A lot of playgrounds aren’t really designed with kids over 8 in mind. If you are finding your kids are getting bored, give these suggestions a try.
Know of a great playground for big kids that should be on this list?
1. Mahogany Giant Rocks Playground
Mahogany blvd and Marquis Heights SE
Kids (and adults) who love a climbing challenge will love testing their skills at this very different style of playground.
2. Applewood Rotary Greenway Playground
Located along a bike path along the Calgary Greenway, this playground offers a different kind of experience from your typical playground. Bigger kids will love playing keep of the ground and trying to jump from one thing to another.
3. East Calgary Greenway–Saddlebrook Playground
Similar to the Applewood Greenway playground above, this playground features artificial logs, rocks and ropes to climb on.
4. Laycock Park Playground
750 Blackthorn Rd. N.E.
This playground is more challenging than most making it great for older kids.
5. Elboya Park Playground
This playground lets kids get up higher than most and has climbing equipment that will challenge older kids.
6. 12 Mile Coulee School Playground
65 Tuscany Hills Rd NW
The equipment at this park is set up in a circuit-like pattern. It was designed to be challenging and support the middle school’s phys ed and fitness programs.
7. Carrington Park Playground
This playground features accessible flooring, challenging equipment, a roller slide and a zipline.
8. Valleyview Hill Playground
It’s hard to appreciate just how tall the climbers at this playground are in the pictures. Located just up the hill from the spray park and toddler playground.
9. Forest Lawn Natural Playground
43 St and 10th Ave SE
This style of playground provides a different kind of experience from more typical metal and plastic playgrounds. Older kids manage to find all kinds of ways to interact with the equipment.
10. West Springs School Playground
This school playground features a big rope spinner and a varied rope climber.
11. Nose Creek Middle School Playground
This school playground is set back from the school and is designed for middle schoolers resulting in a more challenging playground than most.
12. Applestone Park Playground
This playground is huge and has lots of overhead features, cat walks and bridges.
13. Valley Pointe Estates Playground
This style of playground really lends itself for different kinds of movements for older kids. Younger kids usually find these playgrounds a bit too difficult.
14. Taralake Link Playground
Similar to the Valley Pointe Estates Playground above, older kids will love testing their skills out on this playground and going down the saddle slide.
15. Panatella Hill Pond Playground
This playground is in the same style as the two above, however this playground also has a set of equipment for younger kids as well.
16. Colonel Walker School Playground
Unlike any other playground in Calgary, kids will love the freaky feeling of walking across this high rope ladder.
17. Balmoral School Playground
Designed for middle schoolers, this playground is more difficult to nagivate than your average playground.
18. Brentwood School Playground
This school playground is huge and features a wide variety of challenging equipment.
19. Ralph Klein Park Playground
This playground features a zipline and a great log and rope feature. An excellent stop if you are biking by the area.
20. North Glenmore Playground
This park includes a zipline and lots of logs and stumps to play keep off the ground.
21. Calgary Academy
Aspen Hills – 1677 93 St SW
We haven’t actually been to this playground yet, but I’m told it is a great playground for older kids.
Great list. Thank you!