Haggard Park - Plano, Texas

Panaramic of both plagyrounds and bathroom in far right.

The "big" kid play area.

Sign says 5-12, but my 3 year olds were all over it!

 

Year round water fountain, with picnic tables in background.

  

My girls LOVED these "funny rainbow" stairs as they called them.

 

Restrooms

Ont the large play structure, there is a hole in the center.

Big slide!

Cool climbing tower.

My girls really liked this net.

More fun things to climb.

This slide was cool, because they started together at the top and both went different directions.

Bottom of the "split" slide.

 Small kids area says ages 2-5.

This is the small play area.

They loved the bouncy dolphin and seahorse.

Big Gazebo to run around in. 

We saw this big bird at the waters edge!

There is an old train and a train museum that is on the park property. They have story times and tours of the stationary train on certain days. The train was under repairs today when we were there.

Park rules.

For some reason this park does get a lot of field trips. I guess it is the museum they come to see, then they have a picnic and play. When the school age kids descend on the park all the moms of toddlers pack up and leave. There were easily 50 kids that all arrived at once.

Name: Haggard Park

Location: 901 E. 15th Street  Plano TX, 75074

Link to Map

Link to city page

Link to the Interurban Railway Museum 

1. How big is the park? What are the amenities?

This is a very large park with lots of amenities. There are two playgrounds, restrooms, parking lot, running space, shade trees, picnic tables, gazebo, water feature with bridge, right next to DART train for those who have kids that like watching and hearing trains. There is water fountains, dog clean up stations, lots of benches. There is a railway museum at the park with tours of an old train on some days. 

2. Is it enclosed? Covered?

No, the park is not enclosed or covered. It does have lots of shade trees. The big park is fairly close to the parking lot, but not too bad.

3. What ages would enjoy this park?

The signs say 2-12, but I brought my girls here at 18 months a few summers ago.

4. How safe is it for little ones?

I like that there is plenty of grass for crawlers, and the small playground has features for the tiny tots. The only problem is when the field trips from local schools show up. Then you pretty much have to leave because the big kids over take the park. Also, I have seen a homeless man sleeping on a slide when I arrived really early one morning last summer. He woke up when he heard us and wandered off. I think we scared him just as much as he scared us.

5. Pros:

Lots to do, lots to play and see. The girls loved stopping every time a DART train stopped by.

6. Cons:  The big kid field trips and the fact that it is a city park, with all kinds of people walking by. You need to stay alert.

Founders Plaza - Grapevine, Texas

This park does not have play equipment, it is an the airplane observation park next to DFW.

 Free binoculars.

 Statues of kids playing "airplane"

 Look over to the right, an airplane taking off. We didn't stay long because it was so cloudy you could hardly see the planes, not to mention it was windy and drizzly too!

 Airplane on the runway.

Name: Founders Plaza
Location: 1700 N Airfield Dr DFW Airport, TX 75261 (Grapevine, Texas)
Link to Map
Link to Official Webpage

Posted by: Amanda Dittlinger of Ditt & Dott

1. How big is the park? What are the amenities? 

This is a small park with a very specific purpose. It is a safe observation area to watch planes coming and going into DFW Airport. There are several shaded picnic tables and some plaques and statues. There is a nice field for kids to run in. One cool feature is that you can hear the air traffic controllers over loud speakers. There are also a few free binoculars. There is good parking. There are no restrooms. There is no play equipment.

2. Is it enclose or covered?  

There is covered patio tables.

3. What ages? 

All ages

 

4. How safe is it?  

The picnic tables are close to the parking lot, so as you are watching planes you need to watch your toddlers too!

5. Pros:  

Fun experience, especially if your kids (whatever their ages!) are into planes.

6: Cons:  

No restrooms.

 

Harry Myers - Rockwall, Texas

 Section One

 Section Two

Section Two Play Area

Name: Harry Myers Park

Location: 815 East Washington Street Rockwall, TX 75087-3832
Link to Map
Link to City Website

Posted by: Kristi Nix

1. How big is the park? And what are the amenities?
This park is HUGE!!  We didn't cover it all in one day.  I plan to go back with bikes and wagons and head off to do the trails.  Bring a camera, there are a lot of different places for great photo opportunities.  There are 3 different sections, each section has a covered pavilion and amazingly clean restrooms within 20 feet of the play areas.  

Section 1 is the enclosed public pool, enclosed skate park (converted basketball courts), a gazebo, an enclosed HUGE wooden playground (no gate, but there is a wall around the whole structure) including: slides, swings, baby swings, sand pits (2), balance beams, monkey bars and so much more!.  Also, included in section one is a COMING SOON dog park!

Section 2 (my husband says the oldest section and where we spent most of our time there) is 2 baseball fields (with a box full of bases to use), a lot of shaded picnic tables, a covered pavilion (available for rent), a gazebo, 2 old houses for photo ops, and a smaller fenced play area.  Again, no gate, but there is a fence around the entire play area.  Included in the play area are swings (2 normals swings and 2 baby swings), a tall slide, an old (but still fun) merry-go-round, and a "teeter-totter" style structure.  We spent most of our time here, because it wasn't as busy as the other play area.  

Section 3 (which we did not visit) is a spray park (it came on around 11), a big lake, a big metal bridge to walk over the lake, a covered pavilion, a lot of big trees for shade, and big open fields for kite flying.  Section 3 is mainly made up of the spray park, but still loads of fun

Also available is frisbee golf, off road trails, and ducks!  

2. Is it enclosed or covered?

See above description!  3 covered pavilions and 2 gazebos

3. What ages?
This park is FUN for ALL ages, including the parents! 

4. How safe is it?
I'd say the park is pretty safe! It is HUGE! As always, as long as the parent/care taker keeps an eye on the children there shouldn't be an issue.  There is no water (other than the pool) around section 1, but the other areas, there are several small lakes, so it is hard to just let the smaller kids go without supervision.  

5. Pros:

So many pros about this park!  It is a must visit any day of the week!  Go early to enjoy the most of this park and plan to stay all day! A picnic is a MUST!  

6. Cons:

Not any cons except that the equipments tends to get hot as the day goes on.