Seward Park, Lower East Side

Come to Seward Park at Lower East Side to climb the highest mountain in North America on a rainbow of long-stretching, platformed climbing structures. Then check out the mosaic neighborhood map and quotes from when the first municipal playground in the country opened on this site. The playground is well-worn but entertaining – and the history woven through makes it worth the trip.

Seward Park, last renovated in 2001, features three similar climbing structures that span more horizontally than vertically, and are made up of familiar platforms, fire polls, chain ladders, monkey bars, and slides. The three structures are all painted in a cheery rainbow of colors that can be spotted from afar. The two structures for older kids are separated by a vast open space with summertime water sprays, and in a separate gated area there is a smaller and lower structure for little kids (with its own water feature). In a separate section of the park, there are baby swings, big-kid swings and a universal-access swing.

The tallest play structure is the one with plaques that give the actual names and heights of base camps and trails on the hike up to the peak of Alaska’s Mount McKinley (Denali) at 20,320 feet. As kids run up the inclined platforms, parents can help them imagine taking the multi-week trek atop one the of 7 Summits of the world, before the quick descent down the twisty slide. Seward Park’s connection to Alaska? Read on!

The mid-height structure across the other side of the playground is also worth noting for its long maze of platforms and various monkey bars that make for a challenging game of chase. The littlest kids get a mini-version of all this with a very shallow ramp up to multiple platforms and a tiny slide.

Visibility/Safety? This is one of the more challenging playgrounds for keeping track of kids. It’s nearly impossible to see across multiple areas of this playground at once because the play structures are so spread apart. There are no gates that separate the playground from the larger park, which is used by people of all ages. There is rubber flooring around the play structures (some uneven) while there is also plenty of concrete, and the mosaic tiles under the sprinklers seem like they would get slippery and could possibly cut bare feet.

Bathroom Emergency? There is a Parks Department restroom on site.

Snack Time/Coffee Break? There are many shady benches around the playground. There are shops nearby for coffee and treats, including the exceptional Partybus Bakeshop (though it closes at 4 P.M. and takes two steps up to enter). A block away and around the corner on Grand Street find shops each with its speciality: pickles, bagels, and donuts.

Features: Slides, baby swings, universal access swing, big-kid swings, monkey bars, water sprays, shade, benches, bathrooms, nearby coffee and snacks.

What’s More? Seward Park has the designation of being the oldest municipal playground in the country, inaugurated in 1903. The beautiful circular mosaic in the middle of the water sprays depicts a map of the neighborhood, and spiraling from the middle are quotes describing life on the Lower East Side at the turn of the 20th century. A quote from the Mayor at the time reads, in part: “This park indicates that the City realizes it must provide for its children, that they have a right to play as well as work.”

According to NYC Parks, this park’s namesake is William Henry Seward, who was a New York senator and outspoken critic of slavery. He later became the U.S. Secretary of State arranging the purchase of Alaska from Russia. The Seward Park Conservancy is a source for advocacy, volunteer opportunities, events, and more on the park’s history.

The bottom line: Seward Park punches above its weight for a neighborhood playground. The climbing structures are ambitious and the setting in one of the Lower East Side's most historic parks gives it a character most playgrounds can't match.

Gianna Abruzzo is EatPlayExplore's playground correspondent and the person who knows Manhattan's parks better than anyone. Brooklyn-born and mother of three, she has raised her girls on these playgrounds and spent years championing the parks that make this city liveable. She created a collection of embroidered iron-on patches to celebrate them. Shop her patches here and follow her on Instagram.