It’s been pretty nice weather recently, as I’m sure you’ve noticed. We’ve been trying to amass as much vitamin D as possible before we’re back to winter weather, and so we have been out enjoying picnics and scooting and playing in playparks. We even made it to the beach once already (in April…)

The little lady’s favourite thing though, is a good playpark. And in fact, one of my favourite things is a good playpark. Anything that keeps her occupied and happy and tires her out is a win in my book. So I thought I’d share our favourite playparks in Glasgow (or pretty nearby).

Glasgow Green

(Now our absolute favourites are slightly further afield; out at Culzean Castle and Blair Drummond. This list is made up of our favourite playparks within or near Glasgow.)

Rouken Glen

This is a big playpark with lots packed into it. There are slides and swings and spinny things. There is a little climbing wall, and a big rope climbing area. There’s a pirate ship with a really high crows nest (that the little lady is only allowed to climb when her super tall daddy is there in case she needs rescuing).

None of the slides are really high but the higher one is more difficult to get up to, so your tiny ones shouldn’t be able to get up there and get stuck.

The baby area is a good size and isn’t too high up, so you can supervise your tiny ones from the ground rather than having to clamber around with them.

Glasgow Green

The playpark I’m talking about here is the ones near the People’s Palace, next to Free Wheel North. There are actually two separate playparks; one for younger kids and one clearly aimed at bigger kids.

Both these playparks are sandy; one of the little lady’s prerequisites for a very fun playpark. The little one has a slide, swings, see saw, some small climbing bits and a little pirate ship that she loves to ‘sell me some ice cream’ from the window of. It also has what used to be a water play area but the water doesn’t work and she just adores pouring and squashing sand through it.

The larger playpark has really tall slides and bits for climbing. It’s only in the last few months that the little lady has wanted to go into this one and has been brave enough to go up on her own. I do still have to stand at the bottom of each slide and wait for her but it’s nice to feel needed… This is her favourite playpark. She always asks to go here.

Victoria Park

The playpark in Victoria Park has all the usual suspects; slides (a few good ones actually), swings, climbing frames, spinny things, seesaws… It has a maze in the middle with some musical toys hidden amongst it (some work, some don’t). There’s also a pirate ship with a high platform, a slide, some bits to climb through and a couple of wheels to steer the ship.

The pirate ship, with it’s slide and steering wheels (is that what they’re called on a ship?!) is the little lady’s favourite. We went to find a shark the last time we were there.

I think that this playpark is especially good for preschoolers. They can use pretty much everything that’s there. The little lady is the perfect age to enjoy this playpark – we’ve been there quite a lot this ’summer’ already!

Cuningar Loop

This playpark is mostly made out of tree trunks and other bits of wood. It has swings, a slide and a few different bits for climbing. There’s a good sized sandy area around the swings and slide, and a den made out of climbing vines.

It’s not a big playpark, but it’s quite different to most of the others we’ve been to. The slide is pretty steep and fast and is a particular favourite of the little lady (I quite like it too…) You have to climb up a mound to get to it and the little lady quite likes being the ‘queen of the castle’ once she’s up there!

There’s also a cafe right next to it selling ice cream, hot drinks and other food. (I’m not sure what other food though; I’ve only ever bought tea and ice cream!)

Calderglen

The new playpark that opened at Calderglen last year is brilliant. There’s tons to do in it. Various climbing frames with slides to suit all ages. Loads of musical toys, a couple of trampolines, some spinny things and swings of varying designs.

I wrote a whole post about it when we first went along (which you can read here) but suffice it to say we really like it.

The little lady loves the big long slides on the hill. Just a little word of warning though; don’t let your kid go down those if it’s wet and they’re wearing a waterproof onesie. Or they’ll end up airborne…

Drumpellier

This is the newest playpark on this list. It opened less than a month ago and we’ve been quite a few times already. It is a wooden fort styled playpark. The upper level has wooden bridges, rope bridges, and leads to a few different slides. There are quite a few different bits to climb up too.

Underneath there is a rope & wood assault course with loads of different bits to try to climb and clamber across. It’s lots of fun for mums and dads too! Over to the side are a couple of zip slides that are the little lady’s favourite thing in the Drumpellier playpark. She can just get on them herself (most of the time) and she absolutely loves them.

One thing I really like about this playpark is that, when I was sitting feeding baby boy I could see the little lady constantly. It’s quite open, so you can give them the freedom to run around without having to move when they disappear from sight.

The only thing I’d say about this playpark is that it doesn’t really have much to suit young toddlers. We were there with a friend who has an 18 month old and there wasn’t much he could do by himself. The fort play frame is too advanced unless you go with them (there are too many bits for them to fall from – the spaces at the top of the bits you climb up). And the assault course & zip slides are the same. Really excellent for slightly older kids though.