Rating The Suburbs: Three Awesome Playgrounds

KidStation Playground and Safety Village 
Modeled after a fire station, Stow’s KidStation Playground is a sprawling playground with slides, a fireman’s pole, a toddler-friendly miniature rock wall and more. For an added element of fun, the nearby Safety Village is a miniature town modeled after the city with concrete streets, stop signs and a replica of local Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream & Yogurt. “Children bring bikes or scooters with them and they can ride through the village like they’re on a street,” says Linda Nahrstedt, the city’s director of parks and recreation. 4200 Fishcreek Road, Stow, stowohio.org/playgrounds   

Maude Neiding Park 
This large wooden park built 53 years ago in Amherst will make any adventurous kid feel like royalty, with towering castle-like features, crawl spaces and more. Coupled with a pool, four pavilions and a newer, smaller park for the tots, this play place offers daylong entertainment. “To be right in the middle of a forest in our most populated area downtown, just so many people use it on a daily basis,” says Mayor Mark Costilow. 960 Cleveland Ave., Amherst, amherstohio.org   

Preston’s H.O.P.E. Playground 
Anything is possible at this 60,000-square-foot playground in Beachwood. Designed for kids with all abilities, features such as a doublewide walkway suspended over an Imagination Village with kid-sized houses, a boat swing and sandpit where kids can unearth dinosaur bones makes playtime plentiful and accessible. “It’s really a destination spot,” says Stacie Halpern, co-chair of the park. “There’s so many areas to explore and see what’s happening.” 26001 S. Woodland Road, Beachwood, prestonshope.com