madison's place playground

We've been recommended to this playground not once, not twice, or thrice--but four times. All the hype surrounding this place got me wondering what made it so special.

"It's the nicest splash pad we've found," said one friend.
"We love it," agreed another.
"I think you and your kids will like it," assured the next.
"You haven't been there?!" exclaimed the last.

I promise this wasn't FOMO (fear of missing out), but I had to see this place for myself. This past weekend we finally met up with my sister and her family (big fans of this place) so they could show us around Madison's Place Playground (4125 Radio Drive, Woodbury).


Here's what you need to know:
Parking: Lot
Age range (playground): 1+
Sidewalks: Paved to play area and throughout park
Seating: Benches by play area
Bathrooms: Between the playgrounds and splash pads
Picnic tables: A couple alongside play area
Grills: NA
Sports field: Several (see website for a complete list)

Remember Woodridge Park, aka "Park of America"? Madison's Place sports the same look, quality, and equipment--with little and big kid splash pads to boot. It's built on synthetic flooring and stretches far down alongside the HealthEast Sports Complex.


The playgrounds come first. There's literally a playground conglomerate--the first I've ever run into. There's a huge mass of slides, climbing obstacles, bridges, ladders, tunnels, stairs, and spinners suited for the youngest walkers to the most experienced ones. There's no way any kid will get bored in less than 2 hours.

Next to the playgrounds is a row of sitting and hanging zip lines and gliders. Again, these were a hit for both younger kids, who could ease along with the help of an adult, and older kids, who could challenge one another to crazy dares.


Around the edges of the playgrounds are various equipment such as seated group spinners and spring riders.

A sidewalk separates the playgrounds from the splash pads. It leads to a small building in which bathrooms and water fountains are located.


The splash pad for little kids has mini fountains and sprinklers. It's also far enough away from the big kid splash pad so kiddos aren't accidentally pinned down by one of those water-dumping buckets. Zoey (16 months) was comfortable exploring on her own in this area.

The splash pad for big kids is touch-activated and runs for about 15 minutes before needing to be reactivated (I personally appreciate this water-saving feature). It has fountains, "rain," rotating guns that spout water, sprinklers, and dump buckets, to name just a few things there.


All around the play area is luscious green grass that's perfect for lounging or laying. While there aren't trees big enough to offer ample shade, all you need for a comfortable visit is an umbrella or tent.

My kids loved Madison's Place. They didn't want to leave--and did the whole cry and beg thing when we said it was time to go.


I liked the variety of equipment available for play. The kids were almost always running from one thing to the next for the entire time we were there. I also liked how they could easily switch from playground to splash pad as much as they wanted.

As extensive and fun as the playgrounds are, there's a lot crammed into one space. It seemed to get crowded or even claustrophobic at times, simply because you're completely surrounded by play equipment, running kids, and chasing parents.


Also, as you can imagine, Madison's Place is a popular stop. It was very busy when we visited (as in parents and guardians sat all along the border of the play area--which isn't small), which added to the feelings of crowdedness.

Regardless of the compact structure, we're likely coming back for more of this playground-splash pad duo.