Hanging out in Washington Square Park is always entertaining. The playgrounds are not the focus of this iconic New York City destination in Lower Manhattan, but they add to the experience.

If you are looking for one of the best playgrounds in the West Village, Bleecker Playground is a neighborhood favorite that has something for every age.

Corporal John A. Seravalli Playground, also known as Horatio Playground, has the basics for a pit-stop or some after-school fun for the young elementary school crowd in the West Village.

Pier 51 Playground in Hudson River Park is one of the best waterfront playgrounds in Lower Manhattan, combining climbing structures, splash areas, river views, and unique maritime-inspired design.

Pier 26 Science Playground at Hudson River Park invites kids to climb on top of and inside two massive Sturgeon fish in one of NYC’s most colorful and educational playgrounds.

West Thames Playground in Battery Park City is one of the best playgrounds in Lower Manhattan for families looking for a mix of climbing challenges, sand play, water features, and skyline views.

Battery Playscape in The Battery is one of the most unique playgrounds in NYC, featuring towering 18-foot granite slides, elevated treehouse-style play structures, and a massive sand-and-water play zone at the southern tip of Manhattan.

Here you’ll find the bow of a ship, a wooden choo-choo train, and the City’s iconic water towers marking the play structures for different age groups at this well-loved neighborhood playground in Tribeca.

Catch a glimpse of Pier 42 Upland Park from the FDR and you will want to pull over immediately.

Teardrop Park is a hidden gem where kids explore and interact with natural elements, unlike anywhere else in Lower Manhattan.

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.

At Sol Lain Playground, we smiled at the surprising details: lots of apples, swaying grasses, unusual rope features, and more.

Big kids especially will find opportunities to hang, climb and swing at the Hester Street Playground.

Pearl Street Playground is great for FiDi and Seaport families with little kids. And it’s a fun stopover playground when visiting the Seaport across the street.

Finding an indoor play space in NYC that feels calm, welcoming, and genuinely designed for both kids and parents is not always easy.

This playground has one big maze of a play structure to run through and explore, and it’s a quiet stop away from the chaos of Soho shoppers nearby.

For older kids, this small playground packs in lots of climbing and jumping, and has one of the highest vertical nets we’ve seen in Lower Manhattan.

Climb, hang, and spin at this corner neighborhood playground, and enjoy many treats nearby.

With hanging wooden bridges, cargo-strap nets, a pedal-powered carousel, and plenty of shaded benches, the playground at Rockefeller Park is a gem on its own.

For more than two decades, chef and educator Cricket Azima has helped children discover the joy of cooking through her organization, The Creative Kitchen.