winter time!

Well, considering the fact that it’s the only splash pad in the area, it wasn’t a very tough competition to chose this as our favorite. In all seriousness though, it’s a really nice splash pad! Hours begin the Friday before Memorial Day every year and it is open from 8am until 8pm, seven days a week. It usually shuts down sometime in early September. Directly adjacent to the splash pad is a great all-inclusive play structure that is ADA accessible and perfectly sized for toddlers and big kids alike!

Other fun features: picnic tables & shelter, restrooms, grills, 3 baseball diamonds, 4 pickleball courts, tennis court, & a rain garden.

This playground was completely overhauled in 2016 and features a really neat play structure geared more for older kids (lots of rope climbers, tall climbers, and a rope obstacle course), as well as brand new belt swings and infant swings, plus a large circular swing for multiple riders similar to the swing at Robert F. Mays. The trees surrounding this park are absolutely beautiful and provide lots of great shade-coverage for those hot summer days!

Other fun features: Hiking trails along a stream, picnic tables, grill, & a large multi-use field.

The play structure featured here at Old Lane is actually really great for both toddlers and big kids. It has climbers and over-head components that will keep the older kids entertained, but it also offers some smaller climbers and a separate smaller structure perfect for the little ones as well. You’ll also find belt seats and infant swings here as well as a few nice benches to sit and watch the kids play. The best part about this park – It has a beautiful old oak tree that truly provides the perfect amount of shade. It’s just lovely!

Other fun features: Picnic tables & 2 tennis courts

As you can see, there are several entrances to Bill Yeck Park because of the great selection of trails that run through it! Every time you visit, you’re bound to see some new type of vegetation or wildlife that you didn’t see on your previous visit. It’s the perfect place for a nature hike for kids of any age. The end of the Parkhaven Point even features a natural play area too! (Mom Tip: Wear rain boots or some type of shoes you don’t mind getting wet or muddy during the rainy season – often times the trails can be a little flooded!)

Other fun features: Apiary, bird blind, (Wilmington entrance), historic home, native seed nursery, Owlexander’s Tree Trek Nature Literature Trail (Rooks Mill entrance), portable restroom (Wilmington entrance), restroom (Smith entrance), small shelter (Wilmington entrance), sled hills, & views of Sugar Creek.

Just like Bill Yeck, Grant also has several entrances to choose from. The trails vary in difficulty, but the longest trail is only 2 miles long round-trip. You can find a trail map here (thanks to the CWPD website), or visit the Kennard Nature Nook to grab one on your way in. There are so many beautiful sights to see all along the trails. It’s so much fun to get kids involved in the hiking experience by having them find various plants, animals, and rocks along the way. There are even two fire rings that are available for reservations located behind the Kennard Nature Nook and at the Chimneys. You have to have a permit to light campfires though. Also, if you visit the Grant’s Trail entrance, you’ll find some play equipment here that’s perfect for big-kids and toddlers too located in front of a stream! (Mom Tip: Wear rain boots or muddy shoes here during the rainy season!)

Other fun features: grill at the Chimneys area, Mark Kreusch Nature Playce – natural play area at the Kennard Nature Nook, Owlexander’s Hoot Route Nature Literature Trail, Kennard Nature Nook, picnic tables, portable restroom (Normandy Ridge entrance), restrooms (Kennard Nature Nook), sledding hills, wetland/streams

Stubbs Park is great for a lot of reasons, but one of the best reasons is for its winding, paved paths all throughout the park. You’ll almost always find runners and walkers making great use of these paths as well as the occasional toddler on a little scooter of sorts. It’s a great place to get in some exercise among the trees, and an even better place to wear out your kids! Boasting 4 different playgrounds spread throughout the entire park, it’s absolutely feasible to play at each playground utilizing the paths to walk in between them. This park is also a local favorite because of its amphitheater which features free concerts throughout the summer months, as well as its disc golf course, and ponds which are great for feeding ducks and geese! To fish here though, you will have to obtain a fishing license. (Mom Tip: If you’re a new mom, this park is PERFECT for pushing that sweet little baby along in the stroller while you both get some fresh air!)

Other fun features: multiple picnic shelters, grills, in-line skating rink, sand volleyball court, basketball court, Veteran’s Memorial, Firefighter Memorial, & community garden.

This park is adjacent to the Washington Township Rex center. It is best known as the musical park as it has pipes and drums and other musical instruments. Also known as the butterfly park, the playground equipment is great for climbers of all ages.

Other fun features: there are three ponds with fishing, trails, and it is dog friendly.