We took on quite the challenge this summer: TourDMParks!

31 Parks in 31 Days. Game on.

The boys are at great ages to do this. Ben (at almost 4) is old enough to be independent on the equipment and young enough to enjoy going to parks all the time. Fred (at 10 months) is old enough to enjoy swings and watch the big kids and young enough to lack the ability to run away – HA!

So far, so good. It has really caused me to branch out of my comfort zone. I tend to stay in central Des Moines and the western suburbs, and most of the challenge is taking me east. I had no idea what I was missing in Des Moines. I will gladly be used as a marketing tool for Des Moines Parks and Rec to gain some knowledge of my city. Here comes the selfies and hashtags!

I was excited to get started and decided to ride the momentum to two parks on the first day!

Sargent Park: What a find! I had no idea this area existed.

Pros: Convenient & clean(ish) potties, close parking, unique and interesting play structures, great views next to a bike trail with prairie flowers, cute design details, water feature

Cons: Some trash in a giant puddle at the end of the only slide, no shade

While it didn’t have traditional play equipment, there was a surprise at every turn. Bridges, a sun dial, and natural play elements really captured Ben’s attention.

Unfortunately, the slide to the lower level ended in a giant dirty puddle. And the net bridge was neat, but I feared Ben’s little foot would just slip through. There were also obviously patched places, so I wasn’t too sad when Ben was “too cared” to go across.

Speaking of being scared, I tried to get Ben excited about the park by reminding him about the Billy Goats Gruff story. We watched a YouTube video with a very tame troll, and I told him we could act out the story and pretend once we got there. As soon as he saw the bridges, he announced, “Ummm…Mom….I don’t want to ‘tend today…..” My sweet boy.

There were sweet details in the park, including little animal prints in the cement and a neat water feature. Climbing on stumps and through a giant log was great fun. It was a nice morning to see Ben experimenting with the different play elements.

And we squeezed in the official picture by the creek access. Sargent Park was a great first stop on the tour!

Grandview Park: After a short drive, we landed in the middle of a disc golf course. Once again, I had no idea this park existed!

Pros: Great spray ground area, shaded picnic tables, quiet location with good visibility

Cons: Long walk to the potty, bottle caps/litter, no baby swings

My parents were driving into town, so they met us here for a picnic. It was an adorable area with a decent playground. Ben loved the bee hive spray feature, but the water was too chilly for Freddy. This was a great discovery!

Favorite Parks on the Tour:
1.) Sargent Park
2.) Grandview Park