Natural Playgrounds Near Burlington and Hamilton

What makes it a “natural” playground?

A natural playground is a play space that includes elements from the earth. Think logs, boulders, tree stumps, wooded fixtures, and more. These pieces can make up all or most of the playground, and work in tandem with cargo nets, swings, slides, and monkey bars to make for unique and impressive play spaces.

Some natural playgrounds, as we note below, include massive truck tires, plants, and water features, too.

Most of these playgrounds will require a drive to get to unless you’re lucky enough to leave near one (jealous!) so we like to suggest making a day of it. Pack a picnic, bring some toys like balls, kites, and frisbees. The larger natural playgrounds can keep kids entertained for hours and hours.

Riverside Park

709 Woolwich St, Guelph, ON 

The playground structures are very large and offer lots of space for running and playing. The structures are a mix between natural pieces and modern equipment including a wooden fish and a grasshopper-shaped climber. Read all about our visit here.

Exhibition park

81 London Road West, Guelph, ON

The Park is home to a few different play areas, each one more impressive than the last. There’s a huge section that can best be described as a “spider web of logs”. Immediately their shoes were off and the kids were scaling the logs and making their way from one end to the other. The heights range from about 2 feet at the lowest point to 7 or 8 feet at the highest. 

Jaycee Park

1520 Gulleden Dr., Mississauga ON

Imaginations will run wild when you see the “city skyscrapers” and cargo nets (hello, Spiderman!) There are so many unique ways to climb and slide here. In the picture below, you can see the mini-trampoline – so fun! And take a look at the saucer swing. They are always a huge hit at the playground. See our pictures and read our review here.

chappel east parkette

1837 Upper Wentworth Street in Hamilton

Big parks are awesome, but there’s a lot to be said about having a whole park to yourself that just lets the imagination run wild! Chappel East Parkette, sometimes referred to as East Chappel Park is smaller, and its natural elements and massive owl structure make it an ideal setting for imagination play. Read our review and see more pictures of Chappel East Parkette here.

William Connell Park

1086 West 5th Street, Hamilton.

When you visit William Connell Park in Hamilton you’ll be treated to a combination of a natural playground, traditional playgrounds, and more sports fields than you could imagine! Read our review and see more photos here.

Perth Park

300 Woodworth Dr, Ancaster, ON

Perth Park is a neighbourhood park, which means parking is a challenge. It’s nestled in a neighbourhood and offers a ton of ways to climb and balance, plus equipment that gives lots of options to use your imagination. Read our review and see more pictures here.

Central Elementary School in Dundas

73 Melville St, Dundas, ON

The site – home of Central Elementary School in Dundas – features an ancient, 100-year-old, 17,000 lbs, 8’ wide silver maple trunk (donated by the City of Hamilton Forestry), an amphitheatre, a wetland teaching garden and significant succession planting to replace the dying Ash canopy.