A Community that Loves Kids!

The wisp of a girl fell down in front of me, fussed a little, but got up and ran on. Her mother commented, “Don’t you just love this surface?” Yes, I did like the soft rubber floor; in fact, I enjoyed everything about the read more


Adventure Park Playground. When my daughter-in-law had asked if I wanted to accompany her and my two grandsons to the playground, I imagined the typical swing, climbing set, and bouncy horses. I found my expectations a little low for what spread before me. 

The first place my three-year-old grandson Aaron gravitated to was the sandbox complete with mechanical digger. Two little girls occupied the elevated platform, so Aaron played happily with the buckets and shovels on the lower level.

Beside the sandbox lay a nice theater-type area for putting on small plays and musical performances. I could imagine girls and boys in medieval costumes bowing to the audience. Beyond laid the gate to go into the rest of the play area. After entering, Aaron and I climbed steps to one platform to another to another. I declined his invitation to enter the tube slide and climbed back down to meet him at the bottom. I then ducked my head to follow him through the maze-like area under the platforms. Ready to let him do all the exercising, I sat on a nice bench in front of the ends of the tubes to watch him slide some more.

This is just a sample of the fun I found at this playground. Upon reaching home I looked up their website to learn more. Its photos reminded me of some of the other activities I had seen: swings, loops, a climbing wall, ropes, and a rubber bridge.

This unique playground is located at 1775 Lambs Gap Road, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania near the Carlisle Pike. Capital Area Christian Church spearheaded the project and organized a group called Community Carepoint to oversee and raise money. United Celebral Palsy of Central Pennsylvania and Down East Fabricaton, Inc. joined the effort. The $588,000 donated by groups and individuals to build the park speaks about the worth of children. The planners also gave area elementary children a part in the project by asking them what they would like to see included in a playground.  Experts added input to make the place friendly to the limitations of handicapped children. Afterwards, 1500 volunteers built the playground in six days in 2009.

Other facilities now found at the site are a pavilion, public restrooms, a soccer field, volleyball courts, a snow-tubing hill, 15 exercise stations, and a fitness/nature trail. Take a look at their website http://www.adventureparkandplayground.com/ to see a bird’s eye view. What a statement they are making about the value of people, especially children! I wish every town could have an Adventure Park.

Resource: Scott, Jason. “First-of-its-kind playground to open in Hampden Township.” The Sentinel, Cumberlink.com.  May 29, 2009. http://cumberlink.com/news/local/first-of-its-kind-playground-to-open-in-hampden-township/article_42b3c2dc-e483-5e59-a10e-3eea8ddf2208.html