8 Columbus Area Parks for Toddlers

These are 8 Columbus area parks and playgrounds that are great for toddlers and younger kids!

Updated April 7, 2022

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!

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!

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 park area at Jeffery Mansion in Bexley is perfect 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.  Discovery Frontier, Fryer Park, Grove City

• 3899 Orders Rd., Grove City, OH 43123
• Restrooms Available
• NOTE: This playground will be under renovation in 2022!

This park is toddler friendly because it is more about space than height.  And yes, I mean that literally and figuratively.  This space-themed park has a lot of area to run, hills to climb and also sand to play in.  My kids love running through the tunnel and up the hill that is the moon. While you’re in Grove City, check out their awesome library!

• More Parks: 5 Super Fun Playgrounds in Grove City

There are several toddler-sized structures to play on.  It’s hard to say exactly what space-themed things they are supposed to be, but none of them are very high off the ground, and that’s what matters.  At this park, there is also a pond with a path to walk. There are several toddler swings here and they are under umbrella cover for shade – another bonus!

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! There are a few different components to this playground in addition to the little town, including swings, a slide built into a small hill and a couple of climbing structures. 

Most of this park is level and the play structures are really geared toward toddlers. There is a pavilion close by with restrooms and plenty of room for a picnic!

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.

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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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