8 Columbus Area Parks for Toddlers

These are 8 Columbus area playgrounds and parks that are great for toddlers in Columbus, Ohio!

Updated August 5, 2023

Do you need to find a really great playground in Columbus for your toddler? I hear ya! Maybe it’s just me, but sometimes taking young kids to the park can be a frightening experience.  You look away for 5 seconds and all of a sudden your toddler is standing at the top of a climbing wall looking over a 10 foot drop off to the pavement below.  

I like to take my toddlers to parks where they can roam freely without a lot of worry that their lack of impulse control (or balance) is going to send us on a trip to the ER.  But that’s just me.

I suppose I should make a disclaimer that most (all?) of the younger kids’ areas in the parks I’ve been to have signs saying the equipment is designed for ages 2-5.  I don’t know anyone who has waited until their kid was 2 to take them to a park, so that being said, I have chosen 8 parks with particularly toddler-friendly play areas in and around Columbus, Ohio!

1. Funk-ee-Town, Harrison Park, Harrison West

• 995 Harrison Park Pl., Columbus, OH 43201
• No Restrooms Available

We lived two blocks from this park for the first couple years of my kids’ lives and they LOVED this playground! They affectionately call it “the way home park” because we would stop on on the way home from our neighborhood walks! This is the perfect park for toddlers in Columbus!

There is a GREAT toddler area here!  No crazy heights, the small slide is enclosed at the top, and lots of opportunities for imaginative play – on the ground!  My kids love the snack shack and the house with the blue roof has drums and a xylophone to play on inside, as well as a steering wheel. While you’re in the area, check out some of these kid-friendly options in the Short North!

2.  Jeffrey Mansion and Park, Bexley

• 165 N. Parkview Ave, Bexley, OH 43209
• Seasonal Restrooms Available

This playground area at Jeffery Mansion in Bexley is one of the best parks in Columbus for toddlers!

The toddler area here is completely fenced in, making it a perfect little play area just for the younger crowd!  There is tunnel to crawl through, a dinosaur slide and a play house.  

As a bonus, the grounds here are beautiful and if you follow the path into the woods behind the park, you will encounter a boardwalk along Alum Creek! If you’re in Bexley, add a stop at Kittie’s or Gramercy Books to complete the morning!

3.  Schiller Park, German Village

• 1069 Jaeger St., Columbus, OH 43206
• Restrooms Available

The toddler side of the playground at Schiller park is very preschooler friendly!  Kids love these trains, and the play area behind it, seen in the picture, is specifically made for the toddler set.  

The playground area is completely closed in, there’s a ramp and the slides are so slow my 4 year old got stuck.  😉 There are several baby/toddler swings here as well. Nearby, check out Winans for great coffee and chocolate!

4. Pingree Park, Worthington

• 374 Pingree Dr., Worthington, OH 43085
• No Restrooms Available

My kids had a lot of fun at this park!  There’s a toddler play set, infant/toddler swings and a small path around the park that does not cross a road or parking lot.  There are a couple of picnic tables and benches here that are convenient for snacking or eating a packed lunch.

Read more: 5 Super Fun Playgrounds in Worthington, Ohio

Both of my kids, including my toddler, actually really had fun on the tunnel slide, though it specifically says for ages 5 and up.  They specifically enjoyed yelling “Paw Patrol!” from the top and then pretending to slide down into their respective vehicles.  So yes, I did basically yell out jobs for them for at least 20 minutes: “Marshall, I need you and your firetruck to go rescue a kitty from a tree . . .” and so on . . . It was fun. (Sarcasm font.)

5.  Scioto Grove Metro Park, Grove City

• 5172 Jackson Pike, Grove City, OH 43123
• Restrooms Available

Let me start out by saying that this toddler-friendly park is part of a larger playground at Scioto Grove Metro Park that is NOT toddler friendly! But it is a separate area with enough distance to help toddlers from being distracted by the large rope climbing structure in the park!

This more natural looking playground has a small slide, a bridge, a tunnel and a small climbing wall!

I appreciate the very small climbing wall that they have added to this area because it gives toddlers something to climb in the park on that is perfect for their height! And the slide is just right for toddlers!

While you’re in Grove City, check out their awesome library or one of these 5 Super Fun Playgrounds in Grove City!

6. Alum Creek Park North, Westerville

• Address: 221 W. Main St., Westerville, OH 43081
• Restrooms Available

Most of this park is geared toward older kids, but there are two things in particular make this park toddler-friendly and worth a visit.  One is the train, which is mainly at ground level with a tunnel to crawl through, benches to sit on inside and a small slide.  

The second thing is the large sand pit.  I said it was toddler friendly, I didn’t promise your kids would stay clean.  😉 This park was one stop during our Playdate in Uptown Westerville – make sure to read to find out where we got donuts before hand! 😉

• Read more: 5 Super Fun Playgrounds in Westerville

7. Amberleigh Park, Dublin Ohio

• Address: 4715 Vista Ridge Dr., Dublin, OH 43017
• Restrooms Available

Amberleigh Park has an adorable play area for toddlers! My kids have LOVED these little houses for imaginative play! This park got an upgrade in 2023 and new structures were added in the middle of the house area.

Most of this park is level and the play structures (pictured above) in the back are made for ages 2-5. A new, larger play area was built in the front of the park for ages 5-12 (pictured below). The park is mostly fenced in, though there are a couple of openings you’ll need to keep an eye on! There is also a pavilion close by with restrooms and plenty of room for a picnic!

Check out 5 Super Fun Playgrounds in Dublin for more ideas nearby!

8. Towers Park, Westerville

• Address: 657 County Line Rd; Westerville, Ohio 43081
• Restrooms available but may be closed seasonally.

This is another super cute park for toddlers! This one feels like you’re playing in a cartoon!

The two colorful play houses are so cute and really fun! They have a lot of little details inside and outside to keep preschoolers entertained! There is also a ropes/climbing course nearby. It’s a great obstacle course for preschoolers and younger elementary kids.

If you use the address listed for the park, it will take you to the baseball fields. To find the playground, turn on N. Spring Rd.. There is a parking lot for the playground area on N. Spring. Check out 5 Super Fun Playgrounds in Westerville for more ideas!

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I have personally tried all of these parks with a toddler and lived to see another day!  I hope you and your little ones enjoy exploring a new park!  If you’re planning to pick up coffee on the way to the park, I featured two of these parks in my post Coffee+Park: 3 Parks Within Walking Distance of a Coffee Shop!

Need more ideas? Check out Over 100 Fun Things to do in Columbus, Ohio

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ICYMI: 6 Free or Cheap Indoor Places for Kids to Run Wild in Columbus

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